Air Conditioning

[Ronn]

Hello All!
I'm new here and need some help.  I searched the internet and forum for answers, but no luck.

I purchased a 1979 Coupe De Ville last fall and really like the car.
My problem, the previous owner installed an Edelbrock intake, Edelbrock carb and a factory HEI on the car.
The car performs great and satisfactory.
Of course the factory a/c was removed and will not work with the intake manifold.  I have since purchased an Edelbrock a/c mounting bracket made for this setup and an aftermarket compressor.
I can't come up with the correct belt to use or radiator hose.  Do I need a different hose mount?  I am concerned with hood clearance and routing of the radiator hose.  I don't want to start the project until I can find some answers.

If anyone has had experience with this setup, I could really use some help.
Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks
Ronn

[48-62]

Hi Ron,
The man who seems to know everything about aircon is tagroves@wctel.net or call 864-348-7732 (SC).  His phone number not mine.
Used him personally, as have lots of others.    Join the CLC, the help you will find here is invaluable.
Steve

[TJ Hopland]

The bracket is for a Sanden 500 series compressor?    Or the R4 'pancake' that was the standard GM compressor 80-95?

Where did you get the bracket?   Don't they have any advise on belt length or what sort of hose or water outlet you need to make it work?   Some of the brackets I have seen are really high to allow you to use the original A6 compressor which is really long so with the Edel it ends up being a couple inches higher than the original. 

I have not done the exact combo you have but here are the tidbits I know.

The a majority of the Sanden's have 2 grooves, you should end up using the front one.  The OE belt was wider than the grooves on the Sanden or R4.  If you use the OE width belt it will ride a little high in the groove on the Sanden but it works.  Not sure about the R4, it may interfere with the fat round part of the clutch?  I have not tried using the narrower belt, I suspect it would be fine on the crank and PS pulley, the grooves on those look pretty deep to me.   If your bracket places the compressor higher than stock it should just be a matter of length.   Most of the time part of the belt numbering system is the length so you can cut an old belt and lay it back in there and measure the gap or overlap and come up with the size.   Say its a 4L375.  The 4L is the width and profile.  The 375 is 37 1/2 inches length.   If you lay that out and there is a 1 1/2" gap you need a 4L390 which would be 39 inch length.  Be sure to see what the adjustment range is by keeping the PS bolts loose and swinging it through the range so you get something in the middle.   That 4L375 is a completely made up number, I don't even think that is an automotive belt.

Have you looked up the belt and hose for a 80-81 Cadillac with the 368/6.0 motor?   Those used the R4 compressor so maybe it was longer and had a different twist to it than the 68-79's?   

You could try contacting Marty at 500cid.com.  There is contact info on their site.  I know they make a water outlet that swivels.  Maybe he will know what bracket you bought and know what you need to make it work.  Worst case he could sell you his bracket that leaves it at the stock height so stock parts should work. His bracket the rear one comes in 2 pieces that you weld or bolt together after you fit it.  He does it that way because it then will fit any intake or mounting method.

This my 73 Eldo, its a MTS (500cid.com) bracket with a Sanden compressor but on a stock intake with a stock 75-79 belt and the stock for 73 hose and water outlet and HEI.   




Good Luck.   Hope you are 'chillin' soon.    We had warm temps and rain yesterday so I really wish I had working AC in the 81 I was driving yesterday.

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Ronn,
Attached is a shot of my installation of an R-4 compressor with a 1980 bracket assembly and an Edlebrock 2115 intake.  Aside from the rest of the differences in the motor (from stock) all the AC components, the upper radiator hose is standard (you would use the one for your '70), and the belt is the one specified for a 1980- 368 motor.
I pulled the AC off my car so if you are interested in any of the components needed to make this combo work, please PM me or call me at 210-269-5406.
On your car the installation would just about look stock, because it (almost) was.
Greg Surfas

[Ronn]

I really appreciate the input.
The compressor is a Sanden type and the a/c bracket is mfg and sold by Eldebrock for this application.
In calling the Eldebrock Tech Support line the answer basically was we only have tech info for Chevy's.

As I come up with more info I will keep it posted to help and maybe avoid problems for others.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks
Ron

[Ronn]

Update
I discovered Edelbrock does not make the bracket.  The bracket is made and sold by Vintage Air.

I talked to Vintage Air tech and he referred me to the installation instructions that came with the bracket.  I told him the installation instructions consisted of a photo of a mounted system and a parts list.  He had no additional info for help.

Simple installation never seems to be simple.

Ron

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Ron,
If you could shoot a couple of pictures of both the compressor and the brackets you have we might be able to provide some educated suggestions.
Greg Surfas