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1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy
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tailfins
Posted 2017-12-14 8:46 PM (#554353)
Subject: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy


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anyone have pictures and dimensions of what these should look like?
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miquelonbrad
Posted 2017-12-20 8:32 PM (#554747 - in reply to #554353)
Subject: RE: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy



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Location: Hay Lakes, Alberta, Canada
The firewall box for A/C is basically the same rough dimensions as the regular heater-only box, but slightly changed, to accomodate the two cores inside, instead of just one. Here are a couple pics from the internet, that I saved:





(AC.jpg resized.jpg)



(1957-chrysler-300c-engine.jpg resized.jpg)



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Attachments AC.jpg resized.jpg (102KB - 302 downloads)
Attachments 1957-chrysler-300c-engine.jpg resized.jpg (47KB - 273 downloads)
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miquelonbrad
Posted 2017-12-20 8:49 PM (#554750 - in reply to #554353)
Subject: RE: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy



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Location: Hay Lakes, Alberta, Canada
The dash vents are different on the A/C cars. There are extra vents in the box, down by your feet, as well as the vents on the dash pop up, to allow you to aim the air at you/passengers. There is also an oil-pressure operated fresh air door, which is fitted in place of the manual operated door, inside the dash. You can't interchange any of the panels under the dash. Here are a couple pics, of the A/C unit I salvaged, for use in my restoration.

Edited by miquelonbrad 2017-12-20 8:54 PM




($_57 (6).jpg resized.jpg)



($_57 (1).jpg resized.jpg)



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Attachments $_57 (6).jpg resized.jpg (15KB - 310 downloads)
Attachments $_57 (1).jpg resized.jpg (15KB - 233 downloads)
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tailfins
Posted 2017-12-25 10:47 AM (#555013 - in reply to #554353)
Subject: Re: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy


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thanks....anyone have one of the AC firewall assemblies for the 57?
I have an xtra 56 ac box to sell or trade if anyone needs it
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hemidenis
Posted 2017-12-25 12:44 PM (#555016 - in reply to #554353)
Subject: Re: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy



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I knew a guy who restored the AC of a 1957 Imperial and he told me "i would stay away to make this thing work in a non AC car do to the complexity of it" and money was not an issue for him...










Edited by hemidenis 2017-12-25 12:45 PM
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FINS!
Posted 2018-01-30 12:27 PM (#557213 - in reply to #554353)
Subject: RE: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy


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I'm hijaking this thread, but has anyone here added AC to a non AC 57 Dodge? Am considering doing it on a car I'm working on for a friend, would like to know what's involved. Is the firewall itself different?
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arizona mopar gold
Posted 2018-02-09 2:12 AM (#557728 - in reply to #554353)
Subject: Re: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy



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apart from all the A/C firewall box stuff and heater slide control /switch parts...your also going to need the A/C style radiator, Fan blade and fan shroud...the upper hose inlet is re-positioned for the belts.

Edited by arizona mopar gold 2018-02-09 2:16 AM
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57burb
Posted 2018-02-09 10:32 AM (#557747 - in reply to #557728)
Subject: Re: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy



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I have all the a/c parts from a 57 New Yorker. The parts are a little rough but it's all there. I have pictures for anyone interested.
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Finsinthemirror
Posted 2018-02-09 7:42 PM (#557797 - in reply to #557747)
Subject: Re: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy



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The biggest thing in trying to convert a non factory a/c car to use a factory IN-DASH a/c system (NOT under-dash) is the actual stamped steel firewall is different. I've got a factory system I planned to install into a Plymouth and can tell you that it is a BIG task to make it work and you'd better be darned committed to it because you're going to have to cut away metal and modify the firewall. It is an enormous job. It's almost worth buying a whole complete factory a/c car (the same as whatever you're trying to make a/c) to do the job so you can actually SEE what all is different. It's major..
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mikes2nd
Posted 2018-02-09 9:37 PM (#557804 - in reply to #554353)
Subject: Re: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy


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a vintage air unit is that bad? seems pretty straight forward.
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57chizler
Posted 2018-02-10 5:08 PM (#557857 - in reply to #557797)
Subject: Re: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy



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Finsinthemirror - 2018-02-09 4:42 PM

It's almost worth buying a whole complete factory a/c car (the same as whatever you're trying to make a/c) to do the job so you can actually SEE what all is different. It's major..


I agree, even if I had a complete parts car available I'd go with a hang-on. IIRC on the factory '57 A/C cars even the valve cover is different. (oil drain fitting for the blend door motor)
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Finsinthemirror
Posted 2018-02-10 5:35 PM (#557859 - in reply to #557857)
Subject: Re: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy



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57chizler - 2018-02-10 2:08 PM

Finsinthemirror - 2018-02-09 4:42 PM

It's almost worth buying a whole complete factory a/c car (the same as whatever you're trying to make a/c) to do the job so you can actually SEE what all is different. It's major..


I agree, even if I had a complete parts car available I'd go with a hang-on. IIRC on the factory '57 A/C cars even the valve cover is different. (oil drain fitting for the blend door motor)


So far as I know all 57-59 factory a/c cars (maybe even later as well) had the valve cover drilled/tapped with 2 oil fittings on one side (left side I believe).
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FINS!
Posted 2018-02-10 7:52 PM (#557874 - in reply to #554353)
Subject: RE: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy


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Thanks finsinthemirror, that is extremely helpful. I thought the firewall was different. Do you have any pics of an AC firewall? What about dealer installed systems, which is what I think this wagon had originally? Should be much simpler to install, assuming I can find one.
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LD3 Greg
Posted 2018-02-11 4:43 PM (#557912 - in reply to #557874)
Subject: RE: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy


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Location: Ontario, Canada
Here is a 58 A/C firewall. The 57 is the same.



(image.jpg)



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Attachments image.jpg (128KB - 291 downloads)
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LD3 Greg
Posted 2018-02-11 4:52 PM (#557913 - in reply to #557912)
Subject: RE: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy


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Location: Ontario, Canada
Could someone send Garrett a link to my Art Gallery thread. Last post on "Members Rides" Sept 2016. I don't know how to do it!

Garrett, scan through the pages. There are quite a few factory A/C pics and notes.

Greg
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christine-lover
Posted 2018-02-12 4:12 AM (#557929 - in reply to #557913)
Subject: Re: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy



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http://forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=48868&star...
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LD3 Greg
Posted 2018-02-12 8:41 AM (#557941 - in reply to #557929)
Subject: Re: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy


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Location: Ontario, Canada
Thanks, Matt.

Greg
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christine-lover
Posted 2018-02-12 4:58 PM (#557985 - in reply to #557941)
Subject: Re: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy



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Location: Sept. 1958
You got it Greg!
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FINS!
Posted 2018-02-15 12:03 PM (#558144 - in reply to #554353)
Subject: RE: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy


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Thanks Greg, that's very helpful, not just for the AC but seeing how you did all that extensive body repair. Also if I ever find a concrete nail in carpet I'll know why! A dumb question but where exactly is the firewall different? I'm looking at this wagon and not seeing the difference so could someone post up a photo of a non AC firewall?
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Finsinthemirror
Posted 2018-02-15 2:29 PM (#558152 - in reply to #557874)
Subject: RE: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy



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FINS! - 2018-02-10 4:52 PM

Thanks finsinthemirror, that is extremely helpful. I thought the firewall was different. Do you have any pics of an AC firewall? What about dealer installed systems, which is what I think this wagon had originally? Should be much simpler to install, assuming I can find one.


Sorry, I don't have any better photos than what Greg posted. I have 2 units I planned to combine the best of together to use in my Plymouth because I had a 64 Chrysler with working a/c that was always very reliable. I was very impressed with it but it's a different unit entirely though. For the 57-58 cars the steel for the fresh air door is different on the cowl. It's why I say if you can find an a/c car grab the whole thing. I wish I had known that and done that when I was planning it but I didn't know about the cowl being different. I think the imperial is a totally different animal though but I've never dismantled one to know for sure. If you're building a plymouth/dodge find a plym/dodge car and so forth if possible. I think that a non a/c cars cowl can be nibbled out or cut to use the factory a/c unit. I haven't done it yet though. Since you're cutting and modifying the cowl, you need to be committed to the conversion..

Edited by Finsinthemirror 2018-02-15 2:35 PM
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LD3 Greg
Posted 2018-02-15 9:31 PM (#558177 - in reply to #558152)
Subject: RE: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy


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Location: Ontario, Canada
Garrett. It is the large cutout area in the cowl as in my photo. A non A/C cowl will have the fresh air "nozzle" in that area. As I recall, Powerflite had cowl pics earlier in his 57 NY Coupe thread. Dodge, Ply and Chrysler shared the same cowl and Imperial also used the same basic A/C components. I used a lot of Imperial parts in one of my Dodges.

Some non A/C cars also had the large cutout. I found a couple of them. You might be lucky! I had to plasma cut at least two cowls and it is tricky!

There are two doors in the large evaporator housing assembly and they are linked together and the top one that opens up into the grille below the windshield is usually rusted --- hinges and springs etc. be sure you have those parts in good shape before you make a decision as to what way to go. As I recall, I needed parts from three cars to get what I needed.

Greg
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FINS!
Posted 2018-02-25 7:22 PM (#558814 - in reply to #554353)
Subject: RE: 1957 dodge factory AC firewall box and indash vent assy


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Ok now I see what you're talking about. Don't know why I didn't notice that before..... My car has the vent nozzle thing, it's non AC I'm going to go with a dealer installed set up or aftermarket, too much of a challenge to try to add in factory AC. Anyone have a dealer installed under dash set up or pics/ info on one? Thanks
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