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Jeep CK-8 Build

MrBeep

CJ-8 Vendor Supporter
Member
SOA Member
CJ-8.com Vendor
City
Dillsboro
State
IN
Agreed. Awesome! Looking forward to seeing it In person at a National or Sand Blast. :thumbsup:
 

Shark Bait

CJ-8 Member
City
Charleston
State
WV
Ok, I've done some searching with no luck. I know I've seen at least one on here before but can't find it, a Vintage Air unit. Who has used one or who decided against one? Which unit? Fit? Would you have done a different Vintage Air unit? I have no issue giving up the glove box, I'll even do a dash that's not cut for one. Gen 2? Gen 4? Mini, Compaq, Super or Magnum? I would like enough capability to cool and heat the entire vehicle if a full hard top was ever used. Which controls did you choose? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.
 

Randyzzz

Blown Budget
BENEFACTOR
Gold Member
Lifetime Member
SOA Member
City
Redmond
State
OR
Dennis (zr10054) used one in his build. Here's a link- https://www.cj-8.com/forum/showthre...ot-STUMP-JUMPER-quot-Frame-off-5-3-Conversion

I used an off-brand compact unit from Hot Rod Air, they're long since out of business, and the heater is sub-par to even the stock unit. Learned my lesson-I'm using a Vintage Air Compact Gen II in my J-20, I know it will be adequate. The Magnum would be ideal for a full top, but I doubt there would be room for much else in the dash with it installed- it's pretty huge. They sell/rent(?) mock up units so you can see if it fits.

My biggest recommendation- stick with Vintage Air and no one else. And get the biggest one you can fit.
 

red mistress

Red Jeep Collector
City
Piney woods
State
tx
Ok, I've done some searching with no luck. I know I've seen at least one on here before but can't find it, a Vintage Air unit. Who has used one or who decided against one? Which unit? Fit? Would you have done a different Vintage Air unit? I have no issue giving up the glove box, I'll even do a dash that's not cut for one. Gen 2? Gen 4? Mini, Compaq, Super or Magnum? I would like enough capability to cool and heat the entire vehicle if a full hard top was ever used. Which controls did you choose? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.



What an awesome build & the biggest Military toys !!!


I put the Vintage Air compaq behind a Tuffy glove box.
Supported the front of unit with plastic rivet nuts and corresponding holes thru back of Tuffy box.
It barely fits, can't use factory location for antenna.

It cools really good and the dehumidified defrost is nice feature.
Used Vintage air airplane style louvers cut into dash.
 

Shark Bait

CJ-8 Member
City
Charleston
State
WV
Thank you both. I will stick with the Vintage Air and from the measurements I've done the Magnum may fit the Aqualu tub without a glove box. I may get the mockup unit to see.
 

jammer1

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Maple Hts.
State
Oh
Here's a unit I mocked up in the old cj 8 body then installed in the cj7 fiberglass body. The unit will fit and still leave room for the glove box. The blower pushes more air than the stock unit (including the blazer blower motor upgrade). If you install with the dash on it's much easier to leave the cowl vent off. This way you can reach in to help connect the vent hoses. Here's the kit I used https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016KXVJZK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. After I get the engine installed on the cj8 build I'll be putting one of these units in.
 

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jammer1

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Maple Hts.
State
Oh
Naturally the pics didn't follow the order I put them in. Only other thing is I didn't like the size of the defrost diverters that Vintage used so I cut the bottom 2-3 inches of a extra diverter which allowed me to hook them up to the flexible duct (cut one side down to size). Zip screwed to 2 inch piece. Zip screwed vintage air ducts to other end of 2 inch diverter. Duct tape as extra insurance. Used insulation foam (not the expandable foam) to seal gaps between 2 inch piece and vintage air ducts. Simple and can take the heat.
 

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Shark Bait

CJ-8 Member
City
Charleston
State
WV
What an awesome build & the biggest Military toys !!!


I put the Vintage Air compaq behind a Tuffy glove box.
Supported the front of unit with plastic rivet nuts and corresponding holes thru back of Tuffy box.
It barely fits, can't use factory location for antenna.

It cools really good and the dehumidified defrost is nice feature.
Used Vintage air airplane style louvers cut into dash.

I've downloaded the manual for a couple of the Vintage units and I do not see where fresh, outside air is opted. Is it not required? My Aqualu tub doesn't have the fresh air intake cut out on it, it is etched where it would be, but not cut. If the defrost works fine without fresh air I would leave it intact.
 

red mistress

Red Jeep Collector
City
Piney woods
State
tx
The CJ / Scrambler hard tops don’t seal very well, therefore no need for additional vents.
 

jammer1

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Maple Hts.
State
Oh
Sorry just catching up. The unit take the cabin air in at the blower motor. If you get the a/c unit you can use that to remove the humidity. One of the advantages is your not heating 20 deg air, the air you heat is heated air. Cab actually can heat faster and more heat. Disadvantage is may have to crack windows or do what we use to do in the winters, a small fan to move the air by the windshield. Newer cars and trucks have where you can recirculate the air through the heater.
 

Shark Bait

CJ-8 Member
City
Charleston
State
WV
Well, by all my measuring and remeasuring, the Vintage Air Magnum will fit. I ordered it yesterday evening and should be here Monday. Maybe next weekend I'll get to try it. I will let you guys know..........
 

cbford

Legacy Registered User
City
CLT
State
NC
I am looking forward to seeing how that goes.

I think it will fit too based on measuring. Was planning to try in a 7 I am finishing for my wife.
 

jammer1

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Maple Hts.
State
Oh
One thing to keep a eye on, keep in mind (at least on the compac) the heater core and the a/c lines face the passenger side and take up some space to make the turn to go under the battery tray. If the magnum exits the same way you may have problems running the line. My unit is right up to the gas pedal so theirs no room to move to the drivers side. If I remember there's around 12 to 13 inches to make the bend for the lines. Also the lines run side by side so it was a little tight screwing the a/c lines on as well as the clamps for the heater hoses. To make sure I didn't have the clamps loosen (from expansion and contraction) which you get with hose clamps I used t style clamps. Don't want to have to get in there to tighten the clamp if a leak would develop.
 

Shark Bait

CJ-8 Member
City
Charleston
State
WV
image.jpg
One thing to keep a eye on, keep in mind (at least on the compac) the heater core and the a/c lines face the passenger side and take up some space to make the turn to go under the battery tray. If the magnum exits the same way you may have problems running the line. My unit is right up to the gas pedal so theirs no room to move to the drivers side. If I remember there's around 12 to 13 inches to make the bend for the lines. Also the lines run side by side so it was a little tight screwing the a/c lines on as well as the clamps for the heater hoses. To make sure I didn't have the clamps loosen (from expansion and contraction) which you get with hose clamps I used t style clamps. Don't want to have to get in there to tighten the clamp if a leak would develop.

Thank you for the info. I had my reservations about that as well and from what I could find, it isn't on the end. It looks by all their configurations to part over about a third of the way from the end. There is a fitting that goes on but I hope it will make the turn ok. I'll keep you guys updated.
 

jammer1

Scrambler Junkie
Lifetime Member
City
Maple Hts.
State
Oh
Here's some more pics. Mine was also set back into the unit by around a third. Wasn't a lot of room to make the bend. I used the hose kit that you make your own and you have little clips and a small pliers for the a/c hoses (not the oem style factory ends). You can get 90 deg angles to make a sharper bend but these fittings are still around 2 1/2" long. You would also have to do with heater hoses. I also made a brackets to hold the unit to fire wall. Ones that came with it were flimsy. You can see the bend and stiffness of a/c hose in the one pic. Any tighter and I was starting to put a kink in the hose. This is without the system pressurized. Not trying to take over a great build tread, just showing the fit with the cj7. Also for guys with fiberglass bodies, I first mocked up in a cj8 steel body. When I installed in the cj7 (Fiberglass), I found I had around 3/4" less space between firewall and dash (why control knobs are out so far under dash). If after looking you need me to pull pics please let me know or have mod pull, don't want to clutter a good thread.
 

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Shark Bait

CJ-8 Member
City
Charleston
State
WV
Here's some more pics. Mine was also set back into the unit by around a third. Wasn't a lot of room to make the bend. I used the hose kit that you make your own and you have little clips and a small pliers for the a/c hoses (not the oem style factory ends). You can get 90 deg angles to make a sharper bend but these fittings are still around 2 1/2" long. You would also have to do with heater hoses. I also made a brackets to hold the unit to fire wall. Ones that came with it were flimsy. You can see the bend and stiffness of a/c hose in the one pic. Any tighter and I was starting to put a kink in the hose. This is without the system pressurized. Not trying to take over a great build tread, just showing the fit with the cj7. Also for guys with fiberglass bodies, I first mocked up in a cj8 steel body. When I installed in the cj7 (Fiberglass), I found I had around 3/4" less space between firewall and dash (why control knobs are out so far under dash). If after looking you need me to pull pics please let me know or have mod pull, don't want to clutter a good thread.

Thank you much. The pics are great and I do not have a problem being left. I want to absorb all the information that can be obtained. I'm working with a flat firewall with no existing holes, so, I hoping that will work in my favor as well. I do appreciate the pictures.
 

mysunnshine

Legacy Registered User
City
Phoenix
State
AZ
I'd suggest using a bulkhead for both sets of hoses.
 

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