Hi, good thing I have nothing better to do, just spent two days looking for some kind of A/C adaptor.

I installed the radiator from a '92 Dakota in my '56 Plodge wagon and as unbelievable as it is (only one time per project) the rad hoses fit perfectly with out any mods.

I am going to use an aftermarket hose kit instead of the OEM dead snake hose and metal tube contraption and I did come up with some adaptors by sheer persistence (no listing anywhere but by dimensions, Hemi ones worked) for the stock A/C compressor rectangular block connection (#10 & # 8)). But after I installed the A/C condenser from the Dakota I cannot find any kind of adaptor from the the rectangular block connection on the condenser (#6 & #8) to beadlock aftermarket. Because I could not find an adaptor I resorted to ordering weld on male ends made by Vintage Air from Jegs. (Can I braze my old steel (?) line to the stainless adaptor with brass rod?)

I got a email back from Jegs saying that the shipping had increase and because of their fine print it was not their error, so I advised the that because of my fine print they could keep them.

I can order the weld on from Vintage Air direct but an adaptor would be much better, has anyone done this?

Or can I use the steel portion of the A/C line off the rectangular block of the OEM hose and double fared and joined with a steel line double fared that has the male beadlock (from a junk condenser) ?

Pictures available. Thanks.

pics would be nice if possible.
i "think" you should be able to double flare the aluminum line connected to the block and join a double flare steel line to it using a double flare connector [female both ends], providing you can find the proper size connector for your lines.
with this, i'm aSSuming both lines to be connected are the same size ?

tubes and hoses? anything like that near you? maybe pacific hose?

Here you go. First pic is the Dakota condenser bulkhead, second is the hose fitting that bolts to the condenser bulkhead, the third is the male thread end that is on most beadlock fixtures, and four is female beadlock hose end fitting.

I've seen those block connector adapters but I can't remember where. I stumbled across them looking for Aeroquip EZ Clip info.

They were basically a plate with the o ring on the flat side and a male o ring fitting on the other side that would accept a standard A/C fitting. Good for converting OEM hoses made of unobtanium to stuff like Aeroquip that can be delivered overnight.

Kevin

Thanks Kevin, someone else suggested Aeroquip also in regards to steel hydraulic lines to hose on industrial equipment. I am looking in to it.
If you remember (at 3 in the morning) where you had seen it please let me know. Thanks.

General question, (and Gene) this is the stainless weld-on adaptor from Vintage Air, I am not sure what kind of weld or braze to use as the OEM steel lines seem more steel then aluminium alloy so rather then risk it, would it be possible to drill and tap the stainless adaptor (if there is enough material) and use a pipe short nipple ? Living near a small town in the country has it advantages, ... this is not one of them.

Hope I'm not missing something here. As understand what you want to do is connect the pipes on the block to a hose. In the past I've been able to use compression fittings for situations like this. 4 Seasons makes the fittings I've used before...... I've had good luck with them and all you need to install them is a couple wrenches.

Oldray, I don't do much AC, I'm a windows down kind of guy. That said, I doubt there is enough material in an AC line to cut threads into, the lines I've seen are way too thin.
As far as welding, Stainless is usually pretty nice to weld to. If the AC lines are steel with an aluminium coating, you will have to remove the coating to weld to the stainless fitting. I would suspect a gas weld or a tig weld would be the best method, because its too easy to burn through thin tubing with a mig. A compression fitting may work, but I would really want to watch for a freon leak using a compression fitting.

They have been making custom length AC hoses for years, there has to be a simple way to accomplish this, might be worth consulting a home AC installer. They do custom hoses all the time. Gene

Thanks everybody, time to regroup and rethink this. But I will conquer !

we know you will !
please let us know how this turns out.

I found these. Maybe something there that will work for you.


https://www.apairinc.com/shopping/?ic=4340

Kevin

WOW ! that's some crazy stuff ! I had not thought of two individual fittings with a bar to hold them in place. the backside of my block fitting has small short nipples that fit into the condenser block. This company has the fitting with different pilot sizes so I will have to measure mine. Thanks, cool.

UPDATE:

I would like to thank twostick (Kevin) very much for his help. I contacted them and got a price on some kind of industrial equipment fittings that I think would have worked.
I also found some other fittings that would have to be brazed on with silver solder. I was about to order some when I realized I was looking at this all backwards, I think I was being cheap and trying to use as much of the Dakota as possible, but for a guy that lives by the creed that every equation has two ends, so you can change either end, I was blind, stupid, and mostly old.

The fittings and the silver braze or the other fittings with shipping to Canada were going to be close to $ 100.00 Canadian, it took me a long time to see the light but why not change the condenser to an aftermarket one with the #6 and #8 fittings already installed. EUREKA ! $ 57.00 cdn with free shipping from amazon. (made in China) See, two ends to the equation if I would have had my eyes open.

Thanks to all that helped, much appreciated.

alrighty then !
now for an installed picture.

If you aren't married to those crimped fittings, I'd look into the Aeroquip EZ Clips. They seal first time every time and don't need any cumbersome machinery to put the ends on plus they're reusable with new orings. Another plus is the hose has about half the OD as the crimped type for the same ID. Makes a nice compact install and it can be coaxed into tighter quarters because it will go in a tighter radius.

Google some YouTube videos on them and you'll see haw easy they are to use.

Kevin