A/C duct question

I want to know what the ducts look like on an a/c car with glove box lower dash. The part I'm referring to is where the duct work connects to the vents in the lower dash. Is there supposed to be anything besides the plastic elbows? Does the vent hose connect to the elbows or is there supposed to be additional plastic tubing somewhere? Many thanks...

 

Hi John,

There are hoses that connect the plastic elbows to the box. They are kind of a fiber/cardboard accordian-style with a wire reinforcement embedded in there. A short piece that runs behind the glovebox on the later cars. The glovebox liner is smaller for AC cars. Another longer piece that snakes over the steering column and is pretty tight in there.

You usually can't salvage those here. 40 years of southern heat makes them crumble.

Mojo found a place that sells bulk hose. I'll have to see if I can dredge that info up.

Now that I am thinking about it .... I believe the later cars came with a plastic extension instead of the hose for the passenger side. Probably 76 and 77s.

 

so the whole ductwork is just hose that connects to the plastic vents? besides the defroster duct
mine doesn't have a glovebox, just the package tray.

 

The company is: www.nostalgicairparts.com.. The 73 cars use 2.5in flexible duct #DH25; this is what I used. All the old stuff was "like u stated - heat crumbled. Hpe this helps John w/ his project...

 

The plenum connects to the center vent directly. There is the plenum for the defroster, and that is correct, hoses go to the tray vents.

 

i think I get what you're saying. I have no heater box though

 

I was referring to a factory A/C car, too. If your car came that way, you have the vent in the center of the dash and vents in the tray. Oh yeah, I forgot that there is a dogleg plastic piece under the plenum for floor vents.

If your car came without A/C ... smooth dash, and the tray has an open grid on each side for fresh air vents. They also had a very different heater box, too. I am sure there was some kind of floor vent, but I can't recall what it looks like.

Here is a pic of my A/C box, before and after resto ....



There is one more piece, not shown, that goes between the rectangular opening for the fan, and vent in the dash. That is the plenum and it branches out to accept the hoses that go to the tray vents.

John, maybe this is what is causing your confusion on this? Do you have a plenum also? Note ... the center vent has to be matched to it ... there are two opening sizes, early vs. late.

 

Melvin's Classic Ford Parts sells this:

Hope this helps.

 

where can I get any of that including the whole ac heater box?

 

Try the classified section -- probably the best chance u will have locating one. Post in wanted section too. Some of the owners who may use the car for competition remove that kind of stuff. Gud luck!

 

If possible, find a donor car and be sure to grab everything... the spaghetti mess of vacuum hoses, the center vent in the dash, etc.


It is a good idea if you are the guy pulling the stuff out. It will give a better sense of how it all has to go together.

Label all the hoses and their connections. Take more pictures of it assembled than you think you will ever need. This is an area that most car guys may never go.

Odds are, the box you get will need new seals and foam inside. Foam kits for 71-73 Mustangs are close and will give you most of what you need. The rest can be made up for with generic foam from Lowes.

What really helped me overall is that I had two boxes here when I did mine. Even with the labeling and pictures, I still had questions. Managed to rob a couple parts off the 2nd one that I needed. Better yet, if you get two that are close to the same year ... there are differences early vs late.

 

Guys, this is what I was referring to when I asked the question. See the long plastic tube in the picture?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200992798482?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

 

I have a complete ac/heater box out of a 75 comet if youre interested its for sale pm me.
shipping would be pretty killer I would think going all the way across country

 

John,
The long tube at the bottom is the passenger side tube for a late glovebox dash. Earlier glovebox dashes had a shorter elbow (similar to the other one pictured) and another piece of flex tubing. These feed the passenger side vent in the lower dash. Either setup will work with a glovebox, but I like the one pictured better.

The tube and other elbow are for the driver side lower vent.

 

Junrai, I already have that stuff all rebuilt and in the car but thanks.
Captain, thanks for the explanation. I have the other setup so basically all I am missing is the flex hose. The mystery is finally solved!