It's in and ready to test hop although the clutch gave me fits to get working.

 

I'm not sure what's in it so I'll flush first just to be safe.

 

R12 systems have connections like valve stems. R134a have connections similar to air tools.
The retro-fit kits come with adapters to screw onto the schraders to accept the 134a hoses.

 

Got 'em.

Hopefully I'll get started on that this afternoon.

 

That's awesome Dave! Now to go home and try to run PEX pipe to my woodstove. And fix the dryer.

 

Arrgh PEX pipe. Nothing sounds so simple but leaves you completely frustrated like PEX.

 

Let's see if this works.... My power steering needs bled or something, but first video of Bandit driving without shifting issues.

 

What a freaking catastrophe today turned out to be. By the time I got to work on the truck, I was so frazzled that I had to make multiple trips for parts (engine had an idiot light sender on the oil pressure side, o-rings for the AC, and the AC flush. Guess what I discovered after that? A leaky radiator. Should have expected that, but I can't catch a break on anything. Here's the one and only thing that was a step in the right direction all day - and it isn't as pretty as I would like.

 

looks like you are all bung'ed up dave...ha ha ha ha ha ha .... i dont think i can help ya with the radiator.. my late model stuff is kinnda slim and then i scrapped out the 84 i had out behind the shop..

 

made it up to alans today.. we didn't do anything but stand around flapping our lips.. but i did get some parts dropped off for 'ole rip'.. so that was a step in the right direction i guess

 

No problem RC. I just bit the bullet and got a new one. It's already installed and waiting for me to finish the rest of it.

The next challenge has appeared and I haven't a clue what to do about it. The pipes and mufflers that RC threw in with the rest of the package don't have flat flanges. They are flared at the ends like one would expect with a factory manifold.



I've run out of creative thinking for a while and would appreciate some ideas of how to seal up the exhaust.

 

Get some cherry bomb (header) mufflers or purple zoomies that bolt direct to the headers. Or get some header flanges and cut off the flare and weld the flanges to the rest of the exhaust sys.

Or... https://jet.com/product/detail/3d597...FZWDaQodA-IHKg

To late now Dave, I am pretty sure I had the radiator from that truck also...

 

all i can think of is a mig..... i forget how they were on the other truck.. was there a exhaust donut gasket in there maybe?

 

Rich - don't fuss about the radiator. If the driver's side pipe didn't run directly under the gas tank and the need for an O2 sensor, the header pipes would be a great solution.

RC - That's about the only way you could get them to work with this set-up.

The way I look at it, I have two choices:
1. I can go spend who knows how long at the local NAPA while they dig through catalogs and dusty boxes in hopes that they might have something that will work.
2. Cut the flares off as clean as I can, mount the flanges on the headers, mock up the rest of the exhaust, tack weld the flanges to the pipes, disconnect them from the header and finish weld them out from under the truck.

The more I think about it, the more I like option #2. I'll have to check to make sure I won't be creating a clearance problem with the transmission crossmember first, but I think that will work. Especially since it means not making another parts run.

Thanks guys...

 

You know something...

Cutting the flare off the ends of the pipe is easy peasy with a chop saw. It's apart and ready for me to clean the surface rust off the pipe for mock-up in the morning.