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Today ... (well, was the 9th) was working to remove the receiver / drier and condenser to flash,and replace the drier. Lower inlet or as liquified refrigerant exits from the condenser broke off, so that's FUBAR-ed .... then I found a crack in the large suction hose from the evaporator. I could not get the fitting loose above the R-D either, so I cut that (tube that the fat discharge hose connects to) tube in a straight section to get it all out. Bottom of R-D is rusty, and I tried with two wrenches and still never got the actual fittings loose. My plan today was put the compressor back on as well as the R-D and exp valve, thought might even get to charging it ... but not gonna happen any time soon now. Looks like I will need hoses ... and a condenser too now. . For a while I was some little bit "miffed" about it ... like I was somehow at fault, like I shouldn't have even messed with them, but then I realized that they had to come apart to come out for replacement & flush ... and that I had already accepted a delay. I'm sure I'll have easier progress with new hose and tubes and condenser. I tried with two 8+" long wrenches on those fitting nuts, they are still frozen solid.
Next step is see if I can get the expansion valve off the evaporator without damaging the evaporator itself. If so, I'll flush and use it. I have a new receiver drier and expansion valve and my compressor is ready.
Updated, condenser saved after all.
Went for a walk this afternoon, it occurred to me ... now I have never used brass compression fittings on brake tube, I just always replaced the tube. Brakes use much higher pressures than AC. I spent some time with my condenser, finaly got the top 1/2" fitting loose with a pair of wrenches that fit the fixed large fitting on the condenser top and the short piece of tub there with a tube nut, no damage. I kept the piece I cut off, it goes through the core support and a hose from the compressor discarge attaches there. Where I cut that one with tube cutter is in a straight ... so a 1/2" straight compression type tube coupling will do nicely there ... that metal line may is in the hose kit too though..
The part that twisted off is in the bend of the lower condenser fitting where condensed refrigerant fluid comes out to go to the rcvr-drier. There is enough to get away from the bend where it gave away, a 3/8" elbow compression type tube coupling will allow me to re-use the broken free section to go into the rcvr-drier.
The condenser does hold tight once the two lines are plugged. I have a "fin comb". Looks to me like it'll work, a little paint, done! So now, I just need the hose kit.
The way I laid them out has the red and blue crossing, but in reality it just looks that way because of how I have the blue too low and the red too high coming through the core support. Mounted in place, the blue liquid line will be higher, above the then lower red gaseous line. One of the lower fittings in the R-D was twisted out.
Like ... I was gonna re-use my hoses, but eventually that would have backfired on me I think. If I can save and thus flush the evaporator, I'll likely go ahead with it yet. Likely those nuts will come loose with not being out in weather all these years back next to the firewall. I'll even make some longer better fitting wrenches with "reach" if need be.
Hey Tbear!
I did this same A/C "resurrection" about 2 years ago on my '79....... I feel your pain!
The fittings were a bear to get loose without damaging the tubes..... but I let things soak for several weeks with daily reapplication...(However the hoses had been wide open with no plugs in them for over 20 years!)
All new hoses from Original air, all new O-rings, expansion valve, compressor and drier from Rockauto and then flushed the living poo out of the evaporator and condensor (several times)!
Charged it with PAG 46 oil and R134a (80%)......
2 years later it will still keep you nice and cool when its 100 degrees out, but holy cow is that (probably Chinese) compressor loud! From idle to about 1500 rpm sounds like its pumping rocks though it!....... but it does not have the big flywheel on the pulley like the originals and I haven't checked belt tension lately......(still considering conversion to a Sanden though.......)
I think you and the wife will be happy when yours is back together and running.
Thank You Plowboy 77 ... and I think that big flywheel was there for that reason. I've been dosing those evap fittings daily too.
I ain't give up on it yet.
I did my swap from just having the factory heater to factory AC / heater when is was in my early 30s, I was working my career, the '77 was my truck, we had travel plans with it too. In time, we did take it on several trips, camping, touring, hauling across several states, etc ... ranging Vermont, New Youk, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Outer Banks, West Virginia, Alabama, points between them ... and all over here in Virginia. We put over 75,000 miles on the '77, most of it before Y2K. Bought it in May '86 with 35,xxx, and by late 1992 was 75,xxx on the odometer. It might trip 108,xxx this fall 2024. There's been years of only a few hundred miles between yearly state safety inspections. I had a take home car from 1978-2010, so the truck was never a commuter then. 2013-2016, I drove it more using it occasionally to commute to a part time job. I even offered it for sale after getting the '07, but all anyone wanted was for me to virtually "give" them the old truck for hauling firewood. I kept it, it had more use to me than the pittance they would offer. I kept tags on it so I could drive it to get gas, etc.
Now I'm seeing 70 looming up close and the '77 is more of an old toy now. There is no question that if I were to replicate those trips, I'ld take the '07 now a days as it drives better, rides better, is quieter (except it purrs nice), looks great, is easier on gas, has cold AC, and at just 79,900 miles still has a long life ahead of it. I seriously doubt the '77 will leave the local area again, it's more for ... I don't know ... but it never fails to get comments and I do find I still like driving it.
It's like ... having horses without the need to feed every day..
I kept the '77 after getting the '07 as I used it to haul brush, drag trees, you know .... "work". Then I had it repainted as I had the new 25 plus year old doors, OEM NIB tailgate, & bed sides to use. I bought two fenders too. I got a little carried away maybe, made the interior better too. Now, since Roy did the paint, I'm almost afraid to "work" it like I used to. He did a paint job I'd be proud to drive in the Christmas Parade in Pigeon Forge.
I have not been in a hurry to get it's AC going again though as I know that if I get the AC going, I'll rarely, if ever even, use it anyway. If I were in Pheonix or Santa Fe or El Paso or Del Rio now, it's AC would be working already. Here in the Shenandoah Valley in Summer, a 90-degree day is a "pretty warm" day, but in the late afternoon as the shadows grow long, near dusk maybe, temps in the 80s maybe, it's a comfortable 25 mile drive up to Wright's Dairy Rite for a curb service supper, then a cooler drive home 25 miles, with a cone in hand, windows down, kick vent open.
On second thought, maybe I have give up on the AC part.
After my Dad's first new truck and years of worrying about a scratch in the box, the next one came home and he threw a brick in the box. He said now we can use it, never worried about the next new ones. He bought a lot of new dentsides over the 6 years. My Mom blew her top the year he traded for 3 new vehicles.
. For a while I was some little bit "miffed" about it ... like I was somehow at fault, like I shouldn't have even messed with them, but then I realized that they had to come apart to come out for replacement & flush ... and that I had already accepted a delay. I'm sure I'll have easier progress with new hose and tubes and condenser. I tried with two 8+" long wrenches on those fitting nuts, they are still frozen solid. 
So now, I just need the hose kit. 
