Smallblock intake vs. AC compressor questions

[Reed]

I have been messing with Mopars for about 30 years now, but most of my experience is with slnt sixes. Go easy.

I have a Magnum 360 from a 99 Durango that I am going to use on a project. I have several Edelbrock and Offenhauser carbed intakes for the LA smallblocks. I want to adapt one of those LA intakes to the Magnum motor but I have a question about the AC compressor (yes, I know about the manifold bolt angle difference in the Magnum vs. LA motors, but I have a plan to use the LA intake on the Magnum heads).

I have two complete bracket and accessory sets. I have the stock 1999 Magnum serpentine belt with the Sanden compressor and I have a complete early 80s smallblock V-belt with the older AC compressor.

My question relates to clearance between the AC compressor and the thermostat housing. The stock Magnum kegger intake has the thermostat housing offset to the passenger side. The Offenhauser intake has a larger thermostat housing hole centered in the intake. The Edelbrock intakes both have the thermostat housing offset to the driver's side.

I know the thermostat housing on some of the older aftermarket intakes do not clear the older AC compressor. Can anyone tell me if the Magnum AC compressor will clear thermostat housings that are centered or offset to the driver's side of the intake?

My parts are stashed in various different places while I am cleaning out my garage right now, or I would just mock it up and see for myself.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Professor Fate]

Your '80s ac brackets used a C171 rotary compressor, offset to the passenger side, earlier units were a bulkier V2 compressor. The late '70s-80s intake manifolds also offset the thermostat to the driver's side for additional clearance, so your Edelbrock manifolds with the offset thermostat should also clear a compressor when using the '80s brackets- but I can't say for sure that the Edelbrock manifolds have the correct mounting bosses for the '80s bracket(s).
If your intention is to use the Magnum's Sanden-type compressor on the '80s brackets, the mounting lugs are completely different and incompatible; although an aftermarket Sanden with vertical mounting ears can be made to work with the '80s bracket by using a homemade mounting plate and rear bracket (no commercially available adapter that I'm aware of). Plus the fact that the Magnum compressor uses a serpentine pulley, and the '80s bracket used a compressor with twin v-belts on an LA front and drive system.
Can't help you if your intention is to use the Magnum compressor, brackets and serpentine front assembly with an LA manifold, that you'd have to mock up and see if you can make your combination of parts work.

 

[Reed]

Ok, thanks. Basically, I want to use the Magnum brackets and compressor, but I am trying to figure out which LA intake will work with the Magnum compressor.

 

[Bobzilla]

The intakes you have will cause interference with the Magnum front accessory brackets and AC compressor. The only intakes that make that easy are older discontinued Mopar M1 intakes and the currently available Edelbrock RPM air gap for Magnums. Check the pictures in this thread below. It is about the Chinese Crosswind intake but it applies to your request about other LA intakes as well.

Crosswind air gap clone and ram truck serpentine setup

 

[Reed]

OK, so the later serpentine belt setup requires the use of the intake with the thermostat offset to the pasenger side, but the older LA intakes have the thermostat in the middle or offset to the driver's side. That means I will be using the V-belt system.

Thanks!