I did this install in the parking lot of my apartment complex a couple hours a night after work (I was always gone on the weekends!) So anyone with a little determination can do this!
*Vintage Air's directions are well done, but lacking with better descriptions and pictures. I did have a couple of mess ups and had to redo a few things, hopefully, by reading this thread, y'all can install this system flawlessly*
The kit cost around $1150 shipped. I ordered the vintage air sure fit kit with the "vintage air" style controls that all mount in the stock A/C areas. I ordered the one for a non air truck with air controls. I've been told you get much more use and climate control if you use a stock A/C controller Vs. a heater controller.
As you'll see I had to change a lot of stuff on my truck and buy tools I didn't have. I spent around $1,500 on my install! OUCH! BUT it's been more than worth it already!
Step 1: Wash your truck. If you're as slow as I am, this will be the last time you see your truck clean for a while!
The first thing to do is drain your radiator. Try to do it legally, whatever that may be! The draincock on a stock truck is located at the bottom of the radiator on the driver's side. Open it to drain the fluid. Then, unbolt the fan shroud from the radiator and push it towards the motor. Remove the upper and lower hoses from the radiator. Remove your overflow line if you have one and unbolt the 2 bolts on each of the two radiator hold downs on top of the radiator. If your truck is an automatic, then remove the two transmission cooler lines on the passenger side. Remove the radiator.
*The following steps are only necessary if your truck is a long water pump and your alternator is on the "wrong" side.*
The next few steps are alternatives if your truck is "different" like mine. I wanted to have a more stock look to my truck and I wanted the alternator to be on the driver's side and the A/C compressor on the passenger side. My truck has some kind of 80's 350 in it with a long water pump.
I was able to get a stock '72 style alternator bracket off a parts truck my dad had. I cleaned and painted that.
I went to Advance Auto and bought a short water pump only to find out that the long and short pump bolts are totally different and won't interchange. I couldn't find anyone local that sells them, so I ordered them off of ebay. The instructions call for 5/8" heater hose and my hoses on my stock heater unit were larger than that, so back to Advance for the correct heater hose adapters for both the water pump and intake manifold.
You now have full access to the alternator brackets. Remove the bolt on the front of the water pump and the bolt on top of the intake manifold. You have to remove the lower alternator bracket to gain access to the lower water pump bolt. Once that is removed you can now remove the water pump!
Install the new water pump. Leave the upper left bolt out, one of the A/C brackets will be bolted in it's place later. I use some thread sealer on the bolts for the water pump. In this pic, the water pump is just "mocked up." I didn't have the correct bolts yet from Ebay.
I thought because I had a triple groove crank pulley and a double groove water pump pulley that I was "good to go." As you can see, this is not the case!
They DO NOT Line up. The proper crank pulley for a short water pump set-up sits flush against the balancer, now "away" from it. The upper pulley was incorrect as well.
Thankfully, Frank, (Pickmup) was able to hook me up with some really nice used pulleys! Thanks Frank!
Before you install everything on the water pump, now would be a good time to replace the heater hose fittings with the correct ones. They need to be for 5/8" heater hose.
I installed new fittings on both the water pump and intake manifold. I used plumbers tape on the threads.
Another little pain in the butt thing I had to do was make a new gas line. The old one was already pretty bent up and when I tried to adjust it around the new water pump (it used to fit behind the long water pump, but would not do so with the new short pump) I bent it. I bent up a new one, somewhat properly and installed it. I used 3/8" brake line for the job and flared the end for the rubber fuel line. I don't really have any good pics of what I did, but you can kinda see it in this one.
Once I got my new pulleys I cleaned them up a little and painted them. You can also see the new pulleys installed in the pics below. They line up all proper-like
*Pretend you don't see the A/C compressor yet, I skipped around a lot during the install, I have ADD
Using the '72 style alternator bracket, I bolted it in place and reinstalled the alternator. Reconnect the wiring if you removed it earlier.
Remove all visible bolts from the heater unit. Some are under the hood and some are under the dash! There is one down between the firewall and inner fender and is really hard to get to, but can be done without removing the inner fender, you just have to feel for it.
These bolts are under the dash on the passenger side, the one on the lower right is the nut that is on the firewall between the firewall and inner fender.
Remove the two screws holding the heater control unit in place and let it hang down. Also, unplug any wiring to it (the light and fan switch). It's not necessary to undo the control sliders.
You also have to remove the glove box door and liner to get to a bolt that is located behind the glove box. See post #25 below.
Once you get all of the bolts out, you can peel the heater unit away from the firewall. With it moved away from the firewall you will have enough room to remove this. You can also remove it by popping off the plastic cover in this pic and removing it from the inside...
You need to remove the heater box from the truck. I didn't want to remove my hood, but you do need to unbolt the 2 back bolts on the hood hinge and can gently tip the hood forward to get enough room to get the heater unit out! I put a line on the fender to mark where the hood needed to go so it would line back up when I put it back on. Don't forget to put your hinge bolts back in before you close the hood!
Now would be a good time to remove the glove box door and liner. They come out pretty easy, 4 screws for the door and remove all the screws for the liner, push the edges inward so the clear the dash, and pull it through the glove box door opening.