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Guys,
I know this has been beat to death and there are numerous posts on a serpentine conversion for our cars. I swear I have read them all. However I have a few differences from a stock 72, and was hoping someone might have had the same set up prior to converting to a serpentine system. I have yanked several systems from wrecking yards in the past for installation in small block Jags with minuscule hood clearance like our corvettes on the cheap with great results. However my small block 72 has an upgraded (larger cs144) alternator that I would like to keep, and an upgraded modern Sanden style A/C compressor I would also like to keep. I have an electric fan so front clearance is sufficient where I wouldn’t have to try and find a reverse rotation short water pump (if there even is such an animal). Guys I know there are a large assortment of choices for a serpentine system in our cars, but I am hoping someone has installed one with the CS144 alternator and Sanden style A/C compressor.
Thanks guys. Dave
Good news is...it can be done.
Bad news is....you may have to cut sections out of the 1-piece accessory mount.......I bolted a mount in place on the engine (drilled new mount holes to lower the entire piece first) and spent a day cutting and relocating/re-welding sections onto the mount to get the clearances I needed when the components were installed.....
You may be able to cut individual component sections off the original mount and re-drill mount holes/bolt them to the engine rather than re-designing the whole mount.
example of an original mount below.......the black spraypaint makes it difficult to see where I cut/lowered sections so the components would clear the hood/a-arms/valve covers/etc. In some places I only needed to remove pieces of the mount where the component such as the large alternator "bottomed-out" on the stamped metal....basically, I cut radius sections out whenever possible to "lower" the components.
(pancake compressor late changed to Sanden/smaller alternator also later changed to larger alt.--good thing I lowered the small alt. as far down as possible on the 1st modification)
Not much help...but you get the idea.
Last edited by doorgunner; Jun 11, 2021 at 07:01 PM.
[QUOTE=doorgunner;1603580576]Good news is...it can be done.
Bad news is....you may have to cut sections out of the 1-piece accessory mount.......I bolted a mount in place on the engine and spent a day cutting and relocating/re-welding sections onto the mount to get the clearances I needed when the components were installed.....
You may be able to cut individual component section off the original mount and bolt them to the engine rather than re-designing the whole mount.
example of an original mount below....... [/QUO
Thanks Doorgunner. What specifically did you have to modify? Was it for compressor mounting or alternator mounting or both? It appears you have GM bracketry. Do you recall what it was pulled from. Sorry for all the questions. I wish I had 1200-1800 to plunk down on a turn key system, but that won't happen. Thanks again
Thanks Doorgunner. What specifically did you have to modify? Was it for compressor mounting or alternator mounting or both? It appears you have GM bracketry. Do you recall what it was pulled from. Sorry for all the questions. I wish I had 1200-1800 to plunk down on a turn key system, but that won't happen. Thanks again
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I understand..the $1500 went into buying the Sanden Kit.
I may have cut out a 1.5" section on both sides of the horse-shoe mount FIRST to lower the entire top half of the original mount (15 years of lost memory)
I had to lower the Sanden until it had 1/2" clearance above the passenger valve cover--not ideal, but I removed the vlave cover only one time after the conversion.
(I may have been able to remove the useless smog pump and fit the Sanden inthat location instead, but didn't consider it)
I also cut out a radius section under the large alternator so it would lower another 1.5" and may have lowered the section that the alternator bolts to for additional clearance.
I also had to move the P/S pump toward the center of the engine to clear the upper a-arm.
I think the bracket/mount was late '80s or early '90s gm truck.
My hood would not close before....after the modifications I had an inch clearance to spare.
(Tack-weld sections into place and test fit each section before welding the section solidly onto the bracket/horseshoe...I learned that the hard(headed) way
Bolt the horseshoe to the engine and modify one component section at a time/take your time studyying the easiest way to lower each component.
Last edited by doorgunner; Jun 11, 2021 at 04:49 PM.
Thanks Doorgunner. What specifically did you have to modify? Was it for compressor mounting or alternator mounting or both? It appears you have GM bracketry. Do you recall what it was pulled from. Sorry for all the questions. I wish I had 1200-1800 to plunk down on a turn key system, but that won't happen. Thanks again
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I understand..the $1500 went into buying the Sanden Kit.
I may have cut out a 1.5" section on both sides of the horse-shoe mount FIRST to lower the entire top half of the original mount (15 years of lost memory)
I had to lower the Sanden until it had 1/2" clearance above the passenger valve cover--not ideal, but I removed the vlave cover only one time after the conversion.
(I may have been able to remove the useless smog pump and fit the Sanden inthat location instead, but didn't consider it)
I also cut out a radius section under the large alternator so it would lower another 1.5" and may have lowered the section that the alternator bolts to for additional clearance.
I also had to move the P/S pump toward the center of the engine to clear the upper a-arm.
I think the bracket/mount was late '80s or early '90s gm truck.
My hood would not close before....after the modifications I had an inch clearance to spare.
(Tack-weld sections into place and test fit each section before welding the section solidly onto the bracket/horseshoe...I learned that the hard(headed) way
Bolt the horseshoe to the engine and modify one component section at a time/take your time studyying the easiest way to lower each component.
Guys I know there are a large assortment of choices for a serpentine system in our cars, but I am hoping someone has installed one with the CS144 alternator and Sanden style A/C compressor.
I converted my '73 to serpentine using a GM kit I bought from Summit racing. I bought the kit that came with the AC delete pulley instead of the R4 compressor because I wanted to use my Sanden compressor. I also had a CS144 alternator. To make a long story short, I gave up on making the CS144 alternator work. I had to convert my Sanden compressor to rear exit ports and use custom AC hoses. Mounting the compressor in the GM bracket with the R4 to Sanden conversion bracket oriented the compressor such that the hoses were on top and the hood would not close.
There is more info on my setup in these two posts:
Mine came off a 91 Z28. I used the R4 to Sanden brackets (Vintage Air or Dirty Dingo) and also changed to rear exit ports. I used a CS-130D alternator and it bolted right up. A note on the Sanden & alternator - you will need to use short valve covers (aftermarket short valve covers are often taller than stock & they do work). You have to have clearance for the AC hose & the power output stud.
Another Serpentine Accessory Conversion
