1970 Challenger AC restoration?

[JH27N0B]

I've been bogged down with my T/A restoration for many years, but now that it is mostly finished, I really want to get going on a long overdue refresh of my '70 Challenger 383 convertible.  It's a loaded executive lease car including AC.  The car was restored by its previous owner in the early 90s and I've owned it over 19 years, and have driven it and enjoyed it a lot over the years I've had it. Its a local show/cruise in/nice day driver car, I'd never want it to be a trailer queen.  The engine and engine compartment are getting grungy, and the engine leaks really bad in several places now.  I have to do a light rebuild of the engine with new seals and fresh paint etc.
I sure don't want to end up on a slippery slope and find myself with the car off the road for years on another ground up restoration!  But I do think that as long as the engine is out, I should do something about the HVAC system in the car.  The heater doesn't work, never has since I've owned it, and the previous owner gave me most/many/all?? of the AC components, loose in boxes and such. that he apparently decided not to even try to deal with when he did the car.
I'm trying to get my head around what it would take to get the components restored or replaced, and reinstalled.  And what I might be missing.  I actually don't care much if it worked again, I do on rare occasion early and later in our cruising season wish I had the heat, so I do want the heater to work, but the AC I don't think I'd ever use.  But under the hood does look flawed as it is obvious the car is an AC car and the AC components are missing so that is why I want the system restored and back in the car.
I have the compressor, some brackets, accumulator, condenser, and several long hoses (sorry Alan, they belong to the car so not for sale!), I also have a NOS heater coolant shut off valve. 
Can someone give me a thumbnail sketch of what parts make up the system, and what, besides apparently the long hoses, are fairly unobtainium E body stuff, if there are other rare parts I'd need, I'd like to know that up front.
Things like the condenser and accumulator I assume you can buy new replacement, or do those get rebuilt/restored?  Other than the NOS shut off valve, all the parts have decades worth of grime and dust on them, so everything needs restored!

[dakota]

Component sketch from service manual shown below.

[dakota]

I was able to find the expansion valve and replacement drier pretty easily.   The hoses for my system were starting to fall apart, so I had new ones made up at a local hydraulic hose shop (not stock, but they're clocked correctly).  If you're staying with a stock look, the RV2 compressor should be rebuilt or replaced if only to make sure all the seals are compatible with 134a refrigerant and all of the old oil is removed.  Any o-ring in the system will have to be replaced for the same reason (ebay purchase).  Bouchillon sells modern (more efficient) compressors and brackets if you are OK with non-OE.  I'm planning to re-use my condenser, but haven't done it yet.  If you haven't touched them, the foam seals on the dampers inside the heater box may be falling apart from age (mine were mostly dust).   They can be replaced but pulling the heater box may be on that slippery slope you're trying to avoid.

While I'm hoping to have everything on my car done by Spring, the a/c system may end up waiting another year.   The minimum will be to mount the compressor and clutch (wire detached) so I only have to set up the pulleys once.   You might want to consider this option as well.

[dakota]

More related links and info on this thread:

http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=114205.msg1147346#msg1147346

Good luck.

[JH27N0B]

Thanks for the info!  It does look like I have most if not all the major components.  Here are pictures, not shown are the condenser and the NOS coolant shut off valve.

[1 Wild R/T]

Hopefully you have a few more brackets, A/C supports, Alternator brackets, the piece that bolts to the passenger head that the top alternator bolt threads into..... Hoses are all there  those are allot harder to find then brackets so  Any doubts ask Alan..

[dakota]

These are pictures of the 3 support brackets for the a/c compressor on my 340.  I don't know if there would be a similar set up on your 383.