Again, thanks for the advice folks. I actually drove a friend to get her van picked today up as it was getting the A/C worked on and got to bend the mechanics' ear for a moment. He recommended of course replacing the tweaked condensor, dryer, o-rings in between, and probably the "U" shaped line that connects them as it appears to have been bent a little as well. I inquired about the r-12/r-134 swap and he said screw both and go with something they've been using called "freeze-12". Supposedly they have been having great results with it, cools just as good as r-12, and for about $100 he would pull a vac and then charge it and oil it for me.
I might take him up on it. He also said it's a direct replacement for r-12 and there's no retrofitting involved. I surely could have enjoyed kicking that A/C on after wheelin' through the Ocala Natl. Forest this weekend, it was a hot ride in the rig back home...