Picked up a nice set of yellow driving lights on Amazon. Same as the ones I fitted to my ’74 Dodge truck. Really nice and bright. I want to install them behind the front grilles to the inside of the parking lights. They will fit, but they can’t be turned to face directly ahead. I’d have to make a special bracket. Rather than do that I returned them and ordered a smaller set that (only 3″ across instead of the 5″ or so) should be manoeuvrable.
The bearing on the AC compressor sounds a bit loud, but I decided to give it a try. I started the engine and filled the system with 12A gas. Sadly no cold air coming out of the vents. I checked the service manual AC checks and it appears that the evaporation tube orifice may be blocked. The next day I took the car out for a drive hoping that the system might clear itself and get going with the pump running at driving speeds. Unfortunately the system had leaked down enough that the pump quit. I may try recharging the systems and adding a can of stop-leak they taking if for a drive.
The final option – for next winter – will be to buy the R134a conversion kit from Corvette Depot and doing a full overhaul of the system. Might be the best bet anyway.
Meanwhile I have parts on the way and lots of little things to look at before the end of the driving season.