Hemi A/C??

[WingCharger]

Anyway, I was talking to an old mechanic I am friends with about old MoPars. He was a mechanic back in the 60's and 70's and vividly remembers working on muscle mopars back in the early 70's. (He was a Ford Guy...said Chrysler starters were too loud. )

What really made me confused was that he mentioned that one time he was doing something to a HEMI in a Super Bee (He Thinks That Was The Model.) He said that the thing had A/C! (He remembers because so few HEMI's existed around here back then.) I actually got into an argument about this. He knew HEMI's werent available with AC...but said he remembered asking the owner back in the day, and he said it was off a junkyard 383, and he had it installed by a custom shop.

I didnt think this was possible since HEMI's didnt leave enough room under the hood for any AC parts. Could this have been done? Anybody know?

[Daytona R/T SE]

 

[hemigeno]

The stock coil location would interfere, but that could always be moved (you couldn't keep the stock air cleaner if it was relocated to the topside of the intake manifold).  I am not 100% sure that the Chrysler A/C compressor would clear a stock Hemi intake.  It would have a better chance of clearing an M1 or other single-carb manifold.

In other words, you could retrofit A/C in a Hemicar if you really, really wanted to.  There's a nice-sized hole for an aftermarket A/C compressor if the mechanical fuel pump is eliminated.

IMHO, people don't drive hemicars for the creature comforts like air conditioning.  They are cold-natured, ill-tempered and hard-to-tune beasts.  I know this firsthand.  They are driven because of the historical race pedigree that these engines have, and in all-out race trim they are very tough to beat.  In street trim, they're out of their element - since the advantages of the Hemi head design don't kick in until the upper RPM range.  Unless someone is going with a modern fuel delivery system (EFI, etc.), adding an A/C compressor will only make the street characteristics of a IIGen Hemi engine worse than they already are.

[Todd Wilson]

Did it have a Dana 60 too?


Todd

[Brock Samson]

Bill Harrah of Casino Fame in Las Vegas had one done factory, i seen it in the museum, a '66 Plymouth Satt. he used to get several (if not dozens) of special optioned versions of most every car produced every year.
http://www.automuseum.org/exhibits.html
your friend probably worked on one but the a/c was probably added afterwards unless it was actually Bill H's car.

[Todd Wilson]

Bill Harrah of Casino Fame in Las Vegas had one done factory, i seen it in the museum, a '66 Plymouth Satt. he used to get several (if not dozens) of special optioned versions of most every car produced every year.
http://www.automuseum.org/exhibits.html
your friend probably worked on one but the a/c was probably added afterwards unless it was actually Bill H's car.

Years ago in a Mopar Mag there was a Hemi 300 with AC.  Cant find the mag now but it would have been an oddball for sure.


Todd

[WingCharger]

I highly doubt any person down here could have had the connections to had it done factory. I said the guy said it was just a 383 compressor on the HEMI, I was really just asking if a compressor would have fit custom. From what I have read, and the picture from Daytona R/T SE, it must have been possible. Thanks guys!

P.S.: New Question. What year did the Street HEMI's get hydraulic lifters? 1970?

[Ghoste]

Yes, 1970.

[bzabodyn]

I actually remember an article from a couple of years ago in a Mopar Mag (can't remember which one) that had a "how-to" on installing A/C in a shaker-hood 'Cuda... kinda-mind boggling, but it looked flawless when completed...

Have to go digging now...

BZ

[WingCharger]

I actually remember an article from a couple of years ago in a Mopar Mag (can't remember which one) that had a "how-to" on installing A/C in a shaker-hood 'Cuda... kinda-mind boggling, but it looked flawless when completed...

Have to go digging now...

BZ

PLEASE!!!!!! THAT SOUND AWESOME!!!

[Rolling_Thunder]

that article used a sanden compressor if i remeber correctly -

My hemi will have A/C         the joys of a 6.1