[TN68GTO]

#1 After searching the shop manual and restoration guide I was unable to find a detailed picture/insturctions on the bracket placement and where to bolt to the engine. Does anyone have a picture of where the compressor bolts to the engine with all of the brackets?

#2 What is the correct finish on the fan for a 1968 A/C fan?

[dataway]

Fan is satin black, about the same as the pulleys.

69 Assembly manual may be the best source for good photos of the mount and brackets. Although ..... might be different than a 68? I've got a 68 .... think they might have changed the compressor mount for 69 to make the plug easier to get to.

[dataway]

This might help get you started.

[TN68GTO]

Thanks. That does help. Makes me think I have some brackets that are wrong.

On the bracket that bolts to the intake, is there a spacer on the rear where it bolts to the manifold?

Does the A/C bolt kit from Ames come with all of the correct spacers and bolts? I know some of the bolts I've purchased from Ames, I assume they get their supply from AMK, isn't always 100% accurate looking.

[Greg Reid]

You do know that the lower A/C compressor bracket is held on by two head bolts? It's the one that makes the #2 spark plug a pain to get to with a straight socket/ratchet.

[TN68GTO]

Yes I do know that. Are those bolts supposed to be engine color or have a different finish on them? All of my brackets were in a box when I bought them with the compressor and everything. I don't think I have any of the correct bolts and there was a bracket attatched to the front of the compressor that looks like it attatches to the front two intake manifold bolts. Not sure if that is correct or not. I do have the big aluminum bracket that attatches to the head and the "V" shaped bracket that attatches to the back and to the manifild and the bracket for the underside that attatches to the block.

Just trying to get good pictures of all of that stuff so I can start putting the AC stuff on the engine before the fenders go on.

[dataway]

Let me go check my Assembly manual and see if 69 is the same.

[dataway]

Here is what I have.

One image from the 69 Assembly manual

One imagine from parts catalog for 1970 AC mounting.

Lower mount was changed from 68, no longer connects to cylinder head bolts. Upper mount to intake has changed. Front mount (big aluminum piece) looks the same, but I can't be sure.

Page 452 of the Restoration Guide has a good picture of the 69 compressor mounting ... but again, no 68.

Since there is no 68 Assembly manual, you (we) might have to find someone with an older parts book (other than the commonly available 65-75 version) that shows a illustration of the 68 compressor mounting. I could use this info also as I have yet to install the AC components.

I can email you either one of these imagines in a larger format, not sure how to post the larger version here. However they don't really offer any more helpful info than is found on page 452 of the Restoration Guide.

[Greg Reid]

Yes, they did away with that crazy bracket held on by the head bolts. It still bolts to the head but the bolts are threaded into a couple of bosses.
Back in the early 80s I had a '68 GTO and I told a friend of mine that the A/C compressor bracket was held on by head bolts. He told me that I didn't know what I was talking about. No way they would design it like that...until I showed him the bracket.
If I were putting the A/C back on my present car, I'd use the '69 bracket. The bosses are already there and tapped on the '68 heads. In fact, I think the '67 and '68 Firebird used the later bracket. Can't figure that one out.

[Bruce Meyer]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Yes, they did away with that crazy bracket held on by the head bolts. It still bolts to the head but the bolts are threaded into a couple of bosses.
Back in the early 80s I had a '68 GTO and I told a friend of mine that the A/C compressor bracket was held on by head bolts. He told me that I didn't know what I was talking about. No way they would design it like that...until I showed him the bracket.
If I were putting the A/C back on my present car, I'd use the '69 bracket. The bosses are already there and tapped on the '68 heads. In fact, I think the '67 and '68 Firebird used the later bracket. Can't figure that one out.

I know 68 firebirds used the bracket that uses head bolts. Also if the 67 had a 400 the 670 heads have no bosses for the later mount.

[dataway]

I've wondered about using the 69 bracket on my 68 for ease of maintenance .... anyone know if they are totally interchangeable? I mean could I use that bracket and all the other 68 stuff? I know they beefed up the intake manifold bracket on the 69 models ... probably to compensate for the weaker lower mount. And yep, my heads have the holes there and already tapped.

Again .... if anyone reading this has a parts illustration for the 68 compressor mount I could use that along with the OP.

[Verdoro 68]

I swapped to a '69 bracket on my '68 and used the rest of the '68 brackets. No issues at all.

[dataway]

I might have to look into that .... that plug is a b*tch with the 68 mount. It's a restoration ...but the bracket is so hard to see that it probably wouldn't matter.

I assume I'd have to swap out those two head bolts with shorter 69 head bolts?

[Greg Reid]

Yes dataway, you'd have to swap the shorter bolts in. I did that with mine because I was dumping the A/C altogether and I always hated that bracket.

Originally Posted by Bruce Meyer

I know 68 firebirds used the bracket that uses head bolts. Also if the 67 had a 400 the 670 heads have no bosses for the later mount.

Ok, that explains that the diagram I once saw of what was supposed to be for a '68 Firebird was probably a '69.

[TN68GTO]

I'll try to post some pictures that I was able to take when I got the brackets mocked up on another engine. I'm just not sure I have all of the correct things. Trying to make this a factory correct build, this is my first complete restoration.

[kk68]

Here’s some pics of my A/C setup with all original 68 brackets. I painted the 2 head bolts for compressor bracket black. Fan is painted satin black with natural aluminum fan blades and attaching rivets. Still need to attach hoses and Harrison label on compressor. Alternator is aftermarket replacement.

[TN68GTO]

From the pictures I'm guessing that I have a 1969 lower bracket?

[Scott Thelander]

69 n up heads .... the bracket bolts to the head

see the bosses sticking off the head by the right 2 headbolts...

picture is from my archive ... and is a single 48 head I have ...

they DO NOT use the head bolt any more 69 n newer

scott

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by TN68GTO

From the pictures I'm guessing that I have a 1969 lower bracket?

I would say yes, '69 at the earliest.

[TN68GTO]

So I've concluded that my bottom compressor bracket is from a 69. If anyone has a correct 68 bottom bracket I'd be interested.

I'm attatching a pic of the mock up that I had for my brackets. There was a bracket that attatches to the front of the compressor that attatches to the front 2 passenger side intake bolts. Is this correct for a '68? I'm thinking not because I haven't seen a 68 with one of them.

Next question, I bought a reproduction dipstick and dipstick tube for A/C from Ames but can't figure out how the top extension attatches. The '69 and '70 tubes are different and I can't find a picture that clearly shows the how the extension attatches or where it attatches.