Opinions Please.

[pyroman]

I am in the midst of installing an AAW modified chassis harness into my 67 Mustang. Everything has been going well and I am very satisfied with the kit so far.

That said, I've run into a bit of a problem. AAW specifies that the fuse box is to be mounted in roughly the same position as the old fuse box. Well I got as far as routing the wires and mounting the fuse box when I realized that the blower motor from my in dash A/C system would not clear with the much larger fusebox mounted.

So now I'm debating what to do. Easiest sounding thing to do is just to mount the fuse box in another location, but after rooting around under the dash it doesn't appear that there is room anywhere else to accommodate it. I could get radical but I'm not sure if certain wires will have enough length to reach their destinations. I could also just plop it...somewhere but I want to do it right.

The other thing I am thinking is to just ditch the in dash A/C. The A/C doesn't work and I've already removed everything A/C related from the engine bay. I figure I could just put in the standard heating box and the like.

Perhaps if someone wanted to convert their car to in dash A/C I could swap parts with them.

Anyway, I'm stuck now and could use some opinions on the best way to proceed. Thanks

 

[other_shoe]

I'm now very confused as to how the pieces go together for the in-dash system. My book of drawings must be off on the orientation.

That said, I'd be reluctant to pull the under-dash system. It would be hard to go back to it if you wanted to, and I liked the heater better on my A/C car.

I was actually thinking about your other thread and what a hassle it was going to be to get to those fuses before you posted this, and I wondered why the company didn't go with an enclosure that you could mount at the top of the kick panel or someplace else that was easier to access.

 

[pyroman]

In dash, under dash, I always mix up the two. Either way, the literature on my system seems to be few and far between.

The blower motor on mine sticks out right above the accelerator pedal. If that was actually what you were wondering about.

I don't think that getting to the fuses is going to be a problem in it's "stock" location. It's probably just as if not more accessible than the old fuse box.

I think before I make a decision about what to do I'm going to send an e-mail and give a call to AAW and see if they have an alternative mounting spots.

Just out of curiosity has anyone installed this kit that had the in-dash (my system) A/C?

 

[other_shoe]

Sorry, I said under the dash when I still meant in-dash.

The stock fuse location isn't too bad, but I'm less limber and a bit wider than I once was.

I'm really liking the write-up on the other thread, and I'll definitely be consulting it when I have to rewire mine.

 

[pyroman]

Ah ok. I'm glad you're finding the thread helpful

Once I get this figured out, progress should pick up.

I'm wondering where else I could put this thing before I talk to AAW. Throw out some suggestions if you want to participate

- Driver's Kick Panel
- Engine bay (firewall area or battery area)
- Trunk

None of them are ideal. I think the kick panel would be a bit intrusive. If it were in the engine bay then I'd have to weatherproof it. Trunk would be good but I think I'd have to cut up some of the harness and I wouldn't feel comfortable adding that much length onto the new harness. I know for sure the wires for the instrument cluster wouldn't reach as they are now along with a few other circuits.

I might be able to manipulate the space to get the blower motor to fit with the fusebox in it's stock location. I need to spend a little more time rooting around in there.

Perhaps I'll just leave the blower motor out and save up for a vintage air kit...

 

[horseballz]

You Said:
"Perhaps I'll just leave the blower motor out and save up for a vintage air kit..."

My beef about the Vintage Air and Classic Auto Air systems is that by capping off the passenger side air vent, you lose the option of having fresh air to/through your AC and having only recycled air. Of course, this is an even bigger issue if you are a smoker. Living in Las Vegas (summer days sometimes 117-118 degrees) I'm pretty picky about AC and I only use the recycled/Max Air when absolutely necessary.
Just My $.02,
Gene

 

[pyroman]

Horseballz - I actually don't know too much about the vintage/classic auto air systems. That certainly sounds like a problem where you are and to an extent where I am. Luckily I'm not a smoker though. Are there any other systems out there? The heat doesn't bother me too much, I daily drove this car for 3 years without A/C.

Well I just got off the phone with AAW. The guy I spoke with was very familiar with the problem but he didn't have any solutions or work arounds for me. I assume since he has heard about this problem alot that someone has worked around it.

So I guess the only question left is, who has had this problem and what did you end up doing?

EDIT: Also mods, can I edit the title of this thread? Should have named it "Opinions Please: AAW Fusebox Mounting and In-dash A/C Issue" or something along those lines.

 

[starchiefus]

Maybe mounting it on the tranny hump towards the firewall would work, then build a gauge/storage console type thing to go around it. I used a Classic Auto Air system so i didn't run into this problem, maybe they could just sell you the heater blower part that goes under the dash.

 

[Bitter]

I'd consider the left kick panel, tucked in the back. Bear in mind that they sell kick panels for speakers which stick out a lot more than that fuse box will. I have the Painless for my '68 which I haven't yet installed. The fuse box is more compact and I don't have A/C to contend with but I'm interested in how you resolve this in the event that I run into this problem as well.

 

[horseballz]

How much clearance are you lacking? 1/2", 2" or a mile? If only a small amount, I would move the hole in the firewall over a bit and cover the original location with a piece of sheet metal attached with epoxy and smoothed over. As far as your heater/AC, if your in dash stuff (controls, switches, etc) is complete and the box is not too tortured/damaged I would disassemble and refurb it (new seals, rubber, etc) and put in a new higher efficiency evaporator core, a junkyard condenser designed for R134A (all used components flushed), new hoses and a Sanden compressor. Fill with Freeze12, I-12a or similar R12 replacement product and it should e cold enough to make your car like a meat locker.
My $.02,
Gene

 

[other_shoe]

I'd consider the left kick panel, tucked in the back. Bear in mind that they sell kick panels for speakers which stick out a lot more than that fuse box will.

This is what I was thinking, but I can see how kicking the fuses might cause more severe problems than kicking the speaker grill. And by "kicking" I mean accidentally hitting with your foot.

 

[pyroman]

I was thinking about it some more and I'd rather not mount it on the kick panel because if I depart too much from the original location I'm afraid I might run into problems with the wire lengths. That and the possibility of damaging it.

I think over the weekend I'm going to try and see if I can move it up and to the left and then perhaps I could get it all to fit. One thing I'm wondering is if there is a shallower blower motor I could adapt to the housing...

Right now the blower motor would overlap the fuse box by at least 3 inches.

Just had another thought, I wonder if I could fit it in the center console, inside the "garage door" opening if you know what I'm talking about.

 

[other_shoe]

Inside the console would be pretty neat if it will fit and you can get at the fuses well enough to change them.

Do you use that compartment for anything else?

 

[pyroman]

I've never used it for anything particular so I wouldn't have a problem sticking something permanent in there.

My plan of action though is to see if I can relocate it higher up on the firewall near the cowl, perhaps mounting it sideways. If that doesn't work I may see how feasible a console mount will be.