I'm restoring my 78 F350 and can't find any place that sells new duct for this year vehicle. Where do these restoration people get there's? thanks

 

Welllll, I'll try it again .

Welcome to FTE Bill, there are a lot of good, knowledgeable people here.
Sooner or later you'll run into another Bill, Numberdummy, he's the go to guy for parts sources and info.
But to answer your question. Does your truck have just heat or does it have factory A/C? This will make a difference. Also if A/C equipped (as opposed to aftermarket a/c) the controls will be integral with the heater controls in the dash and there will be a huge evaporator housing in the engine compartment.
No one reproduces the a/c ducts and they're obsolete and haven't been available for years. No dealer or obsolete supplier has any either.
I see them from time to time on e-bay.

 

If you do locate a set of ducts, one thing you might consider doing to make them last longer.
Mine were in good shape. I gently washed the duct with warm soap and water and set it out in the sun to dry thoroughly. After that I got a spray can of Plastidip and sprayed heavy coats all around the outside of the duct.
Hopefully this will reinforce the duct and help protect it.

 

One of these days I'm going try and make an adapter to fit over the square holes for the center duct and vent housing to adapt just a round hose. Both my center ducts for my 75 and 77 were in good shape, but sooner or later they are going to deteriorate.

 

Thanks for the info. I think I'll go ahead and fabricate some light metal from the square registers to the round duct. I found some of that. won't be factory but at least it will work. thanks again guys. Oh and yes it has factory air. Hope I'll figure out exactly where the vacuum hoses go. Long way to go on the restro.

 

Dennis Carpenter sells different diameters of tubing but it is round. You will need to fabricate or find the rectangular to round transitions to the vent.

 

On my year (74 F100) the original Ford service manuals have a diagram of the vacuum runs.
I would highly recommend buying yourself a set for your year and model.
They are a great help with restoration.
They can usually be found on eBay.

 

Good tip Mike, thanks.
I sure hope you pulled out the seat there Bill. It'll save you a lot of wear, tear and cramps if you do and it may help finance the resto. LOL. I know my carcass is to sore to leave the seat in and I'm a small guy with big character .......
... flaws

 

In the pic above,mine was wasted.I used either 4 or 6" dia flex heater/A/C duct stuff and tie wrapped it.Worked for me.

 

The XLT Lariat trucks came with solid plastic ducting behind the instrument cluster and over to the dash vent on the pass side, I have a set I got at a junkyard. Maybe you can find some around your area?

 

I believe you are partially correct...

Ford went from a fabric duct system on the left side to a hollow plastic duct system for that duct only. The center duct remained fabric and the right side was stapled cardboard.

This was on the later "dentside" trucks. I'm not sure what year they made this improvement, but it was not confined to the XLT Lariat trucks. All trucks with factory installed air conditioning got the improved left ductwork.

 

1979. Bronco's also got the improved duct.
Here's the later ducting.

 

had one of those "improved" ducts in the classifieds here FOREVER and couldn't get anyone interested in it. I finally just gave it to the guy who bought my supercab with a bunch of other factory air parts since he was going to try & convert the thing to have AC.