Very Pricey Studs For R4 Mounting Bracket & Sanden Conversion

[carlhungness]

     I was advised to buy a 1981 Cad 368 R4 AC  compressor and mounting brackets to put a unit on my '76 Eldo engine. I found the R4 on eBay for $50 then bought the brackets for another $50. I discovered (with help from club member Greg Surfas) the studs-bolts that hold on the mounting bracket to the water pump have one end at 3/8" and the other at 5/16, and another stud is just the opposite. Since I didn't receive the studs I went thru Hemmings and called varied and sundry dealers looking for the studs.
   Here's an e mail I received: Hi Carl,
    I Have included a picture of what we have on the vehicle.  We would sell the mounting hardware (bolts/studs/nuts/washers/etc) for 75$ and 25$ shipping.  You can call 910-655-9330 with visa or master card to place and order,

Thank you for your parts request,
Dave

    To interpret, the man wants to sell me three studs, three nuts, three washers for $75 and $25 shipping.
     Luckily the seller on eBay did write back and said, "Oh, I thought I included all the bolts, nuts, etc. when I took the parts off. I'll take them out and ship them to you at no charge."
     Thus I just saved $100 for three studs and three nuts-washers.
    I DID manage to grind some half-ovals in the original R4 bracket that allows it to bolt to the Sanden as the top portion was JUST fouling the mounting face. I'm awaiting the arrival of the studs.
    I posted my conversion problem on the H.A.M.B (Hokey Ass Message Board) and within minutes had replies from hot-rodders around the country. It seems as though the R4 is yesterday's technology that was noisy, and doesn't like today's freon, and overall isn't anything one would want to try and use on a daily basis.
    Soon I'll be able to tell what I need to complete the installation, but it seems pretty straight-forward. My challenges are getting the Sanden to clear the water inlet and rigging up a tensioner. I've been advised I might try a swivel Chevrolet water neck and the tensioner designs itself which I think I can mount from the original PS pump holes.
    The point here is: One, the Sanden seems much preferred over the old R4. The 1981 Cad 368 bracket will work with the Sanden with minor grinding of the bracket
which I wanted to use especially for alignment purposes. Plus, if you buy a bracket make sure you get the two-size studs that attach it.
   One hundred dollars for three studs seems too far over the top for me.
   I'll post photos of the conversion which is a bit out of the norm as I am not running power steering on my '37 LaSalle, so have the tension pulley problem to address.

[Clewisiii]

Someone on another forum brought up this issue about small buttons that held on the plastic seat foot covers. They wanted like $20 per button. 

I called a yard and asked about a pin for a glovebox stop. They told me $75. He said it was a $50 charge just to walk out to the car to get the part.

[BlackCads]

I feel your pain as someone once said. Sadly, owning and working on these old cars can often be an expensive proposition.
I have bought many overpriced parts for my cars because I needed them. It just seems to be the "name of the game". Sometimes I get lucky and find what I need at a salvage yard (Gately Restoration) for a fair price. When I have to turn to eBay is when things can get ridiculous.
Good luck and I hope you get what you need.

[carlhungness]

     I've known John Gately's name for a very long time. I called him about a year and a half ago and told him I needed the stay-rods that go from the firewall to the radiator shell, he said he used to have some, not sure if they were still around. About six months later he called and said he found them, fifty bucks for the pair.
    Ironically on the day he called I was in the McMaster-Carr catalog getting prices for left and right hand taps to make my own pair. Old John has saved a lot of us some major hassle. I think he's donating his collection of parts to the club when he passes (he's in his late 80's I think) and it'll be interesting to see what we do with them.

[TJ Hopland]

I was going to ask why you didn't just buy a sanden bracket but looks like those go for $275 now.   Glad I got one when they were a lot cheaper. 

[bcroe]

You can get a lot of crazy stuff from McMaster Carr, before you
pay some ridiculous price just because in car circles it is rare.

Bruce Roe

[Jason Edge]

As a seller, if you have hard to find items you do not give it away but you do not gouge people either. Someone might buy something from you once as a necessity, but they will try and find other sources again and again if you screw them.  I have been selling parts for 25 years and have customers that come back to me month after month, year after year, and even decade after decade because I do try and sell for fair prices.  I started out pulling in parts cars in 1996 to find parts for my Caddy, then selling the extras on the side, so I always try and consider if I were the person trying to find a particular piece and what would be  fair price.  I also try and go out of my way to make sure you are getting the correct item and in as good of condition as possible.

[BlackCads]

I should have included Jason Edge in my post about responsible sellers. I have purchased many parts from Jason over the years as well and he has always been very fair with his pricing and his service (we do business via mail order) has always been outstanding.

[TJ Hopland]

I have a Sanden bracket that came from MTS when Marty was still there.  I don't remember what I paid but I know it wasn't anywhere near $275.   It was universal fit on the intake side because it just came with an ear that fit the compressor and an L bracket for the intake.   You then either drilled and bolted or welded that L to fit the height of your intake.  I thought it worked great.  Not sure why that design doesn't seem to be around today. 

[carlhungness]

Hi: A Vintage Air bracket is $119.00, flat piece of metal with four little round tubes to marry to the Sanden. I may buy one yet, but I now have the stock R4 bracket fitting the Sanden as I ground a couple of half holes next to the mounting holes and they allow the bracket to 'go up far enough' to capture the R4 holes, which are same as the Sanden.
Now awaiting arrival of my studs so will see what I need next week. Not sure what bracket you refer to at the higher price, but the $119 is fine with me if I need it.

[TJ Hopland]

Wow, Vintage air makes you work if you want to find anything Cadillac.  I had to resort to a search since they don't seem to have a header for us.  I remember considering one like that but I remember coming up with reasons against it, don't remember what those reasons were.  Cadco has the $275 one but no photo. 

[carlhungness]

  Yes, I'm surprised the Table of Content in the Vintage Air catalog didn't list the bracket for the Cadillac, an oversight I'm sure. Owner Jack Chisenhall is a modern day pioneer in hot rodding and his products have always been top of the line.
I'm going to order some other things from them next week and I'll gently inform them they have over-looked our Standard of The World.
    It took one of the guys on the H.A.M.B. website to finally get me the numbers for the Cad bracket: 15500 and 15501.
    The folks at CadCo are marvelous too, but their catalog could use a bit of revamping.

[TJ Hopland]

I just typed Cadillac into their sites search and I think it came up with 4 options,  425 stock, 472/500 stock, 472/500/425 edelbrock, and something more recent.    I'm trying to remember what I didn't like, do their brackets perhaps raise the compressor a bit over stock?   I have an Eldo and know there isn't a ton of hood clearance. 

I confuse old air and vintage air but I'm pretty sure I have bought from both of them.  I got the VIR eliminator kit from one of them and I think a universal receiver dryer from the other.   The receiver dryer's manifold rotates for more mounting options and its seal apparently doesn't work under vacuum so if you get one don't panic if your system doesn't hold vacuum.  I think mine went 4 years before needing a slight top off.