Air conditioning your van...

Altho I still haven't gotten my van yet, I was curious about putting AC in it. It's my understanding that a standard car type AC for a van is a bit salty.....but I don't know.
I was thinking of something along the lines of one of the stand alone units people use in their house running off an inverter and larger alternator. The reason for this crazy idea is for camping and being able to plug in.
Thoughts???
Thanx,
Chaz

VintageAir.com sells a unit that produces heat and A/C.


http://www.vintageair.com/2014catalog/Pages%20from%202014%20VintageAir%20Cat%20rev%208-15%2037.pdf

Yeah, I put Vintage Air in my '56 Chevy 210 but I was thinking of "killing two birds" and being able to use it for camping as well. But..... that may not work. (???)

If its just for camping, look at this, 12V solar or off car battery! should last all night...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxSLbpAwibg

For perm, Vintage Air has done a few vans with a combo heater AC unit that replaces the heater blower in the van, there are also underdash units that may fit like the classic old Mustang one or a Jeep unit.  There are also rooftop units like RV's use....There are some threads showing installs.  Fore the condenser radiator, best to mount it flat under the frame like near the battery with its own electric fan rather than in front of the stock radiator where it will block airflow, but check the bucket idea! Of course you need access to ice or a freezer, ice, yes, freezer no when camping??

A van will need about five tons of cooling, and a window ac unit will only give you one ton. Good for camping only. Go vintage ac.

A van will need about five tons of cooling, and a window ac unit will only give you one ton. Good for camping only. Go vintage ac.

Vintage air also has a front unit as mentioned above & they also offer an additional "Rear Unit" too for addl cooling-like our vans need!!

With all of these A/C upfits, has anyone acutally confirmed they were able to keep the van cool in brutal heat?

Econocarl had installed A/C in his and said once Texas heat of the day creeped in, staying cool was just too hard.

Perhaps a very well insulated van would make a difference. I also believe he had windows that allowed more light than a panel van.

There was a member on VCVC that I saw years ago had some type of front and rear A/C setup. The controls came out of a vintage airport limo van or something. I don't think he cut any holes in the roof.

A couple of econo owners that I had asked about their AC units said that they did ok if you were driving 60 mph and it was blowing right on you, but it is a tough assignment for a traditional size ac unit to keep these tin boxes cool on a hot summer day, not too mention the heater right between the seats! As much as I would like one Im not gonna go there with Magic. If its too hot I just won't drive it.