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Posted By: SDMickey "Way Down the Road" Air in 74' G10 - February 09th 2021 3:16 am
Hey guys ; " Way Down the Road " I'd like to ad air to my 74' G10. The dash is primo and I hate to buy a new dash for the venting.

Have you ever done or heard of getting vents out of a 71'-75- and doing a clean install on a similar dash that didn't have air ?
Posted By: CatFish Re: "Way Down the Road" Air in 74' G10 - February 09th 2021 2:33 pm
I've seen rear air units retro'd and installed behind (or between) the seats. No dash cutting required.
Posted By: kursed Re: "Way Down the Road" Air in 74' G10 - February 09th 2021 5:59 pm
Looking back through your "Reader's Rides" thread, man your dash is near mint. I personally would not want to cut into a dash that nice seeing as how hard they are to come by in that condition. I believe this is what the early 3rd gen G van dash looks like with air. Problem is, I don't think even if you cut a perfect square hole for that vent with its trim, it would fit into your dash right without a LOT of work. I'll keep my eyes open this spring in the junkyard hunts I have planned. If you haven't found something by then anyway. But my 2 cents would be looking for a whole dash with the vents already there to swap in.

Attached picture s-l300.jpg
Posted By: Rusty Pancelode Re: "Way Down the Road" Air in 74' G10 - February 09th 2021 6:04 pm
I like Catfish's idea.
Posted By: SDMickey Re: "Way Down the Road" Air in 74' G10 - February 10th 2021 9:36 pm
That rear air system sounds cool. I like that. Please keep your eyes peeled. How does that system actually work ? How are the lines ran ? Thanks
Posted By: CatFish Re: "Way Down the Road" Air in 74' G10 - February 10th 2021 10:25 pm
You could use a junk yard system but it would need to be a late model (R134) system. A 134 compressor would likely need to be retro-fitted to use the 70's v-belt drive and mounts.
A older R12 rear air system could be flushed for R134 use but you will need to convert it from a TXV controlled evap coil to a orifice system for proper oil return. And you'll need to use a suction accumulator.
Either way you need new hoses as they are specially lined to prevent leakage of R134. R134 molecules are tiny compared to R12 and can seep thru unlined hoses.
Hod Rodders have been using systems like these for years. Might search Vintage Air and others for their "hidden" systems. Not cheap but it still beats cutting a vintage dash up.
Just dig up one of those mayonnaise jars full of money you got buried in the back yard.
Posted By: Lionhead Re: "Way Down the Road" Air in 74' G10 - February 10th 2021 11:23 pm
That's not a factory vent in 5hat picture. That's an old aftermarket vent.
Posted By: kursed Re: "Way Down the Road" Air in 74' G10 - February 11th 2021 1:32 am
Originally Posted by Lionhead
That's not a factory vent in 5hat picture. That's an old aftermarket vent.

Do you have a pic of what the originals would look like for him? I grabbed that one off Google, no idea what the early ones looked like, I know what the 90s+ look like, but that's it.
Posted By: SDMickey Re: "Way Down the Road" Air in 74' G10 - February 11th 2021 1:40 am
Hey Catfish; they were coffee cans and the wife found them all.
Posted By: kursed Re: "Way Down the Road" Air in 74' G10 - February 11th 2021 2:05 am
Yet another reason I'm glad I don't live in CA, here in VA I can just pop the vent windows around and crank open the crotch cooler vents in the kick panels and I'm all set.

[Linked Image from media.giphy.com]
Posted By: frscke1 Re: "Way Down the Road" Air in 74' G10 - February 11th 2021 2:18 am
Originally Posted by kursed
Yet another reason I'm glad I don't live in CA, here in VA I can just pop the vent windows around and crank open the crotch cooler vents in the kick panels and I'm all set.

[Linked Image from media.giphy.com]

Only 3 months out of the yr lol

How about today did ya ride with your top down lol
Posted By: kursed Re: "Way Down the Road" Air in 74' G10 - February 11th 2021 2:59 am
Originally Posted by frscke1
Only 3 months out of the yr lol

How about today did ya ride with your top down lol

Not today, but yesterday I had my driver's window down and arm out. Funny thing about VA, we get all 4 seasons year round. Yesterday we had spring, mid 50s, today it's back to winter mid 30s. Who knows what tomorrow will bring. LMAO!

I'm usually good with the window A/C for spring, summer, and fall. Winter I typically roll them up, until we have weird warm days like yesterday.
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