Classic Auto Air Bracket kits on Small Blocks? Need photos

MoparMike1974 said
I just went through all my pics. Im posting every pic that shows AC related stuff. Looks like the site resized the pics. If you PM me your email address I can send higher resolution pics.

Thanks. I think I'm seeing some of what I need to see here. Potentially the brackets might work from this setup, I still have that huge water neck tower below the water neck and I think that would be the most major issue.

Since you did have the add-on pulley, do you happen to have any idea how that relates to the factory 2 groove crank pulley? I might not have any other choice here as I don't have any other pulleys...and my crank pulley has a 36-1 tone wheel on it for the EFI, which I would either have to redo or do something totally different. Since I don't have a mechanical fan and won't ever have it, and somehow I think my radiator is farther away from the front of the water pump, I think I would always have the option to push it forward if needed. I do have a welder, and I have CAD software and all that stuff so what would need to be modded could still happen if needed.

str12-340 said
I used Classic's set up that utilizes the stock AC crank pulley, and the stock AC water pump pulley. That arrangement originally uses a single belt running the Water pump and power steering pump, and a double belt running the alternator and the AC compressor. The problem with this is that the compressor is too far forward and you can only use a single belt on the alternator and compressor - when I complained their response was: "you only need one belt"...NOT. When the engine gets hot the single belt slips and squeals like a pig. I am presently in the process of realigning the belts so I can use the proper double belt. This meant finding a deeper crank pulley, a shallower water pump pulley and realigning the alternator and Power steering pump forward about 9/16th of an inch so all the double pulleys align. Why, you might ask didn't you just move the compressor back. That's because, as it is, you have to grind on the thermostat housing to fit the compressor on Classic's brackets (it says right in the instructions that you have to do this). There is no way to move it back another 9/16th of an inch. I really don't think this configuration will work at all for the OP's current thermostat housing set up. The intake on this car is an Edelbrock LD-4B.

By the way, this is a real domino effect - you replace the crank pulley to align with the compressor and realign the alternator to match the compressor and crank, and now the forward belt of the pair interferes with the water pump & power steering belt so you have to move those forward to get them out of the way. As long as you do it in a way that the water pump pulley and fan are still mounted to the face of the water pump impeller (NO spacing the old pulley forward!!!) it all fits nicely. It's just a pain in the patoot, and it is appalling that Classic sells this stuff as a "PERFECT FIT KIT". This isn't the only "adjustment" that I had to make to utilized their product...

I am really surpised about needing the dual belts generally, I mean that was only ever a Mopar thing to begin with. It could be because of the belt wrap being not that great with the alternator on the same belt. I really think the system MoparMike1974 has with maybe 140-150 degrees of belt wrap is superior in that case and this was the concept I was looking for. With the dual belt arrangement wanted, I wonder if the whole bracket set off of like an M-body despite its heft might be what you need. The later ones do have a sanden compressor, I don't know how they compare to this but its all dual belt and made to be that way. I do know the PS brackets are the same with those as with our cars though (I converted to a Saginaw PS pump for my hydroboost and got the brackets, core, and pulley from one of those)

My problem is that in the back I have a giant water crossover and fuel rails, so really I have to go forward.

I really do understand about the "Perfect fit" not being perfect, and adjustments being needed. Like a lot of aftermarket stuff, the engineering isn't really that great. My car is super modified anyway, I was hoping that there might be some pieces they have that at least get me *most* of the way there.