Classic Auto Air?

[tylerk]

Has anyone used Classic Auto Air recently? There were several threads from a couple years ago but it seemed most were going with the retro-fit kits.
I want to have my AC/heaterbox restored, and they quoted $500 plus parts.
Doesn't sound bad, but any references might make me feel better?

[gtx6970]

What year car ?
And , IMO only.

thats figuring APPROX 10 hours for teardown, inspection, test, refinish , re-assemble

I would be curious to see the quality you get back , I know I can't do it for that

[tylerk]

It's for a '69 Charger.  That price is just for restoration of the actual box.
That's without a new heater core, gasket set, etc.
From your experience, what would a full resto run?

[twodko]

Take it on yourself and enjoy a job well done not to mention the things you will learn. Don't pay somebody to do it. YOU can do it.........I have faith in you. DMT makes the entire gasket kit for it including detailed instructions. The owner is a terrific guy who is happy to take the phone time with you to get through anything that may be problematic. As far as a new heater core goes I know AC cores are more expensive than non AC cars like mine but it will still be cheaper to buy one yourself rather than someone else buying one as part of their resto of your box.            Just sayin'         

[tylerk]

Thank you sir, that sure is sounding tempting.  With the bodywork getting finished up, I've got all these small projects that are dash-related because I know that'll need to go in pretty quick.  Working from check to check does make it difficult to go 'gung-ho' on it.

Do DMT's instructions include the breakdown and such of the actual box, or just how to replace the foam, etc?  I know there is surely enough knowledge on the board for me to tackle it, but my inexperience does worry me.

If it'll save money that I could put toward getting my guages, radio, etc, I think I may
give it a try myself.  If nothing else, it'll tear the box down, one step out of the way for whoever fixes my mess.  Much obliged! 

[twodko]

I know about the paycheck to paycheck car restoring woes.....know it well. I surely appreciate the timely manner in which you want to get the dash back together and installed. The instructions that came with my DMT gasket kit for my non AC car were pretty damn clear about what goes where, it's orientation and suggestions to make it go together nicely AND correctly.

I had NO experience either restoring any kind of heater box so don't let that get in your way. I read through all of the history posts about heat box resto herein and man there are some excellent ones too. The member that comes to mind right now is a guy by the name of Per. His photo documentation of the teardown, refurb and reassembly is second to none. Many members here have taken this on with no experience either and have made their boxes as good if not better than new. You already know the membership will get you through each and every step so let us help or at least let us pick on ya.  
The very best thing to do for yourself is to take as many pictures of everything around the box, what attaches to the box, how the box/core attaches to the engine well firewall and every step of opening the box, removing pieces etc. Then take more pix especially detailed ones. Put all parts in baggies and label each one where it came from IE: all the screws that hold the front cover on the box go into a bag and is labeled as such. You will be amazed at how much easier it will be when you go to put it all back together. Sounds like a lot of stuff but please don't let it intimidate you........we're Mopar people dude! Like the slogan goes, " if you're not with us, you're behind us"!

Please PM me about your gauge situation because I have some OEM ones available as well as other 69 stuff.
Take no prisoners!

[gtx6970]

It's for a '69 Charger.  That price is just for restoration of the actual box.
That's without a new heater core, gasket set, etc.
From your experience, what would a full resto run?

based on having done one recently. I would dare say in the $800 - $850 range and that includes the gasket kit, and having the heater core and evap tested locally. If it needs either one or both it'll jump to well over $1000 -$1200 range pretty easily.

A/C boxes are considerably more complex than a non air box , although if your moderatly skiled to use hand tools you could porobably do it in house.

and as an FYI, Take LOTS of before AND during pictures, you will need them later, trust me


Here is the one I did recently
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,87035.0.html

[tylerk]

Thanks Bill, do you offer any of the parts I may need for it, hoses, clamps, hardware etc?
If so I'll shoot my business your way while I work through it since you kindly took care of me with those rivets.

Also, any special tool I'd need to take it apart, besides the regular tools?

[tylerk]

Which you answered in one of the first posts on your thread...my bad lol.

[gtx6970]

Thanks Bill, do you offer any of the parts I may need for it, hoses, clamps, hardware etc?
If so I'll shoot my business your way while I work through it since you kindly took care of me with those rivets.

Also, any special tool I'd need to take it apart, besides the regular tools?

Gasket set I picked up from Jim at DMT.( I don't stock them here, although we have been talking about it )
otherwise theres not much needed as far as special tools.
1/4 + 5/16" nut drivers and a straight and a phillips screwdrivers and a pair of needle nose pliers should about do it

[440]

I think I spent somewhere between $500-$600 to restore my box and I did all of the assembly. That's just in parts and materials etc. Granted I paid extra to get it acid stripped and painted but tack on labor and you'll be looking at four figures. SMS restored A/C heater boxes are about $1500 if I remember correctly.

I have a classic air heater core and it's not impressive. Post #8 on my thread.

Here's the link to my box. http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,91268.0.html

[mauve66]

i guess your making the whole car showroom finish??  maybe i don't get it, or ac cars are just WAYYYYY more expensive, i replaced my heater core with a gasket set and put the box back together, its way up under the dash where it can't be seen, whats with the asid dip and body work and repaint??

this is not a dig or anything just asking question because i don't understand spending 1500 bucks on something that can't be seen

[twodko]

 

[440]

No, not showroom finish. Probably not 100% correct either, just ensuring it lasts another 42+ years. $500 is pretty cheap knowing I'll never have to do it again, I personally wouldn't spend $1500 on a restored box but $500 doing it myself for the same result is a bargin in my opinion.

Of course if you started with a 100% complete box you could get away with just a cleaning, DMT gasket kit, pressure test of the evap and core, a bit of paint and you'd be done for a couple of hundred dollars.

Acid dip is just a chemical dip to remove paint, glue, most importantly rust etc back to bare steel. I had the galvanized parts regalvinized. The hardware was either yellow or silver zinc plated. One of the vacuum pods was bad.

[mauve66]

ok, glad mine was simpler, no A/C............ of course now the wife wants it in the car......

[mauve66]

oh yeah, here's one someone is doing....

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,91268.msg953586/topicseen.html#new

[AirborneSilva]

Can someone please tell me whom DMT is?  I did a Google search but only came up with some drug and Joe Rogan...  Thanks 

[440]

Detroit Muscle Technologies

http://www.detroitmuscletechnologies.com/

[AirborneSilva]

Detroit Muscle Technologies

http://www.detroitmuscletechnologies.com/

Thank you!  I kept thinking Dante's but that didn't seem right...  Thanks again 

[tylerk]

440,
Who re-galvinized your parts for you?
Seems the only places I can find won't do a small order.

[440]

A place down the road from me called Korvest Galvinizing in Australia, a bit far for you to send your stuff    Most places have a minimum charge for up to a certain poundage of material. I couldn't find enough material to get close to the threshold, so I still got slugged something like $90 for probably two pounds of material. I think it was roughly $90 per 40 pounds.

If the galvinizing on your current pieces is still good there's really no need to re-plate it.

As long as your prepared to pay the minimum I don't see why they won't take on the job.

[AirborneSilva]

Been checking out that DMT site, lot's of good stuff on there 

[PlainfieldCharger]

Finished and installed my 68 AC heaterbox with the help of 440 and GTX6970 rebuild threads. These threads used together gives you everything you need to do a great job. I am very happy with the results!!! Thanks 440, GTX6970.

[twodko]

Speaking of aftermarket AC, what seems to be the front runner. Can you guys post a pix or two of the dash and controls, how the vents look for a non-factory AC 69 Charger?

[bill440rt]

Sure.
My car did not originally have A/C. With the CAA setup, the dash controls stay the same, they use the factory slide controls. You basically remove the original switch itself & replace it with theirs. In the Off position, you can turn on the fan & slide the temp control for heat or vent. In the Heat position it operates the defroster. In the Def position is dash A/C.
Here's a shot of the underdash vents they give you. They don't look bad installed, they are actually nice looking.

I've since modded it for the factory in-dash vents. Here's the thread showing how:
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,87688.0.html