[BurgundyJudge]

I'm going to replace the evaporator coil in my 71 TA. Before I remove the hood and fender, has anyone replaced an evaporator that can offer any guidance?

I'm afraid once I remove the hood and fender the snowball will start rolling downhill and the next thing I'll have the subframe out for powdercoating...

[Formulabruce]

Mission creep!!
Count the shims at ALL locations.
Once the inner is out, its not that bad.
On the Very Top " stud" thats just above the blower motor, I like to put a steel spring clip on the inside as the stud is just a sheet metal screw on the firewall side. This keeps it tight and then the top of the suitcase fits tight. I also use clips ( not slid over anything) on the suitcase itself as these are prone to stripping out the fiberglass.
Take lots of reference pictures

[Trevor78]

I decided to repair my AC in 2008. I did. But car hasn't seen the road since. MC is real, but so are workshops that aren't as interested in your car as they are their buddies. Keep on top of it, get things done, don't get walked over.

[BurgundyJudge]

Mission creep is real. This started as replacing the compressor which went bad and was removed 20 years ago. I figured 20 years was long enough without A/C and bought a compressor last week. Thinking further, I might as well replace the evaporator and drier since I didn't want to replace the compressor only to find that these parts are no good having sat for 20 years. Then I thought of the evaporator and after 53 years figured it needs replacement too.

It looks like this will be a winter project. That will give me time to get the evaporator and new hoses. With the hood , passenger fender and inner off, not much more work to remove the driver side, motor and subframe and freshen everything up. I'd like to take the exhaust manifolds off and blast them but it took me forever to get them to seal. There is that mission creep again. If anyone thinks it may be helpful, I'll photograph and post my journey replacing the evaporator.

[Formulabruce]

Evaporators last a long long time . You could check it before going in that deep.
Most the time I end up fixing the heater box vacuum doors and other related vacuum stuff on a AC fix..

[BurgundyJudge]

I will try and get it tested before the winter. I'm just afraid it was open to the atmosphere for 20 years and developed pinholes.

[RamAirPwr]

Originally Posted by BurgundyJudge

Mission creep is real. This started as replacing the compressor which went bad and was removed 20 years ago. I figured 20 years was long enough without A/C and bought a compressor last week. Thinking further, I might as well replace the evaporator and drier since I didn't want to replace the compressor only to find that these parts are no good having sat for 20 years. Then I thought of the evaporator and after 53 years figured it needs replacement too.

It looks like this will be a winter project. That will give me time to get the evaporator and new hoses. With the hood , passenger fender and inner off, not much more work to remove the driver side, motor and subframe and freshen everything up. I'd like to take the exhaust manifolds off and blast them but it took me forever to get them to seal. There is that mission creep again. If anyone thinks it may be helpful, I'll photograph and post my journey replacing the evaporator.

Photos would be great...thanks