I've been busy working on some of the smaller stuff that has to be done before the motor and trans can go in. The steering column is almost finished (pictures coming soon), the heater control is now restored, and I've been working out the small details on the A/C, namely the evaporator box. I'm a real stickler about weird stuff like wiring and hose routing, and the evaporator fittings protruding through the firewall was one of those cases. I didn't want a gaping hole with a small line running through it, so when I welded up the firewall, I did a test fit of the evaporator and adjusted the hole sizes to fit. Instead of a big hole with tar tape wrapped around the line, I wanted bulkhead grommets for a nice, clean look. After having the evaporator in and out dozens of times, I finalized the hole sizes, and then it was time to weld on the receptacles that are compatible with the Parker Beadlock A/C fittings.
This was a bit more tricky than I expected. I knew that I was going to have to cut up some new fittings or go to the wrecking yard and find something that would work. On my evaporator, the low pressure side was aluminum, and the high pressure side was steel. I had a fitting I could use for the aluminum, so I hit the "yard" and found a steel fitting from a '76 Chevy truck, so I cut it off the hose and it cost me a whopping $2. I had my buddy Mike Jones weld them up for me:
You can also see the new Throttle Suction valve in that picture. I wrapped the fins in cardboard because they are SUPER fragile and will bend with hardly any pressure. If someone wanted to do this mod for hardly any money, here's the info. For the larger line, use the fitting from a mid-90s Ford Explorer. It's on the accumulator, and you'll need a hacksaw to saw it off. For the smaller line, find a '73-'79 Chevy or GMC truck with A/C and get the fitting from the line that goes between the evaporator and the condenser. It's easy to spot. The line is more like a hard plastic than a flexible rubber. Use a razor blade and cut the hose and take the fitting. A word of caution: Make sure the A/C is discharged before you go cutting. Most all of the self-service yards mandate that all fluids and gasses be drained, but it's best to unscrew the service ports and use a small screwdriver and depress the valve core and see if it hisses.
While the A/C stuff was being sorted out, I decided to Peel and Seal the inside of the firewall where the evaporator box will reside. That stuff is cheap, easy to get (Lowes) and it works great.
I'll have a lot more pictures soon. The little stuff is starting to finally come home, and I'm getting the itch to drop in the engine and trans!!