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jft69z

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Posts posted by jft69z

  1. 15 minutes ago, Marks71 said:

    What are some tell tail signs that a system has been converted? Mine still has the A6 compressor, but it appears the filter-drier has been changed.

    Tough to say, especially if they didn't leave a 'conversion sticker' someplace. Check the high and low gauge access points, do they have adapters put on there to accept R134A connections? That would be my first place to look. Next would be if the POA valve was replaced with a cycling switch maybe.

    • Like 1
    • Thank You! 1
  2. 9 minutes ago, my 7d dream said:

    Thanks for the advice!  I decided to go with stage 3 of Original Air. I  plan on installing the parts myself and it seems the condenser is a bear!

    That's a very good choice Dale. I'll PM you my phone number, there's plenty more info that may help you, especially if you're doing it yourself.

    • Like 1
  3. 22 minutes ago, Dtret said:

    And you would know a thing or two about thongs, wouldn’t you. 😝( please visit previous eastern meet post) 

    Speedos, not thongs....

    • Haha 2
  4. I had a few of those style starters (Power Master & NAPA). It's not easy, but entirely possible to pop that gear out, hold it in place, and measure the gap.

    There is a simpler way that I used, but not for everyone I imagine....

    At any rate, I ended up sending them all back. First, I couldn't get them to 'clock' properly for header clearance, and second, I forget the exact amount, but had to remove something like .030 from the mounting surface on one of them for it to fit properly. Sent it back as defective, the replacement was just as bad.

    A big waste of time on that style starter, at least in my case. 

    • Like 3
  5. 6 minutes ago, DragCat said:

    80's NOT 60's I don't own any tie-dyed stuff, but I do have a few raggedy concert t-shirts in the closet 🤘🤣

    80's....ahhhh, that would explain the man-bun then...

    • Like 3
  6. 23 minutes ago, DragCat said:

    ..., another vette owner 🤣 Don't forget to bring your members only jacket to Carlisle 🤣

    Funny, coming from the guy with the 60's hippy hairdo....

    • Like 1
    • Haha 3
  7. It depends on a lot of factors Dale, with a bunch of different paths to take (and there will be multiple opinions on that too, lol).

    That being said, there are a couple things to consider first. Has the system ever worked or did you get the car with that missing front hose? Is the original type GM A6 compressor there? Do you want to charge the system with the old R12 refrigerant, or go with the more readily available R134A? Are you concerned about original appearance. How much is cost a factor?

     - The original compressors were large, heavy, inefficient, and prone to seal leakage.

    - If the system has been open for any length of time, it'll need a new filter/drier, and a system flush would be recommended as well. I'd try to see if the compressor even turns before wasting time going thru the system, to later find out it's defective anyways (and it could still be a leaker).

    Personally, I'm not a fan of the Vintage air conversions, especially if the car was a factory A/C car to start with. As long as the original dash controls & actuators work good, everything else in the system can be made to work with readily available replacement parts, as well as R134A upgrade kits.

    The Sanden type of replacement/upgrade compressors are smaller, more efficient, and don't leak like the old A6's, though they obviously don't look stock. There are 'S6' compressors that bolt in place of the originals, but have Sanden type internals. They are a bit expensive though, but can be painted black to mimic a factory type installation if that's your goal.

    The whole thing can snowball from there. R134A isn't as efficient as R12 at making cold air, plus the molecule is smaller, making replacement hose selection a factor. R134 hoses are a 'Barrier' type, with an internal liner of sorts, that helps keep the smaller refrigerant molecule inside the system. Popular opinion is that good, used R12 system hoses are OK to re-use as the old oil in the system coated the inside, helping to create a bit of a sealing effect. Oh, it's recommended to replace all of the system O-rings to 134a spec materials too. The refrigerant oil is different too, necessitating a system flush as well.

    R134a replacement evaporators & condensers tend to be a 'parallel flow' type, which is more efficient at heat transfer than the old originals. I've converted systems with the old components, and systems with the new parts and can say the new ones seem to make for colder measured air temperatures coming out of the vents. It obviously comes at a cost though. Labor is another factor, would you be doing the work yourself, or farming it out?

    I tend to like the stuff that 'Original Air' group has, plus have had great luck with their customer service. Others here like different vendors. If you're missing parts, or want to upgrade to the more efficient parts, their 'Upgrade' kits are complete with the better evaporators & condensers, fit good, and work great. They have 3 stages, all with varying degrees of parts & prices.

     

    Stage1 with compressor, hoses, filter/drier:

    https://www.originalair.com/69-72-chevelle-el-camino-malibu-monte-carlo-sprint-134a-rotary-compressor-upgrade-kit-stage-1

     

    Stage 2 and 3 are available with more parts (they're not showing a Stage 2 for Monte that's $200 cheaper, which deletes the evaporator, but call them and they'll make it up if that's your choice). Stage 3 is the best they offer, are complete, and work well. For the extra $200, that's my choice, though it's extra work to replace the evaporator. My motto, do it right, do it once and be done with it... :

    https://www.originalair.com/70-72-monte-carlo-ultimate-engine-compartment-upgrade-kit-134a

     

    Here is the S6 compressor I spoke of, that looks stock. It can also be had in black:

    https://www.originalair.com/s6-compressor-new

    Parts:

    https://www.originalair.com/replacement-parts

     

    Hopefully, this gives you some info and direction. If you have questions, just ask, or PM me your phone number and I can explain things in more detail. This is just a small bit of info regarding a conversion, there are plenty of other factors, and tips necessary to make a good installation.

     

    EDIT: I forgot, they do have 'Stock' replacement kits too, with the A6 compressors. Appears to be the same prices, but still with the leak prone, heavy, horse power robbing compressor. Still, it would be a good choice for the purist type of owner.

    https://www.originalair.com/70-72-monte-carlo-ac-compressor-replacement-parts-kit-v8-stage-1-exc-1970-with-bbc-2

    https://www.originalair.com/70-72-monte-carlo-ac-replacement-parts-kit-v8-stage-2

    https://www.originalair.com/70-72-monte-carlo-ac-replacement-parts-kit-v8-stage-3

    • Like 9
    • Thank You! 1
  8. Found this with one of the part numbers on the label:

    https://goldenstarauto.com/products/1970-1972-chevy-monte-carlo-front-fender-patch-rear-lower-rh

     

    Full Fenders:

    https://goldenstarauto.com/collections/chevy-monte-carlo/fender

     

     

    CHL Auto Parts, as shown on the upper right of the label:

    https://en.chlautoparts.com.tw/index.html

     

     

    The GMK406019070R shows up as what appears to be the crappy patch panels. Maybe Gold Star just puts it on there as a cross.

    • Like 3
  9. Obviously the first set of patch panels are junk.

    The Jegs ones certainly look like a winner for sure, and even though they'll take some work to install, they look to be a quantum leap forward. I recall Leo saying in a phone conversation that the aftermarket fenders take less time to get to a usable state than making repair panels fit. I wonder how these will stack up in that equation.

    Bring them with you to Carlisle, Leo is supposed to be there as well and may be interested in seeing them, (if he hasn't already).

    • Like 3
  10. You can't just throw shims at it randomly like you're doing. You need to measure the clearance and go from there. You need to have proper knurled starter mounting bolts too.

    Here's a couple ways to check:

    https://static.summitracing.com/global/images/instructions/sum-820323-os starter inst.pdf

    https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/c1-and-c2-corvettes/4264063-starter-gear-not-disengaging.html#post1599257070

     

    One more. Sometimes you have to use a shim inboard, outboard, half a shim, etc.:

     

    Shimming A Starter El Camino Central Forum, 52% OFF

    • Like 5
  11. I put a little dab of RTV at the keyway when putting the balancer back on. Oil could ride thru that slot and make its way out the front.

    Much the same when installing a new yoke on a pinion gear at the rear differential. They say to put a bit of RTV there also, to stop the lube from migrating thru the splines.

    • Like 3
  12. 1 hour ago, Paul Bell said:

    OPGI

    At least they wouldn't give you a 6 month 'Backordered' experience, the carpets usually ship straight from the manufacturer, lol.

    I'm curious what they want for shipping. Maybe I'll create an order just to see. (EDIT: looks like they'd charge about $40 - fedex ground). I'm also not seeing the option to get it with the Mass Backing, but it may be there. Moot point, it's cheaper at Rock Auto anyways.

    Any chance you may be able to come out to Carlisle this year?

    • Like 4
  13. The 'Loop' carpet is the correct type Paul. If you get the 'Mass Backing' option , it does look & fit nicer, though it costs a bit more.

    FWIW, I've gotten them from OC Auto Carpets in the past, but recently found that Rock Auto sells the exact same product and was cheaper. They all drop ship from ACC anyways. Getting them direct from ACC is the most expensive way to go.

    Right now, they're $169 at OC, add $71 for the Mass backing' ($241)

    https://www.ocautocarpets.com/product/2063/1970-1972-chevrolet-monte-carlo-2dr-auto/

    Looks like $144 at Rock Auto for the standard Loop, and $204 for the Mass backing

    https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/chevrolet,1971,monte+carlo,7.4l+454cid+v8,1055641,interior,flooring,1264

    The shipping was half the price at Rock also, at least to my location. ($16 vs $37). Worth a look at any rate. Matching ACC floor mats can be found at the same time, with savings at Rock as well compared to the other sites.

    • Like 5
  14. 20 minutes ago, Scott S. said:

    Don't laugh..... I've actually had to defer to this method a couple times to figure out what powered what in my house. I guess the electricians who did the original wiring had a sense of humour ???

    Or they were trying to split the load on a circuit to different rooms (example: rooms with a common interior wall between them may share outlets, etc). If you put one complete room on a breaker, there's a better chance of popping it maybe. It does make it harder to find the right breaker though. I made a map of my house with all the circuits, outlets, switches, and what breaker they were tied to fairly soon after I moved in, as we did some rewiring, added 3-way switches, added some circuits. 

    • Like 2
  15. 7 minutes ago, Scott S. said:

    Being a fan of most Bosch products, I wasn't impressed with their spark plugs either...... Or the Splitfire plugs. They never held up the the hype. 

    I ran into it before. People put plugs in themselves, car came to me with misfires. Had a hard time convincing them it was their new plugs, but after replacement, it ran fine.

    I think the first place I heard about them being bad was on the tech forums at I.A.T.N. Wasn't too long after that I experienced the problem, and was able to zero in on the fix pretty quick. Normally you would think, hey, new plugs, it can't be that. In the mean time you're chasing your tail...

  16. 22 minutes ago, Dtret said:

    They look good. But I have to ask, just out of curiosity, why are you posting this in the archive section and on a nine year old post. Wouldn’t you be best suited to put this in the current restoration section?  Like I said just curious. 

    I get why he did it. I tend to do that with my original build thread in the New Member section. Keeps everything in one place.

    Couple other forums I belong to, they'd complain about resurrecting an old thread. Not here, it's all good.

    • Like 5
  17. 23 minutes ago, Glen said:

    I beg to differ…

    Come on now!!  if you’re gonna tell a fib, tell the whole fib. I was able to pull off a day of parking with the club.  Looks like “someone“ forgot who they were parked next to on the show field.  Now Day 2?  Yeah…I got busted 😂. Here’s photographic proof as a reminder for those with short memories…

    image.thumb.jpeg.d9da43ffda9e9f1078d7d32c980205af.jpeg

    Figures, both of you parked next to me...ughhh

    • Like 1
    • You're Welcome 1
    • Haha 2
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