Hello MoBros and MoSis'. I trust all is well with you and that you've been sleeping well of late. If not, I'd like to present my latest component resto chapter: the defroster hoses. Guaranteed to put you to sleep! So let's get right into it. Is there a single member of the Mopar brethren/sisterhood who has never dealt with the crappy paper and wire defroster hoses that Mother Mopar inflicted on us? Like your ride, my 1974 Gold Duster came with the factory original defroster hoses still there. They looked like crap. Let's face it; a paper hose next to your feet, getting banged up endlessly by everything in the footwell of your car? Not a recipe for success. We've all seen them down under the dash, often patched with duct tape, torn open or missing altogether. The good news is that I've discovered a permanent solution that looks great and won't bust your budget.
So let's start with what we have. The non a/c heater box on my Duster was in bad shape when I bought my car in 2019. I removed and rebuilt my heater with all new components, returning it to factory stock. I replaced the damaged defroster hoses with aftermarket vinyl hosing but was never happy with its "patched up" look. And just to add that extra confusion factor, the factory defroster hose system had three separate diameters to deal with. The dash vents were 2 1/2", the left defroster hose connection on the heater box is 2 1/4" and the right connection is 2". So that means the factory defroster hoses were 2 1/2" down to 2 1/4" on the left side, and 2 1/2" down to 2" on the right side. Why Ma Mopar did it this way, I'll never understand. Three different sizes on two hoses? Makes no sense whatsoever, but this is what we're working with. And just try to find a pair of the original paper hoses and the metal clips that fasten them. Every one that I saw at the swap meets was in awful shape and torn up. I just cannot put something like that back into my car. Nobody repops these hoses, so you need to find an innovative solution - which is exactly what I've done. My research led me to Scott Drake 1964 - 1968 non a/c Ford Mustang defroster hoses, part number C522-18556-A. Amazon sells them through a number of vendors. These are 2 1/2" diameter and come with nifty cam locks on the ends. And they look very similar, if not identical to the factory Mopar hoses. The first photo below is a picture of the factory original hose on the left, the incorrect vinyl flex hose in the middle, and the Scott Drake hose on the right. The next photo is the factory hose next to the Scott Drake hose. There is a subtle difference in these hoses, as the Scott Drake hose does not have the exposed metal spring winding visible on the outside like the factory hose. However, I've also seen factory hoses that do not have the exposed silver windings which look exactly like the Drake hoses. I'm a factory stock guy, and so I'm very satisfied with the look of the Drake hoses. They're not paper like the originals, but a heavy vinyl with robust springs inside and a great replacement for the cheap vinyl junk that I was using. Next you will need two adapters. Detroit Muscle Technologies will sell you the adapters that you need - a 2 1/2" to 2 1/4" adapter, and a 2 1/2" to 2" adapter. They cost $6.95 each.
Once I had all the parts in place, I removed and discarded the existing hoses, then installed the adapters on the defroster outlet fittings on the heater box. The left hose (2 1/4") adapter went on the upper fitting, and the right hose (2") adapter went on the lower fitting. I lubed them up a bit with Dawn dish detergent to make them slip on easier. Next, I attached both hoses to the dash vents and closed their cam locks (see next photo). I then attached the hoses to their fittings on the heater box and fastened their cam locks (see the photo of both rubber adapters on the heater). Again, Dawn dish detergent helped them go on easier, and the Mustang kit just happens to be the exact correct length for a non a/c Duster. Be ready to do a bit of fussing and fitting to make it all work right. I then checked the clearance with the windshield wiper actuation rods inside the dash by moving the wiper arms to the "hold open" position then turning on the wipers. I got my head up under the dash and observed no interference with the new hoses and the moving actuator arms. The next two photos show the finished product under my dash - clean, neat, tidy and very factory looking.
So there it is - your complete and permanent solution to your ratty, rotten and torn paper defroster hoses. I hope this helps and motivates you to tackle this project on your ride. Now go get your milk and cookies and go to bed. Night night!
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