1968 W900A. Cab Mounted AC Help?

Idumprock4u · Aug 2, 2018

W900AOwner said: ↑

My solution was to go with aftermarket a/c. I have a '78 I run daily and last June I put a Vintage Air aftermarket system in my W900A. It was a surprise how nice the whole project went from ordering the system to installation.

The dealer I dealt with is Wheels of Time, Gary Keen in New Philadelphia, Ms. (and I'm 1300 miles away in Vermont,) and had his friend in Decatur, Ms. do the install with my assistance right with him to keep the timing in order for me to reload home. I'm sure you can purchase the system and either do it yourself or have your friendly neighborhood truck repair shop put it all in with no problems. The next one I do I'll do it myself after seeing how simple they are.

Vintage Air is based in San Antonio, Tx. and they sell through distributors only, but their tech support is second to none when you need help...they're great. I am still surprised.

I removed my entire heater/a~c box from under the dash of my '78, this Vintage Air Gen IV heat~a/c unit neatly mounts in the old one's place. The compressor mounted on my existing old York upright compressor bracket. A new small condenser (approx. 20" x 14") was pre-determined for size and we mounted that out in front of the radiator. The installer Ricky Wyatt in Decatur, Ms. (Poboy Rodz hotrod shop actually,) did a nice job of mounting the compressor while I was removing all the old stuff, and in about 14 hours between two days, I was rolling out the door with ice cold a/c and nice heat for a change. All for around $2,200.00 complete. I couldn't replace the OEM stuff for that.

You can't use the OEM Grilldenser in a KW for the R134a refrigerant either, due to the round tubes in the condensor... R134a likes rippled tubes to be more efficient in cooling...so no matter what you still kind of need to change over to a different style condenser no matter if you were fixing what you had originally or not.

The Gen 4 system was at that time last year the largest system they offered, built for cooling large areas such as station wagons. It's a 5,000 BTU and let me tell you, it'll freeze your kahuna's off no matter what the ambient temp's are. And the heater is awesome too. Highly recommend Vintage Air if nothing else other than the tech support in the future. I replaced the engine in this truck a month ago and got a little botched up when I forgot to label the a/c wiring; called tech support and they emailed me a couple of diagrams and I was back on track in no time.

Home - Vintage Air

I am cooling a lot of space in this truck too, and it does a super job. I recommend this system, and can't say that about much anything anymore.

View attachment 235691 View attachment 235692
Click to expand...

Do you know what model of the gen 4 you installed?

Superhauler · Aug 2, 2018

W900AOwner said: ↑

These were taken last year at the time we were doing the install AModelCat. I didn't get a chance to take any yesterday, I got sidetracked but I will take some of it all tucked under the dash soon.

It fits nicely, and it's exposed as far as the ductwork. I thought about having a sheet metal shop bend up a piece of stainless or aluminum to make some sort of a cover to go over it all, but then when I think about it harder, why? It isn't bothering anything like it is...it looks like it belongs there and it's not a trailer queen, she performs daily.
View attachment 236870
Click to expand...

OH, MY. don't mean to change the subject but is that a 1693 I see sittin under the hood ? If so , I want your truck........seriously !

W900AOwner · Aug 2, 2018

superhauler said: ↑

OH, MY. don't mean to change the subject but is that a 1693 I see sittin under the hood ? If so , I want your truck........seriously !
Click to expand...

No, it ain't a 1693.

W900AOwner · Aug 2, 2018

Idumprock4u said: ↑

Do you know what model of the gen 4 you installed?
Click to expand...

Seroiusly, no, LOL. I just remember it being a Gen IV, 5,000 BTU model. It's the BIGGEST unit Vintage Air made they told me...that's all I got.

KB3MMX · Aug 14, 2018

W900AOwner said: ↑

My solution was to go with aftermarket a/c. I have a '78 I run daily and last June I put a Vintage Air aftermarket system in my W900A. It was a surprise how nice the whole project went from ordering the system to installation.

The dealer I dealt with is Wheels of Time, Gary Keen in New Philadelphia, Ms. (and I'm 1300 miles away in Vermont,) and had his friend in Decatur, Ms. do the install with my assistance right with him to keep the timing in order for me to reload home. I'm sure you can purchase the system and either do it yourself or have your friendly neighborhood truck repair shop put it all in with no problems. The next one I do I'll do it myself after seeing how simple they are.

Vintage Air is based in San Antonio, Tx. and they sell through distributors only, but their tech support is second to none when you need help...they're great. I am still surprised.

I removed my entire heater/a~c box from under the dash of my '78, this Vintage Air Gen IV heat~a/c unit neatly mounts in the old one's place. The compressor mounted on my existing old York upright compressor bracket. A new small condenser (approx. 20" x 14") was pre-determined for size and we mounted that out in front of the radiator. The installer Ricky Wyatt in Decatur, Ms. (Poboy Rodz hotrod shop actually,) did a nice job of mounting the compressor while I was removing all the old stuff, and in about 14 hours between two days, I was rolling out the door with ice cold a/c and nice heat for a change. All for around $2,200.00 complete. I couldn't replace the OEM stuff for that.

You can't use the OEM Grilldenser in a KW for the R134a refrigerant either, due to the round tubes in the condensor... R134a likes rippled tubes to be more efficient in cooling...so no matter what you still kind of need to change over to a different style condenser no matter if you were fixing what you had originally or not.

The Gen 4 system was at that time last year the largest system they offered, built for cooling large areas such as station wagons. It's a 5,000 BTU and let me tell you, it'll freeze your kahuna's off no matter what the ambient temp's are. And the heater is awesome too. Highly recommend Vintage Air if nothing else other than the tech support in the future. I replaced the engine in this truck a month ago and got a little botched up when I forgot to label the a/c wiring; called tech support and they emailed me a couple of diagrams and I was back on track in no time.

Home - Vintage Air

I am cooling a lot of space in this truck too, and it does a super job. I recommend this system, and can't say that about much anything anymore.

View attachment 235691 View attachment 235692
Click to expand...

That's a beauty right there !!!!

.

Tug Toy · Aug 16, 2018

W900AOwner said: ↑

I really appreciate the compliment Dino. It's a tough game out here anymore, and as many years as I've been doing this...it's amazing that I still am. You don't have the same caliber of guys you once did to talk to, and the majority of them don't get the old truck thing like we do.

The ONLY thing that keeps me grounded is running this older truck(s) and enjoying that part of it, even though it is a never-ending, vicious circle, continuous, eternal, perpetual, full time maintenance and repair project that is 7 days a week to keep things correct.

I just added these graphics that I kind of designed myself this past Monday...it's a one-off from the original Kenworth "Blue Ridge" OEM paint scheme done in a nice metallic off white with cardinal red pinstripe. I like it better than a solid color truck. View attachment 236684 View attachment 236685 View attachment 236686 View attachment 236687
Click to expand...

Them stripes look perfect on there!!!

Great job!

AModelCat · Aug 31, 2018

W900AOwner said: ↑

These were taken last year at the time we were doing the install AModelCat. I didn't get a chance to take any yesterday, I got sidetracked but I will take some of it all tucked under the dash soon.

It fits nicely, and it's exposed as far as the ductwork. I thought about having a sheet metal shop bend up a piece of stainless or aluminum to make some sort of a cover to go over it all, but then when I think about it harder, why? It isn't bothering anything like it is...it looks like it belongs there and it's not a trailer queen, she performs daily.
View attachment 236870
Click to expand...

I was looking at their A/C units online. Just curious how it all tied in with fresh air vent on the passenger side cowl or if you just sealed it shut?

W900AOwner · Sep 2, 2018

AModelCat said: ↑

I was looking at their A/C units online. Just curious how it all tied in with fresh air vent on the passenger side cowl or if you just sealed it shut?
Click to expand...

It doesn't tie in, the blower motor is wide open in front and takes air in right there. The only thing I should suggest and do myself is cover it with a piece of foam filter material to keep the dust and dirt from getting pulled through. Other than that it does a good job with everything.

MACK E-6 · Sep 2, 2018

W900AOwner said: ↑

I really appreciate the compliment Dino. It's a tough game out here anymore, and as many years as I've been doing this...it's amazing that I still am. You don't have the same caliber of guys you once did to talk to, and the majority of them don't get the old truck thing like we do.

The ONLY thing that keeps me grounded is running this older truck(s) and enjoying that part of it, even though it is a never-ending, vicious circle, continuous, eternal, perpetual, full time maintenance and repair project that is 7 days a week to keep things correct.

I just added these graphics that I kind of designed myself this past Monday...it's a one-off from the original Kenworth "Blue Ridge" OEM paint scheme done in a nice metallic off white with cardinal red pinstripe. I like it better than a solid color truck. View attachment 236684 View attachment 236685 View attachment 236686 View attachment 236687
Click to expand...

Still have the 3 spoke steering wheel on it?

AModelCat · Sep 2, 2018

W900AOwner said: ↑

It doesn't tie in, the blower motor is wide open in front and takes air in right there. The only thing I should suggest and do myself is cover it with a piece of foam filter material to keep the dust and dirt from getting pulled through. Other than that it does a good job with everything.
Click to expand...

Ok. Wasn't sure if it tied in or not.

W900AOwner · Sep 3, 2018

The actuator was N/G on my fresh air door on the passenger side anyways, so I just fastened it closed permanently. I use the drivers side one all the time for ventilation, it's a manually operated one like the bunk vent doors are.

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