SPArKy_Dave

you'll need to rely on @SPArKy_Dave in 12 days time, I'm taking a break for an unknown time. few other members on the ball but many have been slowly stepping back also. 
the information is here, and you'd probably read about fuel line blockage in the gregorys manual also

When I got my first XF wagon (with original Garden State Plates),
they were deteriorating same as your picture - from the lower edge, up.
 
To preserve them, I first cleaned them, then sprayed a clear over the top,
then re-mounted them with a clear number plate protector.
 
Doing that, stopped any further deterioration.
 

If the number plates/vehicle are sentimental for @BDuck, I personally would strongly suggest do not let them out of your sight.
Certainly don't post them anywhere, or allow Vicroads to handle them, or leave them with any third party.
 
You'd just as likely end up with the plates getting 'lost' and shredded - (as per most returned plates, to my knowledge), due to a 'communication error'.

There is an Aussie numberplate collectors forum - www.plateshed.com
I'd probably ask them.
 
Reproducing the reflective background, is the most challenging.
To my knowledge, the letters/numbers were coloured green, via screen-printing applied paint.
 
I've also heard there are a few old number plate press machines around - used for creating 'movie reproduction' plates.
If u can prove u own a certain combo, I've also heard certain owners of said machines may press a 'movie reproduction' plate for people,
who may wish to have a vehicle used in a 'film production'.
 
Even if Vicroads would reproduce initial's style number plates with the Garden State slogan, their reproductions are quite frankly... crap.
The letter/number font is not era correct at all
nor is the letter/number placement, nor the green colour
and the 'Garden State' slogan is printed on, rather than embossed/screen-print highlighted.
 
IMO, as expensive as they are, Vicroads should at least try to get them accurate.
 
Same with using the original combination plates, on club permits - as they allow in QLD and WA
 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
  Who makes number plates in Victoria? Victorian registration plates are manufactured at Hopkins Correctional Centre in Ararat, Victoria. Vehicle registration plates of Victoria - Wikipedia  
 

I've considered there is a failed diode in the alternator. That's where I'm looking first next visit to Dad's place.

I have a 1975 date coded C10 transmission and factory torque converter, which was purchased as a good runner -
I bought it 12mths ago for my V8 XF SVO ute project, but have decided to go a different route, so was going to sell it.
 
It cost me $1,100.
If you're interested, let me know.
 

Listed as XC XD XE

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Also only comes with whatever is in the picture.


My mechanic is currently sourcing stuff for me so I'll run it past him and see if it's worth it.

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Be sure to get the correct fittings for the case , they are a straight NPS thread , NOT NPT

what I'm looking at

Really good F100 chase clip here. Charles Bronson Mr Majestyk.
 
 

Its the early years of the 21st century and we've taken a day off from pounding the waves off Coral Bay in our Haines fishing boat to soak up the winter sun with the family at the 'Lagoon' - a few kays north of the settlement. The shadows are growing longer and the cool sou'wester has blown all the holidaymakers and their 4X4s back over the sand hills to their rented abodes.
  The obstacle in our path was a formidable one - the hordes before having chopped it into a rutted meringue, and two GQ Patrols had put the finishing touches on this mess by winching/snatching/digging and pushing for the best part of an hour. This left me in no doubt that this sandhill would be the big red wagon's toughest challenge yet.
  4 adults, 3 kids, all our gear and a 45kg Malamute. Tyres at 17psi, tailgate backed up against another sandhill - our run-up looked way too short for the height of this monster.
    Three fingers off the XF steering wheel click from D to 2 then 1- kids hugged tighter, butterflies and a twitchy right foot, it's now or never.
  A big boot full on the go-pedal and - my heart sinks. All this load combined with a tall first gear, square-shouldered BFGs, and 3.5 diffs has the motor groaning through its inlet tract and making pitiful progress through the thick powdery sand.
  Failure at the first hurdle beckons as the big Ford churns through the sand, engine moaning like a Wookie as I try and think of a plan 'B'.
    Just as despair mounts, we smash into the first deep ruts on the run-up path. Strangely this helps as the front wheels grab some air and spin up wildly, allowing those two V-heads to start shifting some inlet charge. Now the wookie has made way for some V8 animal sounds and we're on our way. Reach for that selector - that hasn't really differed from Dad's XY - and grab second gear. We're in the meat of the torque band now and the heavy Geelong-cast crankshaft takes the big ratio jump in its stride and we're making hay as Goliath looms up.
  We smash into the base of this behemoth and once again my heart sinks - the speedo and tacho needles plummet towards fail as we splash into the powdery quagmire, foot jammed against the tan carpet, willing the machine on but preparing for failure and the hell of reversing down this treacherous slope.
  There's one shot left in the locker and its time to pull the trigger. A vicious wrench of that abused gear stick back to first and the big Cleveland snarls back at me - hope soaring in an instant. Its got a big cat growl and now feels unstoppable.
    We thunder up the face - bonnet and blue sky is all we see, tyres clawing at the loose sand, bumps smack the traction beam axles against their rubber stops, but these same long arms give plenty of droop, allowing those chunky T/As to bite into the chest of Goliath, sending rooster tails skywards and propelling us ever forward and closer.
  With the mighty 5.8 singing like Robert Plant and the crest within our grasp, it's absolute elation as I have to back off before we grab six feet of air over this mother. In this moment of victory, pumped with adrenaline, this dopey driver manages to sail straight past the turnoff and then plunge down the back slope of the mountain descending to god-knows-where and threatening to wipe out any gains in an instant. “F***en idiot!” I mentally scream at myself, desperately scanning the myriad tracks and hills, looking for an escape route and praying for a get-out-of-jail-free opportunity.
  To our left is a narrow track where the quad bikers have been accessing a wide open face of another massive sand dune.
It’s dangerous because it’s going to be a horizontal run across the face with only centrifugal force to hold us up there, but if we make it there is a ridgeline that will get us back on top of Goliath and that turn-off.
    A mental image of the Channel 7 chopper - its blades slowly rotating next to a mangled Bronco with a stern faced reporter stating to camera: “Idiot in Bronco injures two families in single car rollover” but I manage extinguish that thought with a savage stamp on that abused throttle pedal.
  We're in first gear still and light on our feet as we were descending when the power comes on with that beautiful deep howl. Four wheels start spinning and the big Ford feels wonderfully controllable with a mild powerslide that brings us onto the face with a pace that pins us to the wall like a cyclist in a velodrome. Not a word is spoken. White knuckles abound. And just when the tension is too much, my mate’s 9 year old daughter lets out a staccato giggle that would shame woody woodpecker. The irony of innocence thinking it was all a game releases the tension and gives us much needed relief. The final climb onto the ridge is a doddle and we once again perch proudly atop Goliath, heart thumping in my chest and hands tingling to the fingertips.
  There is one more act to this play as I manoeuvre the big bonnet to face west and watch the progress of our friends in their new 80 series GXL.
    Was it all a fantasy, and will the flash Toyota with its EFI, DOHC and four valve configuration humiliate the old horse?
Will the long wheelbase and coils all-round sit this brash Oz/American on its rather ample butt?
  Alas for the Holden/Toyota fans, the smooth white beast barely made it half way up, despite aired down tyres and driving it like you stole it. A second, third and fourth attempt and finally, with 7 psi barely holding the tyres to the rim beads and the engine screaming for its life, Goliath went down to the last vehicle off the beach as the sun dipped into the Indian ocean.
  Over a few Coronas and emperor fillets that night we relived the moment, with my mate still gobsmacked at how “Easy the Bronco walked up the sandhill”.  I assured him that it was balls to the wall but he still shook his head in amazement. He still reminds me to this day and I love it when he does. The Bronco had its quirks, but when it was good, it was very good.
    So, a blast from the past and hopefully an insight as to why so many of us had a passion for these beasts and indeed the whole F100, F150/250 bandwagon.
  It was probably my favourite car, mainly because it was so far ahead of everything else back in the early 80's. You must remember that 4X4s back then were gutless, lumbering, bone-jarring slugs that were a real chore to drive. The Bronco was the polar opposite - fun, fast, cool and tough. You could chase sports cars through roundabouts and tow big boats. It was technically ahead of the Japanese and didn't break down every week like a Range Rover.
  I could give you a list as long as your arm of niggles with the Bronco, not the least of which was the crappy budget left to right conversion performed by Ford Australia, but it seems churlish to nit-pick something that was in a class of its own back in the day.
With the imminent arrival of the new Bronco after a 24 year hiatus, I am frankly horrified of what Ford may dish up. The idiotic execution of the Ranger Raptor and Ford completely misunderstanding their customer base has really put a damper on expectations and I can only hope the American influence will put the emphasis on all-round performance - where it should be.
 

 
 
The Ford Bronco was produced from 1966 to 1996, with five distinct generations. Broncos can be divided into two categories: early Broncos (1966–77) and full-size Broncos (1978–96). The Bronco was introduced in 1966 as a competitor to the small four-wheel-drive compact SUVs such as the Jeep CJ-5 and International Harvester Scout, and built on its own platform.

A major redesign in 1978 moved the Bronco to a larger size, and it was built using a shortened Ford F-Series truck chassis to compete with the similarly adapted Chevrolet K5 Blazer. The full-size Broncos and the successor Expedition were produced at Ford's Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne, Michigan. And it was this re-design that would be sold here in Australia.

When the Ford Bronco was released it was priced at A$15,100 - which made it a real alternative to the $18,875 Range Rover, which had pretty much remained unchallenged for nearly a decade. The market segment was actually starting to become crowded – challenging the title of best 4X4 also included the Datsun Patrol, Toyota Land Cruiser, Jeep's Cherokee and, to a lesser extent, the International Scout.

From the ground up, the Australian assembled Bronco had specifications and equipment levels equal to or better than the competition. Only aesthetic areas remained open for criticism which seemed to polarise opinions – some loved it, some hated it. The team here at Unique Cars and Parts fall into the first category, considering it a neat example of U.S. styling that carried with it a continuation of the Ford world-wide grill and headlight treatment seen on all the company's Toyo Kogyo sourced vehicles as well as the European bred Transit and Capri.

The 1981 F Series range of Ford light commercials, of which the Bronco was the flagship, were lighter and more compact than the respective superseded models. But the shedding of weight did not come at the expense of strength and durability - two factors which had helped make the F Series the largest selling vehicle nameplate in the history of either cars or trucks.
 
Custom and XLT


Two versions were available: the baseline Custom, and the more comfortably equipped Ranger XLT. Both were five seater, two door wagons with part time four wheel drive, four speed transmission and a 4.1 litre six cylinder motor. A 5.8 litre V8 was optional, as was a three speed auto - for the V8 only. Other options included an external spare tyre carrier and an internal roll bar.

Both motors were Australian made, the six being the then latest Alloy Head version fitted to Falcons and derivatives, while the V8 was the tried and proven 351. During development here, the Bronco/F100 program was known as "Ram" internally at Ford. Bronco's unique features lay essentially in the transmission and suspension department. Ford patented a then new and previously unseen independent front suspension system not unlike the well known twin "I" beam set-up fitted to the two wheel drive F Series trucks. This new suspension provided extensive wheel travel and control in both smooth highway and rugged off-road conditions, combined with limited slip differentials and anti-sway bars front and rear, it gave the Bronco a distinct technical advantage over competitors.

Power assisted brakes - disc front, drum rear - and power steering are standard, making the driver's task nice and easy in even the most demanding terrain. Ford were able to reduce the inevitable compromise between load carrying capacity and passenger comfort that was normally associated with commercial derived passenger vehicles. Another problem, again probably only temporary, was that the XD Falcon bucket seats were an inch or two too low for comfortable forward visibility in off-road conditions. They were in fact lower than the bench seat standard in the F100.
  On the Road


Nearly all Bronco’s and F100’s road tested by motoring journalists proved to be far better than any had expected – not only in performance but in comfort too. The Alloy-Head Six was a very good performer too – so much so that it made it hard to justify optioning the 351. It was very torquey and quiet, so much so that V8 was really only necessary for those buying the Bronco as a tow vehicle – which in any case would have represented a significant proportion. Ford’s AS2077 fuel economy figures from the time quoted the F100 returning 15 litres per 100 km in the city cycle and 10.6 litres for the country (respectively 18.6 and 26.5 mpg), while the Bronco's AS2077 figures were 17.5 litres per 100 km in the city and 13.0 litres for the country cycle (16.1 and 21.7 mpg). The important thing to remember about AS2077 figures was that it was almost impossible for mere humans to achieve them –so it is wise to assume these as representing the very best obtainable under a velvet foot. It is worth noting that, as a result of the U.S. Government's crackdown on commercial vehicle fuel consumption, Ford had improved the F Series aerodynamics by a massive 13%.

The XLT Bronco sold for $15,900 at release, and it was very much a match for the Range Rover. It was a better tow vehicle when equipped with the 351, and was the equal or better in comfort. Unexpectedly, it was also an accomplished bitumen performer too, with handling better than any of the competition. There was a very good reason why these would become so popular.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   

 
 
 

i didn't read it.. but i searched rust.. no mention of rust.
when the F100 wrecker was in Carrum Downs he had several of them in a line, all rusted beyond saving (in his opinion) 
bloke i worked with 20yrs ago had one that was restored and it was so cool, probably still has it. was red and white 

Its the early years of the 21st century and we've taken a day off from pounding the waves off Coral Bay in our Haines fishing boat to soak up the winter sun with the family at the 'Lagoon' - a few kays north of the settlement. The shadows are growing longer and the cool sou'wester has blown all the holidaymakers and their 4X4s back over the sand hills to their rented abodes.
  The obstacle in our path was a formidable one - the hordes before having chopped it into a rutted meringue, and two GQ Patrols had put the finishing touches on this mess by winching/snatching/digging and pushing for the best part of an hour. This left me in no doubt that this sandhill would be the big red wagon's toughest challenge yet.
  4 adults, 3 kids, all our gear and a 45kg Malamute. Tyres at 17psi, tailgate backed up against another sandhill - our run-up looked way too short for the height of this monster.
    Three fingers off the XF steering wheel click from D to 2 then 1- kids hugged tighter, butterflies and a twitchy right foot, it's now or never.
  A big boot full on the go-pedal and - my heart sinks. All this load combined with a tall first gear, square-shouldered BFGs, and 3.5 diffs has the motor groaning through its inlet tract and making pitiful progress through the thick powdery sand.
  Failure at the first hurdle beckons as the big Ford churns through the sand, engine moaning like a Wookie as I try and think of a plan 'B'.
    Just as despair mounts, we smash into the first deep ruts on the run-up path. Strangely this helps as the front wheels grab some air and spin up wildly, allowing those two V-heads to start shifting some inlet charge. Now the wookie has made way for some V8 animal sounds and we're on our way. Reach for that selector - that hasn't really differed from Dad's XY - and grab second gear. We're in the meat of the torque band now and the heavy Geelong-cast crankshaft takes the big ratio jump in its stride and we're making hay as Goliath looms up.
  We smash into the base of this behemoth and once again my heart sinks - the speedo and tacho needles plummet towards fail as we splash into the powdery quagmire, foot jammed against the tan carpet, willing the machine on but preparing for failure and the hell of reversing down this treacherous slope.
  There's one shot left in the locker and its time to pull the trigger. A vicious wrench of that abused gear stick back to first and the big Cleveland snarls back at me - hope soaring in an instant. Its got a big cat growl and now feels unstoppable.
    We thunder up the face - bonnet and blue sky is all we see, tyres clawing at the loose sand, bumps smack the traction beam axles against their rubber stops, but these same long arms give plenty of droop, allowing those chunky T/As to bite into the chest of Goliath, sending rooster tails skywards and propelling us ever forward and closer.
  With the mighty 5.8 singing like Robert Plant and the crest within our grasp, it's absolute elation as I have to back off before we grab six feet of air over this mother. In this moment of victory, pumped with adrenaline, this dopey driver manages to sail straight past the turnoff and then plunge down the back slope of the mountain descending to god-knows-where and threatening to wipe out any gains in an instant. “F***en idiot!” I mentally scream at myself, desperately scanning the myriad tracks and hills, looking for an escape route and praying for a get-out-of-jail-free opportunity.
  To our left is a narrow track where the quad bikers have been accessing a wide open face of another massive sand dune.
It’s dangerous because it’s going to be a horizontal run across the face with only centrifugal force to hold us up there, but if we make it there is a ridgeline that will get us back on top of Goliath and that turn-off.
    A mental image of the Channel 7 chopper - its blades slowly rotating next to a mangled Bronco with a stern faced reporter stating to camera: “Idiot in Bronco injures two families in single car rollover” but I manage extinguish that thought with a savage stamp on that abused throttle pedal.
  We're in first gear still and light on our feet as we were descending when the power comes on with that beautiful deep howl. Four wheels start spinning and the big Ford feels wonderfully controllable with a mild powerslide that brings us onto the face with a pace that pins us to the wall like a cyclist in a velodrome. Not a word is spoken. White knuckles abound. And just when the tension is too much, my mate’s 9 year old daughter lets out a staccato giggle that would shame woody woodpecker. The irony of innocence thinking it was all a game releases the tension and gives us much needed relief. The final climb onto the ridge is a doddle and we once again perch proudly atop Goliath, heart thumping in my chest and hands tingling to the fingertips.
  There is one more act to this play as I manoeuvre the big bonnet to face west and watch the progress of our friends in their new 80 series GXL.
    Was it all a fantasy, and will the flash Toyota with its EFI, DOHC and four valve configuration humiliate the old horse?
Will the long wheelbase and coils all-round sit this brash Oz/American on its rather ample butt?
  Alas for the Holden/Toyota fans, the smooth white beast barely made it half way up, despite aired down tyres and driving it like you stole it. A second, third and fourth attempt and finally, with 7 psi barely holding the tyres to the rim beads and the engine screaming for its life, Goliath went down to the last vehicle off the beach as the sun dipped into the Indian ocean.
  Over a few Coronas and emperor fillets that night we relived the moment, with my mate still gobsmacked at how “Easy the Bronco walked up the sandhill”.  I assured him that it was balls to the wall but he still shook his head in amazement. He still reminds me to this day and I love it when he does. The Bronco had its quirks, but when it was good, it was very good.
    So, a blast from the past and hopefully an insight as to why so many of us had a passion for these beasts and indeed the whole F100, F150/250 bandwagon.
  It was probably my favourite car, mainly because it was so far ahead of everything else back in the early 80's. You must remember that 4X4s back then were gutless, lumbering, bone-jarring slugs that were a real chore to drive. The Bronco was the polar opposite - fun, fast, cool and tough. You could chase sports cars through roundabouts and tow big boats. It was technically ahead of the Japanese and didn't break down every week like a Range Rover.
  I could give you a list as long as your arm of niggles with the Bronco, not the least of which was the crappy budget left to right conversion performed by Ford Australia, but it seems churlish to nit-pick something that was in a class of its own back in the day.
With the imminent arrival of the new Bronco after a 24 year hiatus, I am frankly horrified of what Ford may dish up. The idiotic execution of the Ranger Raptor and Ford completely misunderstanding their customer base has really put a damper on expectations and I can only hope the American influence will put the emphasis on all-round performance - where it should be.
 

 
 
The Ford Bronco was produced from 1966 to 1996, with five distinct generations. Broncos can be divided into two categories: early Broncos (1966–77) and full-size Broncos (1978–96). The Bronco was introduced in 1966 as a competitor to the small four-wheel-drive compact SUVs such as the Jeep CJ-5 and International Harvester Scout, and built on its own platform.

A major redesign in 1978 moved the Bronco to a larger size, and it was built using a shortened Ford F-Series truck chassis to compete with the similarly adapted Chevrolet K5 Blazer. The full-size Broncos and the successor Expedition were produced at Ford's Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne, Michigan. And it was this re-design that would be sold here in Australia.

When the Ford Bronco was released it was priced at A$15,100 - which made it a real alternative to the $18,875 Range Rover, which had pretty much remained unchallenged for nearly a decade. The market segment was actually starting to become crowded – challenging the title of best 4X4 also included the Datsun Patrol, Toyota Land Cruiser, Jeep's Cherokee and, to a lesser extent, the International Scout.

From the ground up, the Australian assembled Bronco had specifications and equipment levels equal to or better than the competition. Only aesthetic areas remained open for criticism which seemed to polarise opinions – some loved it, some hated it. The team here at Unique Cars and Parts fall into the first category, considering it a neat example of U.S. styling that carried with it a continuation of the Ford world-wide grill and headlight treatment seen on all the company's Toyo Kogyo sourced vehicles as well as the European bred Transit and Capri.

The 1981 F Series range of Ford light commercials, of which the Bronco was the flagship, were lighter and more compact than the respective superseded models. But the shedding of weight did not come at the expense of strength and durability - two factors which had helped make the F Series the largest selling vehicle nameplate in the history of either cars or trucks.
 
Custom and XLT


Two versions were available: the baseline Custom, and the more comfortably equipped Ranger XLT. Both were five seater, two door wagons with part time four wheel drive, four speed transmission and a 4.1 litre six cylinder motor. A 5.8 litre V8 was optional, as was a three speed auto - for the V8 only. Other options included an external spare tyre carrier and an internal roll bar.

Both motors were Australian made, the six being the then latest Alloy Head version fitted to Falcons and derivatives, while the V8 was the tried and proven 351. During development here, the Bronco/F100 program was known as "Ram" internally at Ford. Bronco's unique features lay essentially in the transmission and suspension department. Ford patented a then new and previously unseen independent front suspension system not unlike the well known twin "I" beam set-up fitted to the two wheel drive F Series trucks. This new suspension provided extensive wheel travel and control in both smooth highway and rugged off-road conditions, combined with limited slip differentials and anti-sway bars front and rear, it gave the Bronco a distinct technical advantage over competitors.

Power assisted brakes - disc front, drum rear - and power steering are standard, making the driver's task nice and easy in even the most demanding terrain. Ford were able to reduce the inevitable compromise between load carrying capacity and passenger comfort that was normally associated with commercial derived passenger vehicles. Another problem, again probably only temporary, was that the XD Falcon bucket seats were an inch or two too low for comfortable forward visibility in off-road conditions. They were in fact lower than the bench seat standard in the F100.
  On the Road


Nearly all Bronco’s and F100’s road tested by motoring journalists proved to be far better than any had expected – not only in performance but in comfort too. The Alloy-Head Six was a very good performer too – so much so that it made it hard to justify optioning the 351. It was very torquey and quiet, so much so that V8 was really only necessary for those buying the Bronco as a tow vehicle – which in any case would have represented a significant proportion. Ford’s AS2077 fuel economy figures from the time quoted the F100 returning 15 litres per 100 km in the city cycle and 10.6 litres for the country (respectively 18.6 and 26.5 mpg), while the Bronco's AS2077 figures were 17.5 litres per 100 km in the city and 13.0 litres for the country cycle (16.1 and 21.7 mpg). The important thing to remember about AS2077 figures was that it was almost impossible for mere humans to achieve them –so it is wise to assume these as representing the very best obtainable under a velvet foot. It is worth noting that, as a result of the U.S. Government's crackdown on commercial vehicle fuel consumption, Ford had improved the F Series aerodynamics by a massive 13%.

The XLT Bronco sold for $15,900 at release, and it was very much a match for the Range Rover. It was a better tow vehicle when equipped with the 351, and was the equal or better in comfort. Unexpectedly, it was also an accomplished bitumen performer too, with handling better than any of the competition. There was a very good reason why these would become so popular.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   

 
 
 

XH utes got given a domed roof, to increase vehicle head-room inside the cab.
I believe there is a difference.

The XD/XE ones are copper and a narrow rectangle shape with threaded fittings,
where as the XF-EB ones, are aluminum and square shaped with o-ring fittings.
 
Being copper, the earlier evap cores would last forever, so probably didn't get replaced often?
The later aluminum ones, corrode pinholes quite easily - as I've seen (and replaced) in at least one of my XF's.
 
I had a look, and the XF-EB Condenser and Evap cores, are still available from Aircon Wholesalers.
Around $200 each.
 
TX valves are available for XD/XE, (about $70.00) as they cross to some trucks, but XF-EB TX valves may not be available.
 
XD/XE and XF-XG receiver driers are still listed too - around $60-$70 each.

When I swapped all the Ghia stuff onto my (XF) wagon, I had to swap over the AC, as it was built without it.

Did include dash out to swap the heater box to include the AC evaporator core.

The hoses were pretty straight forward.
From memory the alternator bracket is different if you have AC (on XF anyway).

I got one of the last new condensers that Repco had in stock - think that included the receiver drier.
By some miracle, when they gassed it up there was no leaks (didn't use new O rings anywhere ) and 5 or so years later it's still holding gas and cold.

I can't really help with price as I had everything but the condenser, and the condenser was on clearance for $10 when I bought it.

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Cool story. 
Chemicals back in those days were probably without much safety research also.

From Wiki - a nice list of chemicals used!
 
 
Between the years 1831 and 1832, Goodyear heard about gum elastic (natural rubber) and examined every article that appeared in the newspapers relative to this new material. The Roxbury Rubber Company, of Boston, had been for some time experimenting with the gum, and believed it had found means for manufacturing goods from it. It had a large plant and was sending its goods all over the country. It was some of Roxbury's goods that first attracted Goodyear's attention. Soon after this, Goodyear visited New York, and his attention went to life preservers, and it struck him that the tube used for inflation was not very effective nor well-made. Therefore, upon returning to Philadelphia, he made tubes and brought them back to New York and showed them to the manager of the Roxbury Rubber Company.
The manager was pleased with the ingenuity that Goodyear had shown in manufacturing the tubes. He confessed to Goodyear that the business was on the verge of ruin and that his products had to be tested for a year before it could be determined if they were perfect or not. To their surprise, thousands of US$ worth of goods that they had determined to be of good quality were being returned, the gum having rotted, making them useless. Goodyear at once made up his mind to experiment on this gum and see if he could overcome the problems with these rubber products.
However, when he returned to Philadelphia, a creditor had him arrested and imprisoned. While there, he tried his first experiments with India rubber. The gum was inexpensive then, and by heating it and working it in his hands, he managed to incorporate in it a certain amount of magnesia which produced a white compound that appeared to take away the stickiness.
He thought he had discovered the secret, and through the kindness of friends was able to improve his invention in New Haven. The first thing that he made was shoes, and he used his own house for grinding, calendering and vulcanizing, with the help of his wife and children. His compound at this time consisted of India rubber, lampblack, and magnesia, the whole dissolved in turpentine and spread upon the flannel cloth which served as the lining for the shoes. It was not long, however, before he discovered that the gum, even treated this way, became sticky. His creditors, completely discouraged, decided that he would not be allowed to go further in his research.
Goodyear, however, had no mind to stop here in his experiments. Selling his furniture and placing his family in a quiet boarding place, he went to New York and in an attic, helped by a friendly druggist, continued his experiments. His next step was to compound the rubber with magnesia and then boil it in quicklime and water. This appeared to solve the problem. At once it was noticed abroad that he had treated India rubber to lose its stickiness, and he received international acclamation. He seemed on the high road to success, until one day he noticed that a drop of weak acid, falling on the cloth, neutralized the alkali and immediately caused the rubber to become soft again. This proved to him that his process was not a successful one. He therefore continued experimenting, and after preparing his mixtures in his attic in New York, would walk three miles to a mill in Greenwich Village to try various experiments.
In the line of these, he discovered that rubber dipped in nitric acid formed a surface cure, and he made many products with this acid cure which were held in high regard, and he even received a letter of commendation from Andrew Jackson.
Exposure to harsh chemicals, such as nitric acid and lead oxide, adversely affected his health. Once, he nearly suffocated himself by gas generated in his laboratory. Goodyear survived, but the resulting fever came close to taking his life.

Charles Goodyear filed his patent application for vulcanized rubber on February 24, 1844 (almost one hundred seventy-nine years ago today)   Goodyear left school at age 12 to work in his father’s hardware store in Connecticut. At age 23 he married Clarissa Beecher and soon afterwards the couple moved to Philadelphia, where Goodyear opened a hardware store of his own.   Goodyear was a competent merchant, but his passions were chemistry, materials science, and invention. In the late 1820s he became particularly fascinated with finding and improving practical applications for natural rubber (called India rubber). His experimentation would change the world, but Goodyear’s path to success would be challenging.   In 1830, at age 29, Goodyear was suffering from health issues and his rubber experiments (which he had funded by borrowing) had not been successful. By the end of the year his business was bankrupt and he was thrown into debtor’s prison. In was an inauspicious beginning to his career as a scientist and inventor. The principal troubles with finding commercial applications for natural rubber was that the material was inelastic and was not durable, decomposing and becoming sticky depending on temperature. Goodyear was determined to find a chemical solution to overcome those issues, beginning his experiments while in jail. After numerous failures, his breakthrough came when he tried heating the rubber together with sulfur and other additives.   In 1843 he wrote a friend, “I have invented a new process of hardening India rubber by means of sulphur and it is as much superior to the old method as the malleable iron is superior to cast iron. I have called it Vulcanization.”   Goodyear filed his patent application for vulcanized rubber on February 24, 1844 (one hundred seventy-nine years ago today) and the patent was issued four months later. It is thanks to vulcanization that rubber can be used to make tires, shoe soles, hoses, and countless other items. It was one of the most profoundly important technological achievements of the 19th century. So, Charles Goodyear became wealthy as a result?   Unfortunately, no. He continued to struggle financially for the rest of his life, embroiled in litigation with other inventors over the validity of his patent, preventing him from profiting from it. Meanwhile, his wife Clarissa contracted tuberculosis and much of the family’s income was devoted to her medical expenses and extensive travel in search of a cure. Clarissa died in 1848 at age 39, leaving six children, between the ages of 4 and 17.   At age 54, while still struggling to defend his patents and commercialize his invention, Goodyear married 40-year-old Mary Starr (who had not previously been married) and the couple would go on to have two children together. It too was a happy marriage, but Goodyear was not destined to long enjoy it.   Suffering the adverse effects of years of exposure to dangerous chemicals, Goodyear collapsed at a hotel in New York City on July 1, 1860, dying later that day. At the time of his death, he was 59 years old, penniless, and deeply in debt.   The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, founded in Akron, Ohio by Frank Seiberling nearly 40 years later, was named in honor of Charles Goodyear. Neither Charles Goodyear nor anyone in his family was connected with the company.   Reflecting on Goodyear’s achievements, the historian Samuel Eliot Morrison wrote, “The story of Goodyear and his discovery of vulcanization is one of the most interesting and instructive in the history of science and industry.” But, as he added, “It is also an epic of human suffering and triumph, for Goodyear's life was one of almost continuous struggle against poverty and ill health.” Goodyear himself was philosophical about his failure to achieve financial success, writing that he was not disposed to complain that he had planted and others had gathered the fruit.   “The advantages of a career in life should not be estimated exclusively by the standard of dollars and cents, as is too often done. Man has just cause for regret when he sows and no one reaps.”  

Charles Goodyear filed his patent application for vulcanized rubber on February 24, 1844 (almost one hundred seventy-nine years ago today)   Goodyear left school at age 12 to work in his father’s hardware store in Connecticut. At age 23 he married Clarissa Beecher and soon afterwards the couple moved to Philadelphia, where Goodyear opened a hardware store of his own.   Goodyear was a competent merchant, but his passions were chemistry, materials science, and invention. In the late 1820s he became particularly fascinated with finding and improving practical applications for natural rubber (called India rubber). His experimentation would change the world, but Goodyear’s path to success would be challenging.   In 1830, at age 29, Goodyear was suffering from health issues and his rubber experiments (which he had funded by borrowing) had not been successful. By the end of the year his business was bankrupt and he was thrown into debtor’s prison. In was an inauspicious beginning to his career as a scientist and inventor. The principal troubles with finding commercial applications for natural rubber was that the material was inelastic and was not durable, decomposing and becoming sticky depending on temperature. Goodyear was determined to find a chemical solution to overcome those issues, beginning his experiments while in jail. After numerous failures, his breakthrough came when he tried heating the rubber together with sulfur and other additives.   In 1843 he wrote a friend, “I have invented a new process of hardening India rubber by means of sulphur and it is as much superior to the old method as the malleable iron is superior to cast iron. I have called it Vulcanization.”   Goodyear filed his patent application for vulcanized rubber on February 24, 1844 (one hundred seventy-nine years ago today) and the patent was issued four months later. It is thanks to vulcanization that rubber can be used to make tires, shoe soles, hoses, and countless other items. It was one of the most profoundly important technological achievements of the 19th century. So, Charles Goodyear became wealthy as a result?   Unfortunately, no. He continued to struggle financially for the rest of his life, embroiled in litigation with other inventors over the validity of his patent, preventing him from profiting from it. Meanwhile, his wife Clarissa contracted tuberculosis and much of the family’s income was devoted to her medical expenses and extensive travel in search of a cure. Clarissa died in 1848 at age 39, leaving six children, between the ages of 4 and 17.   At age 54, while still struggling to defend his patents and commercialize his invention, Goodyear married 40-year-old Mary Starr (who had not previously been married) and the couple would go on to have two children together. It too was a happy marriage, but Goodyear was not destined to long enjoy it.   Suffering the adverse effects of years of exposure to dangerous chemicals, Goodyear collapsed at a hotel in New York City on July 1, 1860, dying later that day. At the time of his death, he was 59 years old, penniless, and deeply in debt.   The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, founded in Akron, Ohio by Frank Seiberling nearly 40 years later, was named in honor of Charles Goodyear. Neither Charles Goodyear nor anyone in his family was connected with the company.   Reflecting on Goodyear’s achievements, the historian Samuel Eliot Morrison wrote, “The story of Goodyear and his discovery of vulcanization is one of the most interesting and instructive in the history of science and industry.” But, as he added, “It is also an epic of human suffering and triumph, for Goodyear's life was one of almost continuous struggle against poverty and ill health.” Goodyear himself was philosophical about his failure to achieve financial success, writing that he was not disposed to complain that he had planted and others had gathered the fruit.   “The advantages of a career in life should not be estimated exclusively by the standard of dollars and cents, as is too often done. Man has just cause for regret when he sows and no one reaps.”  

Tbh, I'd be picky about Aircon jobs too.
If the compressor front seal is leaking, that's $800 right there.
Even replacing the compressor seal (if possible), won't see much change from $400 - remove, refurb, reinstall and regas -
then find the next leak.
 
OR more to the point -
Damo and his bogan mate, rocks up in their $500 VN commodore on choppies - durrie in one hand, VB in the other -
'just want the $50 regas',
and
'nah can't afford repairs, just the f'n regas mate, she'll be right'... 'only has to last the summer'.
 
Then comes back and whinges, when the refrigerants leaked out in a week.
 
(I have the tools to replace x-series and e-series falcon Sanden compressor bearings/seals,
and it's fairly involved.)

the last time i had air con hoses made they were done at Enzed in North Geelong,  the air con mob i used in Geelong worked from home until he stopped doing it for general public (think he only dealt with car yards/mechanics due to less direct contact with bad customers)

The cost will depend on how much work you can do, yourself.
 
It's definitely doable, using either all second hand parts,
or a mix of new and second hand.
(can't get all parts new anymore)
 
I'd probably budget around $2k in parts (with new compressor), or maybe $1,500 with a second hand compressor?
A bit more, if good second hand hoses can't be sourced.
 
If you're anywhere around Bayswater Vic, send me a message.
I have the tools/skills at my workshop, to retrofit and/or refurb x-series aircon.

Usually they have one clamp at the Air Cleaner end.
I think that's the factory configuration?