Any aftermarket A/C guys out there?

Ford Blue blood · 2014-01-14 07:43

Quote from: RICH MUISE on 2014-01-14 07:33
I'll check into that next time....just not sure how much welding I'll be doing down the road.

The gas don't go bad

gasman826 · 2014-01-14 08:08

Surprising how little the cost is between filling the small tank vs a larger tank. When I bought my mig welder, they would only sell the small tank. After a couple of refills (usually running out on Sunday), I snagged a larger tank that held just over three times the cubic feet of the small tank. Forty some dollars to fill the small tank and 60+ dollars to fill the larger one. Gas doesn't cost much...it's the service (transportation and labor).

RICH MUISE · 2014-01-18 10:54

A/C hard lines...Now that I've got some of my hard lines delivered, anyone got any tricks on how to bend these things without hundreds of dollars in equiptment? I've got 6, 8, and 10 aluminum tubes corresponding to 3/8, 1/2 and 5/8 od. (something new I found out..AN...or Army, Navy... designations are derived from the tube od the fittings work with..in 1/16ths, so #8 =8/16=1/2 od tubing). I've got a tube bender that will take the 3/8. HF makes one for 40 bucks that will take the 1/2, but then goes to 7/8. I don't mind spending the 40. if I can figure out how to bend the 5/8 with the 7/8 bender guides...maybe a sleeve on the tubing?
Edit..just found out ny electrical emt tube bender is a close enough size for the #10 A/c line. I did forget to ask though, has anyone used the spring inserts that temporarily go inside the tubing for a bending aide. I guess they help prevent the tube from kinking during the bending. Do they work?

gasman826 · 2014-01-19 08:06

No experience with the springs. EMT radius is a little large. I have the Ridgid benders...loan them to you. Shipping might cost as much as the HF ones??

https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/lever-benders

RICH MUISE · 2014-01-19 09:11

The Emt is a large radius, but for the only tube I had to bend that size, the large radius was just fine. I got that one done yesterday. Thanks for the offer on the tools, really appreciated, but I'll probably be able to come up with something locally here for the 1/2 #8 line. I have the 3/8 #6 line covered already..gonna work on that one later today. I may be able to rent a bender also.
A few pics... I'm going to put a retainer/clamp on the hardline that will let it move a little. The flex line to the compressor will have the service port right at the fitting to the hardline.
I'm glad I listened and decided on the Vintage Air u bend it lines for the hardlines...look good, and are cheap enough you can buy extras in case of mistakes. This 36" #10 was about 15 bucks. They have the VA compatible o-ring fittings of course. 1 male, 1 female. By comparrison, the #6 Proline flexible line from the bulkhead to the dryer that I ordered is about 70 bucks for materials.

RICH MUISE · 2014-01-19 10:04

LOL...I said the VA hardlines look good...what I should have said was they can be made to look good. Took me much longer to clean it up than to bend it. Btw, I also found a Spectre 4" 45degree aluminum intake fitting, so I can eliminate that big oem rubber flex connector on the air intake to accomodate a K & N filter.
I'm not gonna get much done today...FOOTBALL DAY!!

RICH MUISE · 2014-01-21 08:16

Got some more AC parts in, so was able to get some more done. I made the #6 hardline thru the core support and the first of the Aeroquip braided flex lines made up to the dryer. I fought the first Aeroquip fitting, went in and looked at a youtube video by Summit..went out and got the other end done in 5 minutes. I really like this stuff.
For the top # 8 condenser line, I ordered a 90 degree fitting in case plan A, bending the hardline tight enough to fit, didn't work, and it didn't. Unfortunatly, I ordered the wrong $15 fitting, so plan B didn't work either. Today I'll order a tight fitting from Choice Motorsports, the more expensive plan C I was trying to avoid...$40 plus ship.
Gary...My buddy at the restoration shop had the full set of Ridgid tight radius benders, so I borrowed his 1/2". Thanks again for the offer.
I also added a length of shrink tubing on the #10 line where it passes behind the dryer.

gasman826 · 2014-01-21 19:53

When you get to it, show a picture of the top line. I had trouble getting around the hood hinge. I plan on something different when it goes together again.

RICH MUISE · 2014-01-22 21:21

Funny you posted that....As I had posted, Plan A and plan B didn't work out. Today I ordered a 90 degree tight fitting from Pure Choice Motorsports. They started making the o-ring x o-ring fittings about 3 years ago because no one else was. Purechoice charges 40., and it's the same one that vintageair carries @60. If I remember correctly, the height is around 1 3/8". Really nice people there also, I think I was talking to an owner. I found out they make ford springlock fuel line adapters. Springlock to a 30" braided stainless hose with a 6AN fitting. I ordered a set of those as well. 49. each.
I got talking to him about A/C hose lines and he gave me alot of pointers on assembling the aeroquip lines I'm using in certain places....actually, most of the help was on how to cut the hose.
I also told him an adapter block for the fs-10 compressors to eliminate the springlock connectors was only available in a rear exit..wouldn't work for a front exit compressor tube/block that is needed for a bottom mounted compressor. He is going to look into making those also.
I'll post a pic of the top line after I get the parts in.

RICH MUISE · 2014-01-26 19:31

Quote from: gasman826 on 2014-01-21 19:53
When you get to it, show a picture of the top line. I had trouble getting around the hood hinge. I plan on something different when it goes together again.

Here it is...90 degree tight fitting by PureChoice, and 18" #8 aluminum u-bend-it from Vintage Air. Note in the last pic, the hood spring retainer position with the hinge all the way down.. If I elect not to replace the spring with a hydraulic lift, I can just trim off 1/4" or so from the bottom of the retainer to insure there is no interference/rubbing on the A/C lines.

RICH MUISE · 2014-01-27 07:36

Forgot to mention I added some shrink tubing to the tube in areas where there may be some rubbing. The lines between the bulkhead are now done except for the flex lines connecting the compressor. Last night I ordered the 8 and 10* springlock fittings and the service port fittings along with some barrier hose from Cold Hose. Cold hose has a very rude woman on their sales staff that annoyed the heck out of me last week, but couldn't find the springlock fittings anywhere else. Once I determine the lengths and timing, I'll have the beadlock fittings crimped locally.
Gary...I thought about going out near the top of the core support like Bill Whitmore did. If my compressor was top mounted, that's what I would have done. I suspect your compressor is top mount, so you'll probably opt fot a different routing. The higher routing would make for a better service port location. Either way, the tight 90 fitting gets you around the hood hinge.
I was told by Vintage Air, btw, "all systems that we install have the service ports running off the lines connected to the compressor." I think that may be different from some oem systems as Bill suggested, but I am installing a vintage air system, so went with those locations.
*EDIT>>>> I ordered the wrong springlock fittings/tube for the large compressor tube..should be a #12

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Any aftermarket A/C guys out there?