Stock AC fittings question

[Mace]

I am working on getting Bob's AC system hooked up and am wondering about fittings.

I took the hoses into a local hose spot to have them sized. The guy behind the counter said they were size 10 and 6 O ring fittings. However, I do not know if there is a special metric version or if it is more standard than that.

I am ordering a new parallel flow condenser and drier and want to make sure I end up hooking up the pieces correctly.


So, long and short, what size are the AC fittings on the 60's AC system?

 

[Spike Strip]

Gotta ask Rex (1972FJ55)

 

[mwalls54]

Gotta ask Rex (1972FJ55)

He would be the person to ask. I just put in a order with him yesterday.

 

[1972FJ55]

Your new condenser will most likely have a regular #8 inlet and #6 outlet. IIRC the original hose sizes are also #8 & #6 regular o-ring also. They should be able to easily make hoses using off the shelf fittings to fit the new condenser. The #10 hose is the suction side, coming from the evaporator to the compressor-that hose should be ok if you're just putting in a new condenser. Just to clarify, the hose fittings will be standard, not metric.

Spike & Matt, thanks for the props!

 

[Mace]

Thanks Rex.

This is kind of a hybrid anyway.

It's a ford motor in my 60. So I'll be using the ford pump on the Drivers side of the motor and adapting it to the stock cruiser stuff. Custom lines, a universal drier and condenser.

I found a 16x26 parallel condenser on Ebay which I think would be the best setup. Unless there is a good reason not to use the Ebay condensers.

The ford compressor has what appears to be #8 and #10 sized hoses hardlined on to it. I plan to braze the proper O ring fittings on to the ford compressor flange.

From the sounds of it, I do a 10 from the firewall directly to the compressor. A 8 from the compressor to the condenser, a 6 from the condenser to the drier and then 6 from the drier to the firewall.

Sound about right?

I was looking at ACkits.com for the assistance in doing this project.
But Rex, if you have the parts available to do the conversion I'd be happier to work with a cruiser guy.

 

[1972FJ55]

The ford compressor has what appears to be #8 and #10 sized hoses hardlined on to it. I plan to braze the proper O ring fittings on to the ford compressor flange.

From the sounds of it, I do a 10 from the firewall directly to the compressor. A 8 from the compressor to the condenser, a 6 from the condenser to the drier and then 6 from the drier to the firewall.

Sound about right?

Yes it does.

Frankly, I'd have a hard time coming close to the price some of the ebay folks sell parts for, but I'll do the best I can. If you're not in a rush, I can get you some pricing first thing Monday morning, so you have something for comparison. Not that it matters a great deal, but what did the engine come out of? Is it using an FS10 compressor? Are the hoses joined at the compressor or are they separate? Enough questions for now, my neighbors a/c quit working in both their cars, so I've been recruited to take a look......ahhh, what are weekends for?

 

[Mace]

Yes it does.

Frankly, I'd have a hard time coming close to the price some of the ebay folks sell parts for, but I'll do the best I can. If you're not in a rush, I can get you some pricing first thing Monday morning, so you have something for comparison. Not that it matters a great deal, but what did the engine come out of? Is it using an FS10 compressor? Are the hoses joined at the compressor or are they separate? Enough questions for now, my neighbors a/c quit working in both their cars, so I've been recruited to take a look......ahhh, what are weekends for?

You are a good man

Monday would be awesome. Thanks a lot

The engine came out of a 89 Ford mustang. However, that is not as helpful as it could be. I HATE the ford powersteering pumps so I found a E150 with the 302 in it. Those use Saginaw PS pumps. So the AC unit I believe is from a mid 80's early 90's E150 with a 5.0. The hoses are bolted to the compressor together. It is a single manifold with two hardlines coming out of it.

Happen to have a good source for the pieces that need to be brazed to the hard lines?

 

[Mace]

Rex, is there specific locations that the AC charge fittings have to be?

And, can any hydraulic hose crimper work to crimp the AC hose ends?

 

[1972FJ55]

Hi Mace,

Our condenser in a 16x26 parallel flow is $126.72

You can locate the service fittings wherever you have easy access. High side can be on the discharge hose, liquid line or drier. Low side on the suction hose.

A/C hose uses specific dies, the hydraulic stuff that i've worked with before won't crimp correctly.

I have a couple different types of braze-on barbs (pic below). The ones on the left you just crimp the hose into, the ones on the right, you would build hoses with o-ring fittings to screw onto these ends.

Let me know if you have more questions,
Rex

Weekend update: I got my neighbors Chevy P.U. working, but his wife's Taurus has a leaking compressor and liquid line, fixing it will require some $ and time.....

 

[cruiser88]

awesome

 

[Elbert]

Good info.. I had assumed the A/C hoses were standard size as the caps I purchased to block off my system during the engine swap were standard and fit very well.

 

[Mace]

That's a perfectly acceptable price on the condenser. I guess I'll call tomorrow morning with a credit card for shipping.

Would the Vintage Air 31700-VUD hose kit be a good investment?
I still run into having to go someplace to have the fittings crimped, but I should have the necessary "stuff" to at least make sure that all of the fittings are in the right place. It's $99 with free shipping from amazom. And comes with the Drier

Obviously, I'll have to pick up the sweat on fittings from you.

 

[Mace]

Figure this is one of the easier places to ask.

Rex, does the Drier have to be mounted vertically?
(I assume yes but..)

 

[Mace]

Thanks Rex.


The ford compressor has what appears to be #8 and #10 sized hoses hardlined on to it. I plan to braze the proper O ring fittings on to the ford compressor flange.

From the sounds of it, I do a 10 from the firewall directly to the compressor. A 8 from the compressor to the condenser, a 6 from the condenser to the drier and then 6 from the drier to the firewall.

Ford compressor was indeed #8 and #10.

The cruiser's firewall is different tho.

The condensor that you sent me (which incendantally fits like it was born to be in that spot) from what I understood had a 8 and #6 O ring fitting on them. For giggles I tried to put the hose that goes to the LC firewall on the lower condensor fitting. No go. The cruiser fitting is actually smaller than the one on the small side fo the condensor.

Hopefully it is no big deal and I'll just use the old hose and fitting and shorten it up to hook up to the new drier (#6 theoretically)

I have not checked to see if the big fitting is a #10 yet. Hopefully it is..

 

[Mace]

awesome


Old vs new

Fits like a glove with a bit of trimming....

 

[Mace]

To finish this off, I picked up the vintage air hose kit for $100 off of ebay. It's a great kit that I did not end up using everything for but that's fine.

For the Firewall, I ended up using the stock hoses that were cut to fit the setup and then used the new ends crimped on from the Vintage air kit.
I brazed a couple of the ends from Rex onto the Ferd compressor, and got everything hooked up. R134A does not have the same pressure settings or fill amounts as R12 does, and, considering I don't have a proper Vaccuum setup, I drove the cruiser to a buddies shop that I trust for him to fill it.
Topped off and driving at 65 mph on a 105* day.

At max AC it cools the truck off admirably on the hottest days.. Kids in the back seat don't even complain.

 

[red66toy]

awesome


Old vs new

Fits like a glove with a bit of trimming....
View attachment 434352View attachment 434353View attachment 434354

Old thread revival!
I am going to be redoing the entire AC system and I want to use the more efficient parallel flow AC condenser on the system since it will be running 134a. Do you happen to remember how much "trimming" was involved? Did you trim the condenser mounts or the cruiser itself? @1972FJ55 do you have the part number for that condenser? Thanks!

 

[Mace]

It's not the mount that needs trimming, it's where the hoses connect. Look at the upper fitting in this pic.

Just about any parallel flow 16x26 condenser will work. I do not think that Rex is part of the company that he was working with before,but I may be mistaken. He certainly was helpful and great to work with!

 

[red66toy]

Oh I see now. Thanks for the help and info!

 

[Spike Strip]

FWIW, the OEM Denso was available at Rockauto.