RV2 to Sanden conversion?

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Furious65

Furious65

C-body Guy
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Sorry if this has been covered but I did search. Plus, I have been out of the Mopar scene for a few years so please forgive me!

Has anyone done a RV2 to Sanden 508 (or similar) compressor on their factory A/C system? Does someone make a kit?
 
I looked at Classic's website. Appears they have a Sanden compressor kit for SB, BB, & RB, but price is "ask us". You don't need to currently have any compressor since they provide a bracket that mounts to the water pump.

For those with a York or Tecumseh compressor, which were a common in after-market AC, on ebay you can find a Sanden bracket that bolts to your York bracket. I have those on my SB and BB, but think too clumsy and heavy, so will try more custom.
 
Thanks for the input. Looking through some old links I had saved years ago I found Bouchillon Performance has a conversion bracket. Their setup costs $87 and uses the Sanden SD7H compressor. I would assume that would work fine in a '70 Duster?
 
You can get either setup.
 
Does someone make the bracket to use it on earlier LA motors? Does it require rear supports brackets like the factory units? My original set up has an idler pulley on the compressor to engine bracket. Would I need some sort of Idler pulley?
 
I am even cheaper and lazier. While at PickNPull, I found for my SB a bracket off a ~90's RAM van (LA engine). It is for a different compressor, but fit a Sanden SD5 with a little filing of the grooved arc. For my slant, I got a bracket off a Volare that had a Sanden SD708 type. Don't know if factory or aftermarket. That bracket also supports a Saginaw p.s. pump bracket. Haven't mounted either compressor bracket, but figured having a bracket that bolts to the water pump is half the battle.
 
A reader asked me for photos in a PM. As mentioned, I haven't installed AC brackets on either car yet, just grabbed JY parts.

On my 65 SB, it looks like the RAM Van 318 Sanden bracket won't work directly. It mounts on the 2 left holes of the w.p., with a 1" spacer so the rear of the compressor just clears the left head. If I put a "shorty" Sanden there, it runs into the fan and shroud. I think later years have more room to the radiator. I couldn't even fit a clutch fan after losing 1" by changing to an alum w.p. The photos shows the bracket on the Sanden, after filing a bit, where the bracket should go, and the best photo I found of the compressor on the Van I took it from plus the different compressor used there. If I use this bracket, I will mount to a plate spanning the front of the w.p. so the compressor sits above the center of the manifold, or I could just buy a bracket kit from Bouchillon or others. I will probably use the alternator to tension the compressor belt, as some kits do.

The other photos show the bracket I got off a Volare slant that had a Sanden compressor installed. I recall a regular, not a shorty. The aluminum part is stamped "FABCO Canada" and "This side fwd" (after-market?). It is 2 separate brackets. One mounts to the compressor rear, bottom tabs, with rods to the engine mount and intake (EGR type). The other bolts to the water pump and has a Saginaw p.s. sub-bracket (not shown). I am surprised it doesn't use the 3 holes on the block that factory p.s. brackets use. The only store-bought slant AC brackets I know of are ~$240. Syed (of Malaysia) posted his custom Sanden bracket for his 65 Dart slant. It comes off the 3 block p.s. holes.
 

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Bill,
Thanks for posting those pics up!
C
 
Bill, I'm not sure what compressor you are refering to, as the "shorty" Sanden. Sanden did make some Short compressors, for econobox cars, but all the "universal" V- belt style Sandens have the same mounting ears, and length, to the front of the clutch. If you are refering to the forth piic down in your last post, that is not a Sanden compresor. It is a Chrysler C-171. As far as I know the only Sanden compressors that were installed on Mopars were the dealer installed units. Some later model vans did use a "scroll" compressor, that I think was a Sanden. I would have to look that up.
 
Charrlie_S,

I think the new Sanden I mock up in the photos is termed "shorty" on hot rod sites like HAMB. I recall PN SD7H15 (box marked SD5). I don't think they have a shorter one, and I need to lose >1/2" to stay out of my fan and shroud in that location. I understand all V-belt Sanden clutches have 2 grooves. I have other Sanden SD708's that look slightly longer.

The compressor in the stock photo is factory for the RAM Van, and what the bracket I have was intended for. Its bolt pattern is slightly different than a Sanden, but some filing and bending made it fit.

I will try another approach. Just yesterday, I bought a York to Sanden adapter on ebay for $45. I knew they existed, but usually $75 and steel. I will see if aluminum as it looked in the photo. My Dart had a Tecumseh compressor when I got it, a heavy beast but same bolt pattern as a York so this adapter should bolt to my original bracket. I will see if the Sanden bumps into the head or valve cover. If not, I can worry about routing the belt to a pulley since all that changed when I switched to the aluminum water pump.

I am not worried about collecting too many Sandens since I plan to switch my 2 Mercedes to that from the factory R2, which is a GM compressor notorious for seizing up (happened to me). Personally, I wouldn't haul a Mopar RV2 around either. While very reliable, it is a massive chunk of iron.
 
Sanden 7312(Jap made) or 4456 (USA made) shorty compressor. Same compressor. Most a/c shops don't now about this. Classic Auto Air does. I uses 4456 and Bouchillon bracket on my 360 6 bbl. Works great. The only bracket/compressor to work with six pack. I tried every Chrysler s.b. set up made. I like staying Mopar. Had to go this set up to get a compressor on this engine.
I have the around '90-'93 s.b. Chrysler aluminum bracket(mostly vans) on another 360 with the Chrysler Sanden compressor. V-belts. Took off iron lung RV 2.
I got my compressor on eBay.
 
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