My latest Toy: A dodge AT4 with a difference

The seat I'm my AB doesn't hinge but I'd like to get one that does...

I used the same handbrake handle in mine so I could dice the inter one, which in turn allowed the underdash air con to go in the middle... because air con is a bit unsatisfying if it doesn't blow on your skin.

I sectioned the glove box lid too, fixed the bottom part and installed a piano hinge where the concave fold is... again so it didn't flop down and hit the air con.

I've used a separate heater from a RWD Mazda 323, not that it's brilliant but it was cheap and it fitted ok.

Don't be afraid to look at a "vintage air" unit from the US. Designed to fit into hot rods, they've got good controls, demister options etc... I would have used one myself in retrospect.

Nice looking rig

The other trick I'd recommend is for the air con condenser.

If it looks ok in front of the radiator, get some AU/BA falcon fans installed & make sure the air is pulled through the condenser & through the properly shrouded fans.

I've installed them on a Bedford and they work a treat.

Aside from that don't be afraid to put the condenser underneath the cab or tray with a a good fan shrouded to the -whole- surface of the condenser.

Mine was 12" square for memory and it wasn't enough on hot days, so I got another 12 x 16" & plumbed it in series, both with shrouded fans. Works a treat now.

You'll need a gutsy alternator of course.

And I like these Bosch relays for big fans...

0*332*002*150

Fans for Bedford.


Put off cut plastic inside the shroud to give double thickness and secured it with pop rivets through washers... Then t17 wood screws to secure it.

This is the right pic... Wood screws in plastic.

I forgot to take a photo of the engine bay and it's currently at a mechanic friends workshop. It is already running thermo fans in front of the radiator. A couple of doors up from the mechanic is a car air-conditioning guy who has a couple of modified 50's chevs. We were going to use an under-dash air conditioner but that meant we would lose the heater and demister so we are going the more traditional setup so we can have heating and air-conditioning as well as the demisters required by law. As part of the setup he is putting in a new power steering pump and setting up all the brackets to suit. It may mean the current glimmer drives get replaced with a more traditional V belt due to space issues.
If that's the case I hope to be able to sell off the glimmer drives and the Muncie 4 speed gearbox to offset some of the expenditure

Those modern fan set ups are easy to set up up and work well

Fans are far more efficient pulling then blowing.

if possible get he fans behind the radiator rather than in front.

the latest update is my dodgey HZ is at a guy that specialises in fitting air-conditioning to old cars. He is also providing the power steering pump and brackets, lining up all the belts etc so it looks neat and tidy. I don't know the guy but my mechanic does and has seen his work and tells me he does a neat and tidy job we won't have problems with. He often does show cars so this should be easy for him. It will have air-conditioning, heating and working demisters! This is luxury compared to the XP let alone the old AR162.

One thing we noted is the firewall flexes when you put your foot on the brakes. Although it passed engineering like this we are putting some brackets up under the dash to spread the load and stop the flex. Is this a common AT4 problem?
The idea of the brackets is to spread the load over a couple of square feet rather than a couple of inches to prevent future cracking or failure of the firewall. (the last thing you need if trying to stop in a hurry)

As I don't know the air-conditioning guy I am not game to walk into his workshop and take a look. My mechanic will give me a call when it's ready and I am welcome to go into his workshop and have a good poke around.

The new door rubbers and rubber floor mat have arrived at the mechanics (I had them delivered there by fleet parts in Toowoomba) but the floor mat is one of the last things to go in. I just ordered them at the same time to save postage!

The firewall would originally have about a 10" square heavy cast panel for the two master cylinders.

Jarrod.

Considerations for the body flex would be the braking ability it has now to what it would have had originally. Plus and I do not mean to offend and it has been passed by an Engineer but how the body is attached to the chassis. Is it close to the original mounts or not. Is the new chassis narrower than the original. Things like this may make a difference and might cause the flex.
The main thing is that you are on to it and have a game plan to try and avoid any problems into the future.
Now back to your a/c, I thought you would have put a roof top unit on it! :woohoo:

When Engineering a vehicle it is part of the process to test the firewall via the brake pedal.

The bake pedal must be able to withstand a given load (I don't know how much by Engineers was hanging off the brake pedal and steering wheel) and obviously this hasn't been done.

Good move to fix it now.