Replacement left defroster hose (and adapter?) for a non-a/c 74 Duster.

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cruiser

cruiser

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Hi All: This topic has likely been addressed here before, so my apologies. The original cardboard and metal left defroster hose on my 74 Duster is torn and I need to replace it. The right hose is fine. I've seen the expensive plastic flex duct replacement kits, but I don't want to buy all that stuff. My understanding is that the defroster vent in the dash is a 2.5" vent that will accept one of the plastic 2.5" flex hoses. I believe the attachment to the heater box is smaller (2"?), so there will need to be an adapter to adapt the 2.5" hose to the 2" heater box connection. So all I really need is the hose and the adapter. Does this sound right? And if so, is there a cheap source of these two items? How much hose should I buy? Any and all ideas welcome. Thanks!
 
I don't see any listed on Mega Parts or Classic Ind. Laysons has a single piece long enough to replace both. The original clamps aren't repopped. It looks like the hoses are hard to find and I bet you will never find just one unless you start a want ad here for a good used one.
 
Classic shows a Dash Vent and Hoses set. Appears to be the big according type hose. Not sure if that's what you need
 
I used a piece of shop vac hose to replace mine, plus some abs plumbing fittings for adaptors, may not be everyone's solution, but as long as it works I don't care.
 
toolmanmike said:
I don't see any listed on Mega Parts or Classic Ind. Laysons has a single piece long enough to replace both. The original clamps aren't repopped. It looks like the hoses are hard to find and I bet you will never find just one unless you start a want ad here for a good used one.
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Update, y'all. Thanks to all who replied. I think I might have found a solution and I wanted to pass it along to our forum members. Nostalgic Air (you can google them) has a pretty good selection of this stuff. Looks like they sell 2.5 inch defroster hose for $3.80 a foot, and the adapter I need for $5.76. I'll let you know how it turns out. This appears to be a far more economical solution than buying an entire kit (with a bunch of stuff that I don't need) for $50.00 from Classic Industries or Detroit Muscle Technologies. Of course, a longer term solution would be for someone to repop the originals with a very high quality reproduction that would be identical to what the factory installed back in the day. No one is doing this yet, especially for A body cars. I think they'd sell a lot of them, as these ducts are always torn up and deteriorated down by your feet.
 
cruiser said:
Update, y'all. Thanks to all who replied. I think I might have found a solution and I wanted to pass it along to our forum members. Nostalgic Air (you can google them) has a pretty good selection of this stuff. Looks like they sell 2.5 inch defroster hose for $3.80 a foot, and the adapter I need for $5.76. I'll let you know how it turns out. This appears to be a far more economical solution than buying an entire kit (with a bunch of stuff that I don't need) for $50.00 from Classic Industries or Detroit Muscle Technologies. Of course, a longer term solution would be for someone to repop the originals with a very high quality reproduction that would be identical to what the factory installed back in the day. No one is doing this yet, especially for A body cars. I think they'd sell a lot of them, as these ducts are always torn up and deteriorated down by your feet.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the update.
 
When restoring my 1964 and 1965 non-AC cars with add-on knee-knocker AC boxes, I don't recall finding the correct duct hose with different size ends and the OE fabric hose was falling apart. Indeed, just replacing the brittle dash defrost vents was pricey, but shopping around I recall I found for ~$30/pair, vaguely recall for a 1980's Dodge pickup. For duct hose, I have a box of hose, some fabric duct hose from old J.C. Whitney (?) and some plastic hose from a 1980's M-B. To form the two-size ends, I recall stuffing a smaller hose inside a larger one and also recall using a PCV tee or adapter, maybe even hose from an old vacuum, whatever worked. I was crowded near the climate box outlets due to the AC boxes.
 
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