Took a little break from wiring and got the compressor brackets and pulleys bead blasted and painted so that I could get the compressor mounted. I was fortunate, I had a friend who bought a new Sanden compressor but didn't like the look of it when he opened the box, so he ordered a polished one.
Luckily I was able to buy it from him for peanuts:
 

 
Then spent the rest of the afternoon modifying brackets, etc... so that I could get the condenser mounted so it looked halfway decent:



Now I need to find a place for the dryer and start finding a way to run the lines and then make up the hoses, but I might have to put this project on hold for a while as I have some other things to attend too.

thx Joe, I have only now seen your reply.
That sounds promising, I am glad I asked.  With our old cars we need every bit of light we can get and I shy away from modifying any modern oem lights for the obviously involved electronics. In Austria we also must not use any type of sealed beams, they are simply outlawed. The bulb must be replaceable, and the unit must not blow out if a stone chip happens.
So all of that sounds like Go and  GO for me with plastic lenses and serviceable LED units. sounds well worth the investment to me !

Quote from: CobraJoe on 2025-09-25 15:05DJ:

*Plug & Play - Plugs into factory headlight harness for easy installation
*Available in 7 in. Round, 5.75 in. Round, 5x7 in. Rectangle, and 4x6 in. Rectangle sizes
*Classic Styling - Retro styled headlight for period correct appearance
*Superior - Over 2x the light output of halogens to keep you and your classic safe
*Low Draw/Extended Life - Less current draw and 6x the life of halogen sealed beams
*Compliant - No-glare beam pattern meets or exceeds SAE and DOT Requirements
*Serviceable - Replaceable LED cartridges for easy serviceability
*Proper Fitment - Engineered to fit most shallow light buckets found on classic vehicles
*Stronger - UV Treated Polycarbonate Lens won't shatter and is 10x stronger than glass or standard plastic
 Compatible - Sealed Beam Trade Numbers: H5024, 6012, H6014, 6015, 6016, H6017, H6024, H602
*Color Choice - Available in "Classic White" (3000K bulb) for a warm classic hue, "Modern White" (5700K
 bulb) for a cleaner modern look, or a Yellow Lens (utilizes 5700K bulb inside)

HOLLEY RETROBRIGHT LED HEADLIGHTS

You might want to revisit the AC compressor... I installed mine like your is now but the hoses were very high and close to the hood. I looked into clocking the compressor 90 degrees and discovered that technically the drain plug on the case should be "level" which meant it wasn't "correct" in the first place. I don't think it makes much if any difference actually but it improved the hose routing anyway.

I had it that way at first, but as you said, the drain/fill plug was below the "3 O'clock- 9 O'clock position. According to my neighbor who is a Marine AC tech, he said it will run with the plug below the oil level, but will pump oil in and out of the lines significantly shortening the compressor life. 

You are correct. I looked back at the Sanden SD Compressor Service Guide and it actually said the "compressor can be rotated 90 degrees clock wise or counter clock wise keeping the oil fill plug above the 3:00 or 9:00 positions." Not exactly what I remembered but we all know how that goes..... Mine is slightly above 3:00.

Perfect!
I do have plenty of hood clearance anyways:

Not much work on the car today, mostly a yard work day, but did manage to find a belt that fit:



Also spent some time trying to find a nice route for the AC hoses. I think the suction line will utilize the #10 90° bulkhead fitting in the extra (third) hole from the heater core and run rearward from the compressor.



 The discharge line will run from the bottom of the condenser across the front of the radiator support into the fender well.

I mounted the dryer on the inner fender and made a standoff out of 1/2" aluminum that I center drilled on the lathe, that way it will stay vertical:

 


Installed the Trinary switch and painted it all black:




I drilled a hole in the old blower motor bump out and installed a grommet that I punched out to accept the #6 discharge hose off the dryer to the evaporator:





I think this will work out well as to keep some of the hoses hidden.

Joe, after several hours of "pondering my belly button" I finally came up with a solution to the "engine compartment plumbing rats nest".  Like you the dryer is out of the way, my trinary is behind the glove box.  The heater hoses run under the battery box, all in an effort to clean the engine bay.  I used the existing battery box brace bolts to fasten the bracket to keep the hoses off the tire or even coming close.

Nicely done Bill!

Haven't had much time to work on the car, but I did manage to make a plate to cover the old  AC hose holes:



Seam sealed it:



....and got it painted:




Not much, but I guess it's still progress

Baby steps. Made it disappear anyhow...at least in the pic. 

I had some time yesterday to start making up the AC lines. I bought the Vintage Air Crimp tool so that I could make up the lines as I went. I had asked the only local shop around that makes up AC hoses and they said anywhere from $75-$150 per line, depending on size and length as well as fitting type, so I figured I would be better off building my own.

This is the tool with both Beadlock and Reduced Barrier dies:



The dies just snap into the jaws and then you insert the hose and fitting into the die, pump the handle until the jaws touch:




....release, and you have a nice perfectly crimped hose end:



These are the two I made up yesterday:






I still need to "tidy up" my ignition wires, but I won't do that until after I get it running. I learned the hard way that sometimes they get "too short" once you get the timing fully adjusted.

Nice tool. Materials for A/C lines are crazy expensive. Even the braided ss do-it-yourself lines and fittings will run a line up to 60-80. easy.

I have also used the SS DIY lines.  I like the DIY and reuseable features.  The downside is the expense and they are nearly impossible to 'clock' two angled ends. 

Managed to get some time to do a few more AC lines today.

Started inside on the Evaporator to the Dryer:





Then from the Dryer through the fender opening:




I then ran it under the valance to try and hide it:

 

I secured it using the factory bolt holes everywhere, I had to make a standoff so the hose wouldn't chafe on the sheet metal:



I think it's hidden pretty well?






I still need one more fitting to finish, hopefully it arrives tomorrow.