Foks

I am putting a 1970 396 BB in my 68 Chevelle. The BB has a long water pump and is set up for the A/C compressor on the driver's side. Is there anyway (other than changing the pump) to mount the alternator on the driver's side with a long pump? If I have to stay with the driver side compressor arrangement, am I going to have to retrofit a condenser from a 1970 and use 70 A/C hoses or can I use the 70 hoses with the 68 condensor? The fittings are not the same I don't think. As you can tell, I am not an A/C guy. Actually, I not much of a mechanic either, but don't tell my wife.

Thanks

http://http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/509/medium/DSC_0407TC.jpgHi Mark:
Here is a system you can buy to do just what you want to , its a Zoops system brackets and power steering pump to .http://http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/509/medium/DSC_0407TC.jpghttp://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/509/medium/DSC_0407TC.jpg

http://http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/509/medium/DSC_0407TC.jpg

http://http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/509/medium/DSC_0407TC.jpg

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/509/medium/DSC_0407TC.jpg

Looks like a great fix. Do you have a part number and does it come in non-serpentine system?

While not as fancy as some of the other alternatives... Alan Grove Components makes a bracket to do just about anything you want. Alternator brackets with LWP can put it on either side. Same for the Sanden compressor mount on either side.

I ran the DS alternator with LWP in my '68 along with their high mount PS pump bracket. Good basic functional stuff. Even if I have customized it to work with a SWP now :D

Thanks Folks! I was talking to a friend last night about the situation. He said it might be best to go with the original configuration for the alternator and A/C compressor for the 70-402 since I already had the A/C brackets which he said are not easy to find. The only problem with that is the A/C hoses and the condenser. Would a 1970 condenser bolt up to the radiator support without too much modification. I don't want to mount anything directly to the radiator.

http://http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/509/medium/DSC_0407TC.jpgMark
Just look at Zoops.com site they have all difrent setups for V belt or serputine systems. I like the looks of the compressor on the pasagner side better.http://http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/509/medium/DSC_0407TC.jpg

I don't know why a 70 condenser wouldn't bolt up to a 68 core support without a problem.

Use the full late LWP setup or hybrid early SWP configuration with LWP, it is a tradeoff...

Mounting the '70 condensor is probably not a problem.

You probably already have alternator wiring on the DS? To move it to the PS you will have to modify the wiring harness. Including the main power feed cable. Plus you will have A/C hoses running across the engine compartment to get over to a DS mounted compressor.

My '68 had an engine swap to a '71 402 by a prior owner. When I got it the alternator was sorta mounted on the PS and no A/C. My plans were to add A/C and I did not want long hoses running across the engine. So I bought the Alan Grove brackets to put A/C compressor on the PS and alternator back on the DS. In the rewire I found that they had used house wire or something and only sorta connected the power cable.

I also bought the Alan Grove PS bracket because I could not get things aligned quite right with whatever they had thrown on there. I also figured out the crank pulley was likely a SBC pulley. So in my case by replacing all the brackets and pulleys I new everything was functionally proper if not OEM.

I have always wondered ?WHY? GM ever switched sides for the A/C and alternator. The DS alternator is closer to the main system supply point at the horn relay. The PS A/C compressor is closer to the evaporator and does not require hoses crossing the engine. Perhaps it was influenced by the space challenges they had with the PS and Alt with the SWP. Perhaps it was influenced by the minority of cars including A/C back in the day. I dunno but it seems backwards to me.

If that A/C bracket is so rare... I would sell it for as much as I could get and use the $$$ to buy conversion brackets keeping things in the '68 orientation.

One last thought is to consider where you want to go in the future in this decision. I say this because I recently converted from LWP to SWP so I would have more room for a bigger electric fan. I would have been better off, and created fewer spare parts, if I had done this in the first place. May not apply to your situation perhaps but something to think about.

Thanks everyone. I can see the logic in that. I also agree that it was a strange idea to move the alternator and compressor locations. Its a long run for the AC hoses from the evaporator box to the DS. I guess I can see the logic in moving the alternator to provide for less voltage drop, but given the wire size the drop is probably insignificant. It certainly is a cleaner arrangement with A/C if the compressor is on the PS. I guess I've got decisions to make. I really appreciate all of the expertise in the area. You've probably saved me $$$$ and lots of problems.