Builds Won a '74 40 on a coin toss... (7 Viewers)

ginmtb · Feb 17, 2019

So you’d think that having spent all that time on the heater connections I would’ve not drilled my heater delete plate for the heater bulkhead! Doh! Fortunately a couple of washers hides my error but what a maroon (Bugs Bunny reference FYI).

I still need to add a coat of paint to the delete plate but it has been too cold and wet to do any painting. We’ll see if that gets done in the next two weeks before my camping trip.

Also, finally got to use my swanky AC hose compression tool! Very easy to use and crimps turned out great.

Question - can I drive the car with the compressor connected (with the belt) but the clutch not powered? Or should I just take off the belt until I’m ready to use it?

ginmtb · Feb 21, 2019

Making some more progress - turns out my template was off as I need to move the unit to the right about 1.25”. Testing the location also revealed that I will need to re-work much of my wiring I did for the stereo long ago. It is going to be super crowded and I will need every last bit of space to fit everything in there. My gauges compound the lack of space too. Going to be interesting...

ginmtb · Feb 23, 2019

I might have painted in the house since it was a bit cold outside. Please don’t tell the wife lol.

Looks so clean installed in the engine bay. Needs to get a little dirty.

And this is my AC bracket - i bought a 12”x12” 16 gauge sheet from Home Depot for $12. Fairly simple shape, used rivnuts, and painted black (outside). It’s baking inside though since it’s nice and warm in here. I’ll post my rivnut DIY tool and link if you don’t want to spend the bundle of money on a rivnut tool.

ginmtb · Feb 23, 2019

Here is my rivnut tool. Instead of the “bumpy” washer between the top two washers, I replaced that with two Mylar washers. Worked great!

ginmtb · Feb 24, 2019

Ugh rough day today... frustration city. One of the rivnuts on my mount was off by 1/8”. I fought it for a long time finally came to the conclusion that it wasn’t going to work. So I hogged out the hole and then got the welder out to fill the old hole. That did work but man so frustrating and time consuming.

I used the old heater as a template but as it turns out, Toyota made their mounting holes very big so there was plenty of wiggle room. Well when you’re using a bolt passing through an old fixed nut into a rivnut not much room for wiggle. Royal pain in the arse.

I did get the unit mounted but of course it is too low so I’ll have to take it all off again. The hoses are just mocked up. Because the heater hoses pass through the fire wall very close to the heater connections I have to run a big loop. Not as clean as I would’ve liked but still up high and not easy to see while sitting.

I did get the charcoal canister reinstalled as well. The only spot I could find. Seems to fit well and doesn’t touch the AC hoses at all.

mrboatman · Feb 24, 2019

Maybe a couple of these 90 molded heater hoses would help clean up the bend LS Swap Heater Hose 90 Degree Bend Molded Heater Hose 5/8" ID x 4" x 24" | eBay

JP

ginmtb · Feb 24, 2019

mrboatman said:
Maybe a couple of these 90 molded heater hoses would help clean up the bend LS Swap Heater Hose 90 Degree Bend Molded Heater Hose 5/8" ID x 4" x 24" | eBay

JP

Thanks that might work! I don’t need the 24” length maybe I can find shorter lengths.

Honger · Feb 24, 2019

Looking good bro. It’s quite a bit of trial and error getting the unit set where you want it. Then once it’s in you’ll have lots of knuckle gymnastics getting everything fit and stuffed up in your dash.

Keep on!

ginmtb · Feb 25, 2019

Honger said:
Looking good bro. It’s quite a bit of trial and error getting the unit set where you want it. Then once it’s in you’ll have lots of knuckle gymnastics getting everything fit and stuffed up in your dash.

Keep on!

Yeah I'm not certain how I'm going to fit everything up in the dash - my gauges are going to present some significant problems I'm confident in that... :frown:

Racer65 · Feb 25, 2019

Not just building AC. You're building character

franklin40 · Feb 25, 2019

ginmtb said:
I might have painted in the house since it was a bit cold outside. Please don’t tell the wife lol.

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Looks so clean installed in the engine bay. Needs to get a little dirty.

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And this is my AC bracket - i bought a 12”x12” 16 gauge sheet from Home Depot for $12. Fairly simple shape, used rivnuts, and painted black (outside). It’s baking inside though since it’s nice and warm in here. I’ll post my rivnut DIY tool and link if you don’t want to spend the bundle of money on a rivnut tool.

View attachment 1912378

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i’ve been contemplating doing this too. my garage is too cold to paint in. -45 here again today. no way paint will cure in that. it’d be the dog house for me if i did it in the house... and she’s already brought the dog in because it’s too cold out!!

ginmtb · Mar 2, 2019

Well work came to a grinding halt - got sick and am still sick. Not the flu but still have no energy, nasty congestion, and super annoying hacking cough. Luckily the weather went south too so the camping trip scheduled for this weekend got cancelled.

I got tired of laying around so decided to get the molded hoses mocked up. Thanks @mrboatman for the suggestion! I found shorter 4”x6” molded hoses so got those and it definitely looks better than the big loop. Very snug in there but should work just fine!

ginmtb · Mar 31, 2019

Well finally feel like I’m not sick anymore... still coughing but now I think it is allergies. So much rain and everything is so green and blooming now. Can’t wait to not hack anymore.

Anyhow, got the unit in - moved it up about 1/2” on my bracket but it doesn’t appear that it moved much. But considering the fight it is to get it in I’m going to call it done. I’m not looking forward to the next fight and that is routing the hoses - my gauges I think will be in the way so that is going to suck. Don’t want to eliminate them but I may have to.

Notice my modified Toyota switches - looks much better than their small half height ones. Got them from @RAGINGMATT if you want to go that route.

ginmtb · Apr 7, 2019

Spent a couple more hours on the never ending AC project. Got it exactly where I wanted it, shortened the hose attachment on the back of the unit. Relocated the hideous stickers so they aren’t as visible. And installed the defrost push/pull lever. Had forgotten about that since the instructions are pretty lacking. It’s a really long cable - I tried shortening it and putting my own loop on the end of the cable but it was too big and I couldn’t get the nut over it. So used the long setup and looped it (I need a 3M cable tie to secure the loop you can see to the left of the unit). Little bit of work to push/pull the switch but could be worse. It’s the knob below the brake light. It’s shorter than the other knobs but since it is off to the side it works. No @RAGINGMATT won’t be changing that knob.

ginmtb · Apr 15, 2019

Snuck in a couple hours of work after the Masters... have the inside AC and heater hoses routed and it looks pretty clean. Just have one small thing to do with the small copper pipe in the photo. Routed a few air/both defrost ducts as well - they definitely will interfere with my gauges. Either I get rid of or build out the plate (@Solace in Solitude I’ll probably build out similar to what you did but probably no angle).

Electrical and a few more air ducts to run (awful job btw with all the switches and muck up in the dash area - hopefully I didn’t unplug or damage any wires). Of course I managed to drop a small retention clip for the air ducts and it fell into the area I call the abyss - next to the gas tank under the center console. I’ve dropped my keys there and had a tough time finding. Forget about a small clip. I pulled the seat to check but that thing is long gone might even be under the gas tank. Sigh.

Getting closer! Hopefully I’ll have this done before the summer is over lol.

Jdc1 · Apr 15, 2019

ginmtb said:
Snuck in a couple hours of work after the Masters... have the inside AC and heater hoses routed and it looks pretty clean. Just have one small thing to do with the small copper pipe in the photo. Routed a few air/both defrost ducts as well - they definitely will interfere with my gauges. Either I get rid of or build out the plate (@Solace in Solitude I’ll probably build out similar to what you did but probably no angle).

Electrical and a few more air ducts to run (awful job btw with all the switches and muck up in the dash area - hopefully I didn’t unplug or damage any wires). Of course I managed to drop a small retention clip for the air ducts and it fell into the area I call the abyss - next to the gas tank under the center console. I’ve dropped my keys there and had a tough time finding. Forget about a small clip. I pulled the seat to check but that thing is long gone might even be under the gas tank. Sigh.

Getting closer! Hopefully I’ll have this done before the summer is over lol.

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Looks great, I always tell myself that it’ll go faster the second time.

ginmtb · Nov 5, 2019

Well it has been all summer and then some and the AC still isn’t done. But decided I really miss driving this so made it at least drivable. Don’t need AC at this time so this is how it will be for a bit. Amazing that it had been over a year since I last drove my cruiser and after a bit of pumping of the gas it fired up and drove like a champ! 140,760