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3/28/2019 9:21 AM  #1


AC Lines

Just installed my condenser and dryer and looking at how to route the lines for my vintage air.

Compressor is mounted on lower passenger side and I'm trying to make this as neat and clean as possible as well as keeping them out of my way when working on the car.

Considering making a hole that will come out under the battery tray and run between the battery tray support and the fender apron.  Can't use the lines that came in the kit but looking to buy the straight hard lines with fittings already on both ends and just bending them as needed.  I also considered running them higher in the open area that's is already in the core support and have them next to the battery.

I can use the line they supplied that goes from the pasenger side of dryer to bottom of condensor  without modifying it.
Any thoughts on this?

 

Last edited by 1fststang (3/28/2019 9:35 AM)

 

3/28/2019 10:01 AM  #2


Re: AC Lines

Received my vintage air system for my 69 this week.  Not sure where to start but Im thinking on the front like you.  Im going with drivers side and will have a problem having a over sized radiator and trying to get the lines to go around it.  Nice setup too BTW! 

 

3/28/2019 1:17 PM  #3


Re: AC Lines

This is mine ac driver side vintage air.  I think is easyer stay on driver side cause battery and tray are in the pipe way . Hope mine pics help you  , but why not consider to move the battery to trunk if you want to stay ac on pass side. ?  as you can see i got bigger rad and pipes are close but in the place should be . The only suggestion i can give you is to stay away from v belt and go with serpentine

 

3/28/2019 2:30 PM  #4


Re: AC Lines

I have a serpentine set up on mine and it is with the AC compressor on passenger side below alternator.

There isn't a ton of room on passenger side but its only 2 lines so there should be enough area to run them thru core support where the hoses will attach.

I thought about moving battery to trunk but didn't feel it was worth the effort.

I think once I work out the details the hoses won't be a focal point and will be down low and out of the way.

     Thread Starter
 

3/28/2019 2:35 PM  #5


Re: AC Lines

I like the idea of hard lines. One of them will need to turn flexible as soon as it enters the engine compartment to connect to the compressor. Where will that connection be? Will it be accessible.

Under the battery tray sounds good, but goes back to how accessible will it be. I would stay away from beside the battery. It could interfere with other stuff. Have you thought about going into the fender well and coming through the fender apron?? Hoses from the fire wall could also go into the fender well. It would make a clean installation. If hose from the firewall stay in engine compartment, have you thought about how you would route those?

You can make test routes with the hoses they have you. Just don’t cut them yet!!

Clothes hangers can be your friend for mocking up a hard line. It will let you know if the piece can be installed as bent. It’s also cheap practice for bending the tubing. You can verify that the tubing is loaded in a bender the right direction to get the bend you want. Even after 20 years as an electrician, it was still easy to screw up the second conduit bend if you weren’t paying attention.


John  -- 67 Mustang Coupe 390 5 speed
 

3/28/2019 4:19 PM  #6


Re: AC Lines

Alessandro wrote:

This is mine ac driver side vintage air.  I think is easyer stay on driver side cause battery and tray are in the pipe way . Hope mine pics help you  , but why not consider to move the battery to trunk if you want to stay ac on pass side. ?  as you can see i got bigger rad and pipes are close but in the place should be . The only suggestion i can give you is to stay away from v belt and go with serpentine

 
Hey Al...........I like the way you contribute.....even though the language kinda gets-in-the-way!
I agree....moving the battery to the trunk would solve a lot of problems.
6sally6


Get busy Liv'in or get busy Die'n....Host of the 2020 Bash at the Beach/The only Bash that got cancelled  )8
 

3/28/2019 5:17 PM  #7


Re: AC Lines

Got the hoses that came with the kit out and starting looking at routing options.  I was hoping the two lines from the firewall could come out and go down near motor mount then route up to appropriate location but there isn't enough room around the header.  

I thought about these two lines running up higher on the shock tower then route down after they pass the shock tower. This is an option and doesn't look terrible but the lines came with 90 degree fittings that connect at firewall and making it difficult to get a good sweeping route.

I could cut those ends off and crimp new straight ends on.

I did thing about buying two of those two fitting bulk heads. I could use the 90 degree fittings and run two hoses off the firewall to a bulk head on inner apron. Then connect to hoses run on backside of apron to in front of the shock tower then install another bulk head.  Then I could use a short hose from there directly across to compressor and other line up to the core support. Those bulk heads are about $40 each so would be out $80 but would probably look pretty good.

     Thread Starter
 

3/28/2019 5:25 PM  #8


Re: AC Lines

Got the hoses that came with the kit out and starting looking at routing options.  I was hoping the two lines from the firewall could come out and go down near motor mount then route up to appropriate location but there isn't enough room around the header.  

I thought about these two lines running up higher on the shock tower then route down after they pass the shock tower. This is an option and doesn't look terrible but the lines came with 90 degree fittings that connect at firewall and making it difficult to get a good sweeping route.

I could cut those ends off and crimp new straight ends on.

I did thing about buying two of those two fitting bulk heads. I could use the 90 degree fittings and run two hoses off the firewall to a bulk head on inner apron. Then connect to hoses run on backside of apron to in front of the shock tower then install another bulk head.  Then I could use a short hose from there directly across to compressor and other line up to the core support. Those bulk heads are about $40 each so would be out $80 but would probably look pretty good.

     Thread Starter
 

3/29/2019 1:06 PM  #9


Re: AC Lines

1fststang wrote:

I have a serpentine set up on mine and it is with the AC compressor on passenger side below alternator.

There isn't a ton of room on passenger side but its only 2 lines so there should be enough area to run them thru core support where the hoses will attach.

I thought about moving battery to trunk but didn't feel it was worth the effort.

I think once I work out the details the hoses won't be a focal point and will be down low and out of the way.

Now that i see this beautitul job i got to shut my mouth and open my eyes !   for sure i got to learn a lot !!   I  like it really good looking !   So clean  and sharp  !  

Hello 6 sally 6  pleased to hear you again !   ...   happy that you like my " american - italian " writing   ..... My friends in usa  are always funny when hear from me speaking with typical italian accent on a good english spoken !  
i miss so much !  I need to come back for a long stay ....too many place to see  .... one day i will come back !  
Ciao !!!!

 

3/30/2019 8:06 PM  #10


Re: AC Lines

Alessandro wrote:

..................snip.......... 

like it really good looking !   So clean  and sharp  !  

Hello 6 sally 6  pleased to hear you again !   ...   happy that you like my " american - italian " writing   ..... My friends in usa  are always funny when hear from me speaking with typical italian accent on a good english spoken !  
i miss so much !  I need to come back for a long stay ....too many place to see  .... one day i will come back !  Ciao !!!!

Why thank you Alessandro, always nice to hear you talking about me.

Being able to speak your native tongue & English, you Europeans have it all over us Yankees. Heck, lots of us can't even speak or rite English correctly!

 

 

4/08/2019 11:00 AM  #11


Re: AC Lines

Got my straight pieces of hard line in from Vintage air.  I bent and routed them through under battery tray like I mentioned. All worked out ok. The #10 line runs to compressor and stopped just a little short underneath the battery tray so you won't see anything but a short hose routed out to compressor. The other line runs to the firewall/evap and I ran it just past edge of battery tray. It has a service port and wanted to keep it readily accessible. This line will then route up and around shock tower. I will buy or fab up something to secure the lines.  All in all seems to be working out.

     Thread Starter
 

4/09/2019 10:01 AM  #12


Re: AC Lines

I have a 1968 mustang with a 289 stock engine, I just bought a new water pump. I was told that the water pump was for a 351 Windsor engine, doe's anyone know why. It also has a/c

 

4/09/2019 12:54 PM  #13


Re: AC Lines

I hope you are going to paint all that stuff flat black.  I always think stuff looks kind of out of place when you can see bright and shiny poking through the grille when it looks cleaner not showing.  Like aluminum radiators or ac condensers or plumbing or, God forbid, an electric fan.  Some guys like that stuff showing.  I hate it.  But, if it is going to show, make sure everything is ship shape!


Money you enjoy wasting is NOT wasted money... unless your wife finds out.
 

Board footera


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