Guest Anonymous Posted March 19, 2001 Share Posted March 19, 2001 I am working on an LT1 conversion in my 74 260Z. It has factory air and I would like to keep it hooked up. I need to see if someone has information on brackets to reposition the ac so that it doesn't hit the frame rail. Thanks, Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted March 20, 2001 Share Posted March 20, 2001 I have seen 2 z's here in Houston with LT1's and A/C in them and both had the passengers side frame rail sectioned about 3" and a peice of metal put in at a 45 and then boxed. It actually looked ok. Now remember this is forward of the crossmember and not really taking any force except the swaybar. As for moving the compressor good luck. You may want to try using the bracketry off a late model pickup. They use a gear driven water pump and mount the compressor up high... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted March 20, 2001 Share Posted March 20, 2001 The last three issue of Chevy High Performance have ALL dealt with pulleybracket issues. This month is dedicated to serpentine setups - go grab it and take a peek. It seems a company named Zoops and March Performance are the two big players. I'm still pondering brackets myself as I've got a short water pump (smack) and want to run A/C on the passenger side. Not sure where the darned alternator is going to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy 77zt Posted March 20, 2001 Share Posted March 20, 2001 i am installing a 94 lt1 into a 66 nova for a friend.installed vintage air system.used ac & alternator brackits form street&performance in mena arkansas.website is www.tunedport.com.all polished billet.no problems with fit but expensive.this stuff is used on 30s & 40s street rods.lokar makes nice flexible dipstick tubes and throttle cables and cable brackits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 20, 2001 Share Posted March 20, 2001 I have already checked with March and the 2 kits that they offer mount the alt. and AC way too high or too wide. I will check into a couple of the other suggestions and see what I can find out. If anyone one has additional ideas I will check them out also. Thanks for the suggestion that have been given so far. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno74Z Posted March 20, 2001 Share Posted March 20, 2001 Robert, Please correct me if I wrong but before you worry about the AC compressor fitting check to see if you can even use it with the JTR cantilever engine brackets. I don't think the passenger side arrangement will even work given the fact the compressor sits smack next to where the plate bolts to the engine in the "setback" method. You will find out relatively soon that you either abandon the JTR setback method with those plates, relocate the AC, or design your own motor mounts with the setback in mind when you do. I would venture to say 95-99% of the members use the JTR method to mount the engine into the car and very few perhaps less than 5% have AC. (It would be very interesting to hear from them) I'm going to try and keep the AC in the stock location and redesign the passenger side mounting method. This may take a combination of frame notching and relocation of a few things. One idea that I have is why bolt that offset plate to the engine? Perhaps the engine crossmember tower can be moved back 2 - 4 inches and placed directly inline with the engine mount. Naturally, coming up with a new method and having it work to support the engine is no easy task. I'm still working on the backend of the car so all efforts are going to complete this part of the car. Good luck to you. Danno74Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 20, 2001 Share Posted March 20, 2001 I am not using the JTR mounts. I am mounting the engine straight up over the stock mounts. I put my mounts on last weekend and I placed the engine to see what I would need to do. The 2 obstacles that I found were the AC hitting the frame rail and the fact that the stock mount holes on the passenger side of the LT1 are setback about 1 inch from the front of the block than the drivers side is. I am not using the JTR setback position because it only shifts about 35-45 lbs of weight off of the front wheels and it causes you to run into more space problems fitting the transmission into the tunnel. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno74Z Posted March 20, 2001 Share Posted March 20, 2001 Robert, I would definitely rethink your placement of the engine. I would say the vast majority if not all members used the JTR setback method for better weight distribution and center of gravity by either using the JTR kit or devising their own mounts. Another reason to set the engine back is to be able to use a manual transmission. I don't recall the setback amount but I thought it was around 3" and I think you will find yourself running out of room for the shifter in the cockpit. Hopefully, other members will chime in and offer their experiences. Danno74Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 20, 2001 Share Posted March 20, 2001 I am using the 4L60E transmission so I don't have to worry about the shifter location. This is getting off of the original subject though. I really need info about the brackets. I checked with zoops and the only kit that they offer sticks up way too high. I am getting info from Street and Performance about a new kit that they have that may work. They are supposed to be Emailing me pictures tomorrow so that I can see if they might work. If anyone has other bracket suggestions please let me know. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 20, 2001 Share Posted March 20, 2001 Robert, I had street and performance ac and alt brackets on my Z. They place the alt and compressor at about the level of the intake(I have a 93 lt-1 in a 73 240) It was close but it did clear the hood. I use the JTR engine mounts so I can,t speak for your set up but it worked with mine. I'm no longer using the ac bracket and would be glad to sell it if you were interested. This would require you to purchase an alt bracket from street and performance. Hope this helps. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno74Z Posted March 20, 2001 Share Posted March 20, 2001 I realize this is getting off of the original subject and I'm sorry. I just trying to point out to you I think you will be unhappy with the final results with the engine in the "Scarab" location. But hay perhaps the rest of us are wrong. Enjoy and Peace. Danno74Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted March 22, 2001 Share Posted March 22, 2001 Okay, I bolted my motor in tonight - finally. I've also been VERY seriously considering A/C. Look to March and to Zoops for brackets. Yeah, they look like they mount high don't they? Looking through a Street Rodder mag I've got I realized that the compressor actually isn't real high! It appears to be just above the valve cover on the passenger side and slightly inwards. Try holding your compressor in that position to see if it will interfere. I'm seriously considering a Vintage Air setup inside BTW even though I've got the parts to convert the stock 240 setup... As for room in the trans tunnel with the motor setback... http://216.254.117.47/development/testweb.nsf/4691e0edd8a01bd6852569ae0075e9c4/bafd49c653c0410185256a170004d7fb?OpenDocument You'll not that I've run into interference in exactly two spots and it's close in at least one other. Oh, and I had to pund the brake line bracket down - wish I'd know that before I put the silly thing in. I'll have to pull the motor partially out but that fat T56 sits in there well with the trans tunnel not having been touched at all except for the stock trans mounts. If I were you I'd try sliding that puppy back with a hoist to see where and if it hits - I'm betting you'll be VERY surprised! If it will help I'll post pics of just how much room I've got up front of the engine and above the engine for accessories. I want my A/C too - who's done it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted March 22, 2001 Share Posted March 22, 2001 BLKMGK, Looks like you're moving right along. I did A/C in mine. Search the forums and you'll find a fairly long write up on it. Cheers, ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted March 22, 2001 Share Posted March 22, 2001 BLKMGK, that's not the skip shift, thats the reverse lock out. ------------------ http://members.tripod.com/~SnowSurfer/mikekz1.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted March 23, 2001 Share Posted March 23, 2001 Thanks Mike - I read that other thread and ended up pretty confused! I can just leave it alone I think, would love to be able to remove the darned thing! As for th eA/C - Pete I'll look that up. I'm surprised it's not been a "hotter topic" nyuk nyuk nyuk Was it an aftermarket unit? I'm starting to wonder if removing the center panel, building my own, and installing one of those nice Vintage Air units woud make sense. Carbon Fiber center panel perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted March 23, 2001 Share Posted March 23, 2001 My system has a Sanden 508 on custom brackets (simple) a Vintage Air high efficiency condensor, and a new R134a evap box that's made by the same people that made the old dealer installed units. I got that from Courtesy Nissan. Pricey. I think it was Mike kZ who put a complete vintage air package in. A bit of cobbling of the firewall area, I believe, but a much cleaner solution that's bound to be more effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted March 23, 2001 Share Posted March 23, 2001 Ya, that was me, I used a complete Vintage Air System. The Universal Space Saver w/heat, cool and def. I had to slightly modify the cowl area to clear the fan motor. I think Vintage now makes an Evaporator with a horizontal fan motor insted of vertical. As for the reverse lock out, My trany didn't come with it, so I put a heavy spring inside, so I wouldn't accidentally put it in reverse while driving, and plugged the hole where the lock out was. I used one of those rubber plugs with a bolt on the end, you torque down the bolt and the rubber expands. I also used silicone to help seal it. ------------------ http://members.tripod.com/~SnowSurfer/mikekz1.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 23, 2001 Share Posted March 23, 2001 I have checked out more options that were mentioned and found the following. First and most promising, but fairly expensive. The people at Street and Performance have a new setup that should work for mounting the engine in the Scarab position. I talked to Mark at Street and Performance and the new kit mount the A/C down low and in on the passenger side, and the Alt. mount in front of the passenger side head. The bottom of the A/C pulley is even with the bottom of the Dampener pulley and the outside of the pulley sticks out 10 inches from the center of the Dampener pulley. The cost for the brackets idler pulley alternator and AC compressor is about $700. About $480 of that is for the AC Compressor and Alternator. The late model truck brackets might work but they use different alt. and compressor. The compressor has the output and input line routed out the top of the back plate so they may pose a problem for hood clearance. I haven't checked to see if there is a different housing available that would route the lines out the back so the overall height could be kept to a minimum. I also also looked at the current issue of Chevy High Performance and the serpentine setups that they talked about were for tunedport motors or conversions from V-belts. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted March 23, 2001 Share Posted March 23, 2001 Zcarfan - I suggest you take a close look at Mike KZs WEB site - in particular the last page of pics. Note the high mount AC and Alternator done with the JTR setback. It looks like Ram Air might be a hassle for us carb guys though but it's what I'm considering. As for Vintage Air - check this one out -> http://www.vintageair.com/universal/page14new.htm I think that will fit in the Z and supply the defrost and ducts fine. Big question is cost an dfitting it in. If no one else gets to it I'll try building a carboard box that dimension and see hopw it might fit but it'll be awhile. P.S. Why wouldn't the TPI setup work with an LT1? Water pump perhaps? I guess that could really limit your choices, I'd forgotten about the gear driven water pump until just now. Ewww! And the Chevy mag does indeed show conversions from V-belt. In that case I'd go with a V-belt bracket that met my needs and "convert". But then there's that darned missing water pump. I think th eJTR TPI book has a method of converting to a standard water pump with driven fan in it for LT1 but it's been awhile since I've read it. I'd suppose keeping that pump is important to you? [This message has been edited by BLKMGK (edited March 23, 2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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