# Installing stock ball vents in non-A/C dash...



## linden_gto (Jan 9, 2017)

i'm quite hesitant to do this, but i honestly think it's likely the best aesthetic solution to the vintage air ducting issue. i'm planning a vintage air install in a '67 GTO, but i despise the long, plastic duct that runs under the length of the dash in their GTO kit - looks horrible. so, i had an idea (beyond simply mounting flat ducts on either side of the car under the dash - which is option #2 ), but i can't decide if it's worth doing, as it would mean cutting into a perfectly fine dash in a NOM car. the plan is to possibly cut 2 circular holes into the dash where the stock side ball vents go and actually mount stock ball vents (see pics) into the dash. the center vents would not be done, just these 2 outer vents. to me, aesthetically, this would be a very nice finished install, but it would also be non-original. any thoughts - great finished look/install or bad idea cutting into non-a/c dash??


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## linden_gto (Jan 9, 2017)

no thoughts on this, huh?


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## GTOJUNIOR (Aug 7, 2011)

I'm with you on the dislike of the large box under the dash.
Is there any possibility of fabricating some sort of tube/duct system and using 3 or 4 OE lap vents instead?
2 at the center as factory and possibly 2 on the outboard sides of the lower dash.
Far less drastic then cutting out Ball ducts and easily removed.


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## linden_gto (Jan 9, 2017)

one idea would be to take something akin to a defrost vent/duct and connect that under the dash and mount as far back as possible with the direction of flow to be slightly higher than horizontal. except for the idea of stock ball vents actually in the dash, everything will look cobbled together and yet still be removal with minimum damage/impact. i just thought the ball vent idea would be a great way to incorporate a vintage air system that had a 'stock-like' appearance.


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## linden_gto (Jan 9, 2017)

not to mention, the ball vents actually give you control over the airflow direction. a nice plus. still undecided...


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## Dealer369 (Jan 15, 2017)

I think the OE Ball vents would look great. I'm in the same boat but less concerned about originality. Can the OE vents be installed just by cutting holes in the dash? Or were the A/C dashes different? One thing you might be able to do (and this is me just spitballing) is use ball vents that are flat mounted (not curved like the OE ones) and then make some retaining brackets out of sheet metal that would retain the ball vets but allow you to attach them under the dash without having to drill holes in the dash face, but still have a more aesthetically pleasing louvre.


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## Pinion head (Jan 3, 2015)

The large steel "shell" of the dash is the same shape between non AC & AC cars. Factory AC cars just had the outer holes for the vent ball registers, most of the rest was different dash bezel, ducts, & AC inner & outer structure. As far as hurting value, unless the '67 GTO is a factory 400 HO, or factory RA car, or say a base WT 400 car that was ordered out with close ratio Muncie & 3.90's or 4.33's, you really can't hurt the value much adding the vintage air stuff. IF the car was originally ordered for top performance, my .02 would sell the GTO to someone who appreciates what it is, & then pick up another less common version to streetrod.


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## linden_gto (Jan 9, 2017)

i like your thinking 369. i also think the ball vents would be a great quasi-stock look that will give great functionality and still have a non-aftermarket/after thought appearance. if i don't do the ball vents, i'm pretty sure i will go the route of a defroster style vent tucked up close to the dash bottom and conceal it as much as possible. i know someone who simply angled the ducting down towards the floor, with no 'vent' at all, to make sure he didn't ruin the stock appearance.


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## linden_gto (Jan 9, 2017)

Pinion head said:


> The large steel "shell" of the dash is the same shape between non AC & AC cars. Factory AC cars just had the outer holes for the vent ball registers, most of the rest was different dash bezel, ducts, & AC inner & outer structure. As far as hurting value, unless the '67 GTO is a factory 400 HO, or factory RA car, or say a base WT 400 car that was ordered out with close ratio Muncie & 3.90's or 4.33's, you really can't hurt the value much adding the vintage air stuff. IF the car was originally ordered for top performance, my .02 would sell the GTO to someone who appreciates what it is, & then pick up another less common version to streetrod.


i would agree that an HO convertible or a RA car should not be messed with at all, but this is 'just' a 335 car. the issue is, it's an original CA car, all original sheetmetal, all numbers matching, 4-speed, never off the frame, all original in every respect car with even the AIR smog equipment still in place. not especially rare, but a super nice, honest car with a documented title/pink slip history back to CA in 1973. it likely wouldn't hurt the value and i do plan to keep the car (for now - would likely only upgrade to a 4-speed conv. or a HO/RA car), but i just want to respect what the car is before cutting anything up. if i were to do anything, it will be something with stock components and with a stock appearance in mind.


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## linden_gto (Jan 9, 2017)

related question about the venting in a '67 air car - in the pic i have in the original post, you see the side vents, the upper dash vents and 2 lower articulating vents. i have seen pics of '67 A/C interiors with and without the lower 2 vents. can someone comment on whether those 2 lowers were possibly an option to the A/C system or available somehow as an extra? if so, that would also be a very reasonable solution (w/o cutting anything) to the venting on a vintage air system. why the 2 configs?


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## brad900 (Mar 1, 2016)

The lap cooler vents are factory on all a/c cars. The assembly manual shows only 1 main duct part number. Here is a pic of the duct with the lap cooler ends.


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