what do I do with these lines now

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trudysduster

trudysduster

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I just cleaned up the a/c lines before I start putting them back on the car. These are the a/c lines that run from the firewall down the pass. side fender to the drier and the line that runs from the firewall to the compressor. I don't know for sure but I think they are stainless steel. they weren't rusty, just dirty. what do I put on them if any to keep them like this. or do I just paint them aluminum or something. didn't know if there was some kind of coating that will keep them shiny. thought about shooting a coat of clear on them. what came from the factory or what have some of you guys done. Its on a 69 Valiant. Thanks,Bill
 

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Doggone it Bill if you don't know, I sure don't LOL. You are the "car show king" LOL
 
are they stainless steel. They would almost have to be to withstand 46 years and not rust. I will have to think about this. I figured someone else would chime in. May just paint them black.
 
trudysduster said:
are they stainless steel. They would almost have to be to withstand 46 years and not rust. I will have to think about this. I figured someone else would chime in. May just paint them black.
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if they haven't rusted up to this point , most of us here wont be around in another 50 years to see them rust lol

I wouldn't even consider painting them black , it will look crappy and half assed spray bombed in my opinion.
 
Try a magnet on 'em bill. I don't know, doesn't seem to me they'd be stainless.
 
They for sure aren't stainless, the ones I grabbed from a junk yard for my 69 Barracuda are covered with surface rust. I think they were originally plated steel. I think in your photos I can see a bit of copper color. That was likely a thin copper plate under the finish plating.
 
Are those original? I didn't know they used O-ring fittings then. Rustoleum has a spray paint preservative, more like a waxy oil than a paint. It has a picture of a shovel on the front. They said good for 6 months ourside. I coat nuts and bolts with it and anything else I don't have time to paint.
 
are they for a V8?

I would just throw them out and buy new ones

want me to send you my address so you can send em to me to dispose of them?
 
be sure and use compressor oil on the "O" ring. i would be temped to get an after market hose. as O.E.M. hoses are junk. there was a co HOT CO a long time a go. the had hoses that you could make fit.
 
the rubber on these hoses look really good. I will figure out something here. just didn't know if there was some kind of coating on these or what. they aren't rusted just a little dirty. will post pics when I figure it out. Thanks
 
There's a Carquest near me that "rebuilds" hydraulic hoses with new parker hoses. I bet they could put new rubber hoses on them or make all new lines possibly, I've never asked about it, just noticed the sign the other day when picking up a couple of drums that I had cut in their machine shop. Parker hose is very good and makes A/C hoses for the major car manufacturers.

If you convert to R-134 A, you should get a new receiver drier, and replace all the o-rings wth HNBR material o-rings (usually green) as they are more compatible with the R-134 A and the PAG oils used for the compressor.

If you are also replacing the foam seals in the HVAC unit, then I would also recommend finding a new foam that is resistant to PAG oil.

The gen 1 LH cars had bad evaporatorrs and when they were replaced, sometimes the PAG oil from the evaproator would get on the foam seals and eventually eat them away. Then the air would go AROUND the evaporator instead of THROUGH it, and performance would be reduced. Then they would have to go back in and replace the seals with PAG oil resistant ones...

I see a few of them around here in summer when it is really hot, driving around with the windows open, and figure it's one of the bad evaporator or bad seals affecting the A/C so they have to drive with the windows open... It costs over $1000 to have the evaporators replaced, and some of those cars aren't worth putting that kind of money in today....
 
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