1968 Camaro - AC Pump and IDIDIT column

                     With the dash pad loosely installed - and the new AC pump having arrived this week - I decided to leave the interior for a bit so I could get the engine and its componenets buttoned up....

If you've been following along closely, you'll recall the first AC pump I was given for the Camaro was too long for this application. After a couple tries - and an hour or two of research -   I finally figured out the issue....

  Last week a new, shorter AC Pump arrived (courtsey of the owner) and today - it got installed.

This pump has a compeltely different hookup, which looks like it'll add some complexity to the AC hook-up, but that's something for the specialist to worry about....  My job is to get it all installed!

And.....after about 30 minutes - it was in.

       Another few minutes (!) and the Rad was back in place as well  - ready for coolant!

stay tuned while I finish up the column install and get on with re-instaling all the windows, chrome and various acroutemounts needed to complete this sweetheart ride!

Serpentine hold up and ididit replacement steering column upgrade

The serpentine set-up was nearing completion - until a couple items ground it to a halt...

The March pulley kit didn't include a pulley for the AC pump, which was odd, since this was a specific kit to mount an AC pump.... Even worse, was that the serpentine belts themeselves weren't included - in a serpentine pulley kit...really?

While I was dry-fitting the AC pump to the Mrch bracketry, I found that the current fuel pump and filter set-up where going to be in the way unless I changed the entire set up...adding several more items to the parts store shopping list.

And speaking of parts store lists, I still need to find a thermostat housing that will work with this set up. 

While awaiting the AC pump serp-pulley and re-organizing the fuel-feed set up, I decided to move back into the interior to replace the old stock steering column 

with a state-of-the-art ididit column set-up.

In the engine compartment, the so-called rag-joint needed to be seperated to pull the old column out -  allowing the columns to be swapped out. 

                     Tomorrow we'll get the wiring sorted and begin on the dash and new gauges -

A bit of a shame to see the 'old-parts' pile continue to mount.....

Cruiser Camaro - serpentine set up

When I'm presented with complicated put-togethers, I generally like to start by doing a dry-run on the bench:

                            One things for sure: March makes some nice pulleyds and brackets....

          Instructions say to set up the pulleys like this,
                                             to ensure the new set up lines up as did the old one -

With everything off the engine, I started by dismantling the power steering unit, removing the old pulley -

Since it was  torn down, I took the opportunoity to hit it with a fresh coat of paint, 

along with some bumper bracketry - 

Every fastener got a smear of anti-seize, to avooid what happened when I removed the water pump pulley....

On the engine side....more bracketry

                              Back on the bench, the AC unit and alternator will get new pulleys as well -

                               Stay tuned to see the whole mess come together - hopefully!

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