Printed in The American Tri-Five magazine in Volume 9 : Issue 4

Vintage air changed the game when they introduced retrofit AC systems for our beloved classics in 1976, and over the years they have made many improvements on their original design. However, the all-new Tri-Five Gen 5 systems bring the most exciting update yet; an all-new control panel that replaces the conversion levers found on Gen IV and earlier systems.

One challenge Vintage Air has tackled with the new Gen 5 systems is the control panel. The GEN IV and earlier systems retained the original panel and converted it to electronic operation with Vintage Air cable converters, which requires quite a bit of real estate behind the dash. The new controller replaces the original panel and utilizes terminals to connect the rest of the system directly to it, making install and service a snap. The new control panel takes the system to the next level with its compact form factor and top-tier fit and finish.

The hardest part of this installation was removing the original controller with all of its conversion levers. Make sure to remove the bottom screws and top backside screws before attempting to remove the control panel.

Check for any wires that need to be cleared as you pull the control unit out. We had plenty of wires zip-tied together that we had to sort out on our install.

The original control unit is finally free!

Before installing the new control panel make the necessary wiring and harness connections according to the included instructions.

Follow the included instructions to program the new control panel. We used a kick panel screw for our ground, as it was conveniently located near the terminal we needed to plug in to.

And just like that, your new Gen 5 controller is ready to be used. The night and day difference between the two controllers is drastic. If you have a Gen IV system and want to upgrade, then give Woody’s a call to purchase a new controller. Please note, Vintage Air Gen IV Evaporator Units must have the 246204-PUA ECU to be compatible with the new controller. The ECU can be replaced to accept the new controller if needed.