69 Camaro w/ 5th Gen Dash.. Need A/C advice

[snakeater69]

I have a 1969 Camaro w/LS3 and all accessories installed. I just finished installing a 2012 Camaro Dash in it also. My question is, has anybody installed the factory 2012 Camaro ac unit that goes under the dash?? If so What all is needed? My other option is to go with an aftermarket kit but then i have the a/c control mounting issue. What do you guys recommend that i do?

[snakeater69]

Keep in mind i would like to keep the factory 2012 A/C Controls

[Twentyover]

I'm not a controls guy, but I think a car of that vintage (2012) will use a CAN Bus for relaying information from the controls to the actuators, I think you will need to install that to use the fctory controls. getting thenfacotry controls to work in tha will be a challenge

[parsonsj]

Greg is right. You'll need a BCM and CAN bus controls. Vintage Air and InfinityBox have a touch screen for A/C if that's something in which you'd be interested.

But! You can't just post those pictures and not tell us how the door panel installation went. I'm going to be installing those same panels in the next week or so. I'm keenly interested in your experience!

jp

[snakeater69]

I'm sorry for my ignorance, but what exactly are the BCM and CAN bus controls??

[parsonsj]

BCM: Body control module. A computer that manages your human inputs via switches, touch screens, etc. Late model Camaro's computers talk to each other via CAN bus (serial wires) that are a computer network. To use the controls and harness from the Camaro for your A/C, you need to take the whole harness with its CAN bus and BCM.

My take: you can spend a lot of time and money on that. You will be way ahead to get a Vintage Air kit and use their controls.

So: what can you tell us about mounting those door panels?

[dhutton]

Nice job on the MCI door panels. Could you post up some details. There is a few of us sitting staring at ours trying to figure out the best way to install them.

Thanks,
Don

[minendrews68]

Just as John said... we need details! How hard was the dash to put in? Details, Details.....

[snakeater69]

Sorry for the late post, I will take more detailed pics of the dash and door install. it only took about 4-5 hours to install the dash. I thought it would have taken a lot longer but it was pretty easy.

[parsonsj]

Don't forget doors! I'm doing this exact job today and tomorrow.

[minendrews68]

Sorry for the late post, I will take more detailed pics of the dash and door install. it only took about 4-5 hours to install the dash. I thought it would have taken a lot longer but it was pretty easy.

...and there is going to be a detailed instruction book to follow? I could only hope so! Great job, really looks good.

[1976CamaroGuy]

Could you not get something like this and modifiy those touchscreen AC controls to work with a Vintage Air Or similar aftermarket AC set-up?

http://www.fastlaneturbo.com/scosche...010camaro.aspx

Or better yet, take a factory radio bezel and slice N dice it for a vintage air touchscreen panel and an aftermarket radio. That's a pretty fairly easy thing to do with some ABS plastic, glue and body filler.

[ricoshay]

Any updates on the dash install? Im tackling this job as well.

[Projus]

I am attempting this dash conversion. Any help of advice will be greatly appreciated

[Projus]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]161697[/ATTACH]

Here is something that I saw on Instagram. They went with a custom panel to insert vintage air

[Twentyover]

I would say wow, but

WOW

Great work

[1sikride]

I want to see more of this car. I’m peanut butter and jealous