Between projects such as powerwashing the deck, repairing a water hose, hanging a window for the wife, painting hardware for the wife, and other Saturday busyness I did have a chance to get a few things done
I installed the heater core and box since my new gaskets arrived yesterday. Even though they are Made in the USA, they leave much to be desired and are not the same thickness as the FoMoCo versions.
Take these three photos for instance. Notice the gap in each one as it gets a little tighter each time I adjust the levers on the Heater Core boss.
We are sealed up but I don't think these are going to last near as long as Ford's original equipment.
I decided to work on the Heater parts because the AC lines I am running are weaving in and around the units and I wanted to get an idea of where to put the Hi and Lo ports for access. I settled on the Lo port (which is a size 10 hose in this setup) to be just forward of where the squirrel cage boss sits. This should be accessible pretty easily and it is tucked out of the way.
When the special AC grommets I ordered arrive, I will take some photos of how I plan to orient and install the final line from the compressor to the condenser (will also show the ports at the rear of the compressor - it is tight in there!)