VA, routing hoses other than thru blower hole?

[Josh69]

I ordered the VA Gen IV kit from Frank for my '69 Firebird. My understanding is that this is essentially a Camaro kit only with a billet controller since mine won't interface.

I'm told that it comes with a plastic cover for the blower hole with 4 holes for the heater/AC hoses. It also comes with a sheetmetal cover for the existing heater core hole. Does this go inside or out? I'm hoping it's aesthetically acceptable.

I just bought the Screamin' Performance kick panels for speakers and the close-outs, but the VA kit looks like the hoses come through that hole.

Will they interfere with my speakers? Will the new panels even fit over the hoses, or do I cut some off the top of my kick panel?

Can I install the hoses through the heater core hole instead of the blower hole?

I wasn't planning on doing a smooth firewall due to time constraints. But maybe I need to reconsider.

[pedro]

I am in the process of installing a gen iv kit from frank into 69 camaro. The kit had everything to install thru the fire wall per the instructions and it had enough hose to go thru the blower hole. I have a smooth fire wall so I did not use the firewall fill plate that comes with the kit, but it looks alright. Also the plate that covers the blower hole is solid and has to be drilled for running hoses thru it.

Pete

[dubbleu]

Here's your kit installed on my 69 camaro. I didnt care for the looks of the block out plate in the VA kit. What I have here is a heater block out plate from Rick's Camaros painted the color of the car with stainless mounting hardware.

[69importkilla]

This is a photo of an earlier mock-up. Ran the hoses under the fender..

[hifi875]

get a bulkhead connector from va that tucks under the pass front fender and run the hoses behind the fender well. makes for a very clean install w/out a bunch of hoses going everywhere and cluttering up your engine bay

[dhutton]

I did something similar to dubbleu except I used a DSE firewall smoothing panel.

[ProdigyCustoms]

Got your message, was getting the cars ready for the Mitty this weekend.

Michael just did a install with Screamin Performance kick panels. He DID NOT use the plate we provide for the kick panel. To be honest, I am not really sure how he did it.

I emailed you Michaels number to call him and find out

[Josh69]

Here's your kit installed on my 69 camaro. I didnt care for the looks of the block out plate in the VA kit. What I have here is a heater block out plate from Rick's Camaros painted the color of the car with stainless mounting hardware.

I like the looks of that. My car is a driver and my firewall is semi-gloss black, easy to touch up and match. I think I'll go this route and order the block off plate from Ricks.

That round plate for the blower hole came with the kit, correct?

And the round part that the hoses are going thru, is that also part of the kit and just fastened to the cover plate? I haven't received mine yet, s/b shipping shortly but I want to have everything ready to go.

As long as we're on the subject, how did you guys power your VA kits? VA says to go straight to the battery. I spoke at length with Mark at MAD electric last night and he said I should run it straight off my main power distribution block like everything else since that is the source of power at the correct voltage (via alternator and voltage regulator). He said it would typically only create 'electrical' noise/problems if I am running the power line parallel to the MSD ignition or other high frequency elec. accessories like fans, fuel pumps etc....but as long as the wires aren't ziptied together running the same course, shouldn't be a problem. Thoughts?

[Josh69]

I am in the process of installing a gen iv kit from frank into 69 camaro. The kit had everything to install thru the fire wall per the instructions and it had enough hose to go thru the blower hole. I have a smooth fire wall so I did not use the firewall fill plate that comes with the kit, but it looks alright. Also the plate that covers the blower hole is solid and has to be drilled for running hoses thru it.

Pete


Are you saying that the kit is intended to run through the firewall and not the blower hole, but there is enough hose to run it through the blower hole if a person wanted to?

That's what I thought too when I first spoke to Frank, but when I called VA the other day they said it came with a plastic plate that already had 4 holes in it that went in the blower hole location, and had a sheetmetal cover for the heater core. That's what got me concerned, but maybe the VA tech was mistaken.

With my SP kick panels, I can't really run them through the blower hole, nor do I want to at this point.

[hifi875]

something like this

[pedro]

Are you saying that the kit is intended to run through the firewall and not the blower hole, but there is enough hose to run it through the blower hole if a person wanted to?

That's what I thought too when I first spoke to Frank, but when I called VA the other day they said it came with a plastic plate that already had 4 holes in it that went in the blower hole location, and had a sheetmetal cover for the heater core. That's what got me concerned, but maybe the VA tech was mistaken.

With my SP kick panels, I can't really run them through the blower hole, nor do I want to at this point.


Yes, thru the fire wall. But there is enough hose and fittings to run thru the blower hole. I do remeber a plate with four holes, but I thought it was part of the fire wall plate. I am out of town untill tomorrow. I can scan instructions and take some pics of the plates tomorrow if you like.

Pete

[Josh69]

Thanks for the response Pedro, that answers my primary concern in that I don't want to run the hoses through the blower hole and back in through the kick panel. My kit should be here next week, so don't worry about the pics. There isn't much I can do until I get it and see if I need to order the heater delete plate. I would assume the plate with holes is the one pictured in dubbleu's pic, and he just cut it into the heater delete plate. I wasn't thrilled to see that plate kit is $180 at Year one, or $150 on ebay for a couple pieces of stamped steel. But, it's easier right now than a smoothed firewall and it's a factory style part.

[ProdigyCustoms]

Josh, we add the 4 hole plate and kick panel plate to our kits.

Did you talk to Michael?

[Josh69]

Josh, we add the 4 hole plate and kick panel plate to our kits.

Did you talk to Michael?

I tried a couple of times yesterday, I'll try again today. I didn't want to pester him. VA said it shipped on Tuesday, so I'm hoping it arrives today and I can see what I'm working with.

[ProdigyCustoms]

He is gone for the day now, but you have to call that line over and over. Thbat is the phone in the shop and they cannot hear it ring if they are grinding or something

[SamHatco]

I tried a couple of times yesterday, I'll try again today. I didn't want to pester him. VA said it shipped on Tuesday, so I'm hoping it arrives today and I can see what I'm working with.

Josh, this is how I did mine.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/07/27994268834-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/07/27994268836-1.jpg

The hoses actually enter into the car just above the speaker box. I had to trim the top of the box just slightly.

Sam