Any automotive AC/heating guys out there?

[RICH MUISE]

What are you guys doing for the aftermarket heater connections? I've been trying to figure out how to go from the #10 AN o-ring fittings on my firewall bulkhead to the 3/4" engine water outlets. The #10 fittings are made for 5/8" tubing. The engine inlet/outlets are the push-on-the-hose traditional type with the raised flare to keep the hose clamps in place (no fittings). I couldn't find any other bulkhead fittings larger than the 5/8 # 10, and would like to avoid having a messy array of stacked adapters attached to the engine oulets, if I could find them at all. I'd like to go with a stainless covered hose. This has got to be a common situation. Hopefully the AC lines won't be a problem..I'm gonna have the those lines made by a local AC shop.

[Ford Blue blood]

Rich I used the bulk head fittings for the heater hose, got the compression sleeve that fit over the hose, filed the hole in the end of it to fit over the fitting and used the same compressor that did the A/C hoses to compress the heater hose fittings.  NAPA carries the sleeves and the fittings, they are available seperately.

[RICH MUISE]

Thanks Bill....I'll check Napa for the fittings. I think I just found the rest of what I need. I went back and looked at the stainless heater hose kits. I was thinking they were 5/8, but they are in fact 3/4 with an adapter for 5/8 if needed. The 3/4 will get me the engine connections. Hopefully Napa will have a 10an fitting with a barbed connection for 5/8 hose that will get me an easy bulkhead connection. If not I think I can order them from Vintage air. They have the fittings mentioned, but don't say what id hose size they are for.

[Ford Blue blood]

You can get them for both 5/8 and 3/4.  Some folks sell the fittings with the sleeve permanently mounted on them, the one I used was sold seperately.  The fixed fictures will not take the heater hose and the crimp as the sleeve will be too large if the hose is snug on the barbs.  I just don't remember the sizes as it has been 14 years since I built that car....and....all the parts info and diagrams went with it to the new owner and I have no idea where the car is now.

[Frankenstein57]

Rich, when I plumbed the ac on my ranchero, I was mixing in some new, some old. There is a company called Hyquip, they were able to hook me up.  I think they are a national chain,    Mark

[RICH MUISE]

Mark, kinda what I was trying to do. Trying to avoid the cost of having the heater connections made up. I don't see a problem there with the old fashion push on hoses with the traditional hose clamps for the heater lines. The AC end of it, of course, I'll have the lines made up once I figure out what I need. My next project is trying to figure out if I can adapt the Mark viii AC condenser. The condenser itself isn't a problem, but the attached lines may be a problem getting them thru the core support. I may be better off with a new one that just has the fittings.
update on the Mark viii condenser...it ain't gonna work. The hoses are welded in, and would have to go thru the core support where the hood hinges are. Oh well, I'm not going to save any money there I guess. I could mount it on backwards so the hoses are facing forward, and then run extra long lines to cross over to the correct side. Nah.

[Frankenstein57]

I have a collection of Ford condensers, some have steel tubing at some areas, if I was building on a budget I wouldn't hesitate welding a hyquip end on the condenser tube. If you purge a little nitrogen through while you weld, you shouldn't get the black flakes in the system.  Mark

[RICH MUISE]

The only welding equipt. I have is mig, and not real good equipt. at that. Trying to weld a tube that small, at least for me, particularly if the tube/fitting  has to be butt welded, would be difficult. If the new fittings slipped over the old pipe, it would be much easier.
If we have any more nice days I may spend a few hours at the salvage yard. I could probably find one for less money than the fittings to weld on. If not, new condensers aren't that much.

[RICH MUISE]

Off to the salvage yard...cold front coming in tommorrow..in the 50's today. I took another look at the Mk viii condenser, and it won't work at all...too long....it'll hit the hood hinges.
I got all my flex hoses and fittings ordered for the heater. Vintage air had the barbed type fittings for the 10AN o-ring bulkhead fittings. 5 bucks each
Also got some 5/16 caged nuts ordered for the hood hinges. Those things weren't to be found anywhere local. 20 bucks for 25 pcs. incl. shipping. Think I spent that on gas yesterday trying to find them.
Spent an hour last night cleaning up the Mark viii fan and shroud..pita. Also making the mounting brackets look pretty. Later today, I'm gonna pull the coil packs and steering fluid reservoir off so I can clean up the front of the engine while I can still get to it.

[RICH MUISE]

two frustrating, painful hours of crawling thru sticker bushes looking for just the right size and configured condenser that was undamaged convinced me I was spinning my wheels. I'll order a new universal one and be done with it.

[Frankenstein57]

I think my vintage air condenser was around $100 bucks, not really worth the hunt. The first one showed up with the fittings dented in, they sent out a replacement. I think they put it on the shipping company, but it looked like the box needed more space in that area. Mark

[RICH MUISE]

"I think my vintage air condenser was around $100 bucks, not really worth the hunt."
exactly! , plus add to that if I hard lined it to an oem condenser, and later had problems with it, I'd end up paying higher bucks for an oem replacement, or a universal one with new lines also.
The Vintage air 14 x 25, however, is about 150. now.

[Ford Blue blood]

Now that I have more time then money I try to fabricate/save/modify to avoid going the vendor route.....but.....there is a point of dimishing return and learning when that point comes up is worth many times the money saved.