A/C Reinstall/Conversion questions

If you take out the evaporator make sure you find an a/c shop that can test it out of the car. Every shop I went to in my town could not test the unit removed from the car. The best setup to run is keeping your stock evaporator core, get a new expansion block, new dryer, and BUY a parallel universal flow condensor!. Drive the car to the a/c shop and have hoses made. I was quoted 60$s for getting hoses made for my custom setup. For note you can leave the evaporator core in the car and remove the hosing and expansion block then run a/c flush through it. Try auto zone for the a/c power flush the stuff works great. Then blow the residue out with compressed air.

 

I've not found an evaporator either, but I haven't had any of mine leak(I've had 3) specialty ac shops may have the adapter kits to test the evaporator (they are expensive so smaller shops may not have them) but If it's not broke, I wouldn't fix it. That evaporator is a tube and fin design that isn't really prone to leakage unless someone fatigued the fittings at the H-block fittings. (you can usually see that by visually inspecting the copper tubes for evidence of twisting) If money's no object, Vintage Air makes a nice little evaporator/heat unit as well as some other hot rodding ac suppliers. None of these kits pull in outside/fresh air however and that's not an option for me. Flynbrd is on right on with the parallel flow as that is the type I'm using and is probably the single best thing you can do to improve the cooling ability of these early systems that are designed for R12. (don't forget about the condenser fan tho) I can post pic's if you need them

 

I'm going to do a complete write up about this, with all the sizing calculations. I just need the snow to melt, and find the time.