Cabriolet 68-C vacuum line routing and installation

[Dick Carne]

Its been a while since I disassembled the vacuum line on our old 68-C before starting its restoration. Forgetful as I am, I'm now wondering how everything went back together. I've purchased a new rubber hose vacuum line that I'm thinking ran under the windshield up to the wiper on the underside of the upper garnish molding, but when I get to the side/door post garnish molding, I seem to suffer an absolute loss of recall. When I purchased the new hose from Snyder's, I also got a new metal line which I'm thinking went from the inside of the cowl section and somehow tied into the rubber hose at some point ... but I don't seem to recall just where. One end of the new metal hose has a 90 degree turn in it close to one end, so I'm wondering if this tied into the rubber hose perhaps at the passenger side door post? If so, how would it run down the door post and under the gas tank to it junction with the vacuum line off the intake? Or maybe there is another route? I'm also thinking that maybe there should be a connector for the metal hose inside the cab, and the vacuum line coming off the intake at the firewall. If so, I will need to see about one of these as well. Should there also be a ferrell on the end of the vacuum line at the intake? I appreciate any and all thoughts and guidance. Thanks to all who respond.

 

[Kevin in NJ]

It is a pain in the butt to install.

One metal line from the firewall to the 90 degree turn for the rubber hose.

As I recall it goes behind the brace in the cowl and took some bending to get it through.

I am working with an original line.

Also there are clips holding the line across the top and I believe on the side. Been a long while.

 

[Dick Carne]

Thanks Kevin - I had pretty much concluded that the right angle turn in the metal tube would empty out along the bottom of the upper windshield garnish molding, but I'm still not sure how the metal tube fits into the door post, and where it might empty out at the bottom. I seem to recall that there is a raised flange along the outer edge of the door post garnish molding, and could probably channel the tube along that inside edge of the door post ... but where does the metal tube go from there? We did most of the restoration work on this at my nephew's, and he thought that he had found the original tubing with attachments when I called him the other day. Unfortunately he is out of town until the weekend, so I can only guess at this point without the original part to "guide" me. You have been a tremendous resource for me on this project, and I very much appreciate your counsel and guidance. Thanks again.

 

[Ed in Maine]

Hello Dick, this is off topic but how did you drill the 5/16 in. and 1/4 in. holes at the top of the door pillars precisely so that they would engage the tapped holes in the 3-way hinge for the convertible top? It looked to me that Ford had problems with these holes also because my original pillars have very large outlet holes where the 3-way hinge hits the door pillar. I would like to avoid this for a tighter assembly. Thanks for any comments, Ed

 

[Oldbluoval]

Dick
You should have gotten pics by text from me
BU

 

[Kevin in NJ]

I am on my home computer and found some pictures sent to me from a sedan. I had the same question at some point, been a while. Anyway, you have the picts now.

 

[Bob Bidonde]

The routing for slant windshield cars I believe is the same. This is the routing of the original vacuum line in my 190A Victoria.

 

[Kevin in NJ]

Humm that makes sense.

Put the vacuum line in before the gas tank!!

I did it with my tank in an I had to bend it some.

 

[Dick Carne]

Thanks everyone for your timely guidance and direction on this. It make perfect sense to install the vacuum line before installing the gas tank - which is probably why I put the gas tank in first. From Bob's pictures, it would appear that the line exits pretty much straight down to door post before turning to make the connection at the firewall. Thanks again to everyone for confirming how this goes back together.