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!

Crusier Camaro - AC controls retrofit and pulleys

With the mechanical sliders removed and replaced with electronics, 

the head unit was re-installed in the dash

New AC vent above the new electronic controls -

One last hole in the shaved firewall was required - this one for the AC kits wiring  harness....

To mount the AC pump on the stroker engine, an entire serpentine kit, 

complete with March Pulleys, was purchased. 

Ready to install:

No sooner had I gotten the Alternator out of the way to pull the first pulley and I was stalled...

The aluminum fasteners holding the water pump pulley to the steel housing mount galled, welding themselves to the threads, necessitating me wasting an hour - plus, to drill them out, one size bit after the next so as to avoid ruining the threads....

After removing 'most' of each fastener, I ran a tap through each one, just to be sur the threads where clean and sharp and no bits of the old fasteners where left behind....

            Oh well. MERRY CHRISTMAS to all my readers - and we'll get back at it on the 28th!