Nostalgic Air Brackets and Turbo

[79Vette]

Hi,

Has anyone installed the Nostalgic Air A/C compressor brackets along with a 6.5 turbo swap? I have parts from a 6.5 TD in storage to install in the future, but they are out of state so I can't measure anything. I am in the middle of an A/C swap and am trying to decide between the Nostalgic Air bracket kit which locates the compressor on the passenger side below the 24v alternator, and a custom bracket setup that will locate it below the driver side alternator.

I am worried if I do the Nostalgic Air kit then the compressor might interfere with the turbo and/or downpipe. The custom bracket on the driver side will definitely work, but it will be a lot of effort and will probably require me to reroute the hard lines to the brake master cylinder.

Has anyone successfully done an AC install on a truck with a turbo and both alternators? If so, where did you mount the compressor? Most threads I have found start off with a 12v conversion, which I am not interested in.

 

[cucvrus]

 

[WWRD99]

Hi,

Has anyone installed the Nostalgic Air A/C compressor brackets along with a 6.5 turbo swap? I have parts from a 6.5 TD in storage to install in the future, but they are out of state so I can't measure anything. I am in the middle of an A/C swap and am trying to decide between the Nostalgic Air bracket kit which locates the compressor on the passenger side below the 24v alternator, and a custom bracket setup that will locate it below the driver side alternator.

I am worried if I do the Nostalgic Air kit then the compressor might interfere with the turbo and/or downpipe. The custom bracket on the driver side will definitely work, but it will be a lot of effort and will probably require me to reroute the hard lines to the brake master cylinder.

Has anyone successfully done an AC install on a truck with a turbo and both alternators? If so, where did you mount the compressor? Most threads I have found start off with a 12v conversion, which I am not interested in.

The 200 amp setup has both alternators on the drivers side...I found that looking through the tm on the truck scouring for part numbers!!...you can see how the mounts work from that setup and then put the compressor on the drivers side by itself...I have no idea if the alts will interfere with the exhaust setup in the 6.5...sounds like something I'd like to do myself but I'll keep the 6.2l....I can try and find that page again that shows the different alternator locations...they are much bigger alternators though so I'd bet a big one some serious fab will need to be done to get the standard alts to fit in the brackets plus some custom made hoses for the ac as well but I think most of those kits have hoses you make yourself...the crank pulley for that setup is also a 4 rib and not a 3 like the 100 amp setup...I would not hook the belt to the small drive belt on the power steering pulley but the one that goes to the drivers side alternator...you don't want to lose the power steering pump ever!! brakes are important. Which cucv do you have?

 

[WWRD99]

Hi,

Has anyone installed the Nostalgic Air A/C compressor brackets along with a 6.5 turbo swap? I have parts from a 6.5 TD in storage to install in the future, but they are out of state so I can't measure anything. I am in the middle of an A/C swap and am trying to decide between the Nostalgic Air bracket kit which locates the compressor on the passenger side below the 24v alternator, and a custom bracket setup that will locate it below the driver side alternator.

I am worried if I do the Nostalgic Air kit then the compressor might interfere with the turbo and/or downpipe. The custom bracket on the driver side will definitely work, but it will be a lot of effort and will probably require me to reroute the hard lines to the brake master cylinder.

Has anyone successfully done an AC install on a truck with a turbo and both alternators? If so, where did you mount the compressor? Most threads I have found start off with a 12v conversion, which I am not interested in.

Found it...page 309 in the parts and illustration catalog...it shows all the part numbers you need to put the alts on the passenger side...if you can find them...finding gm brackets to fit the compressor on the passenger side should be able to be found or just make some...use the lower alt bracket and go from there...I am writing this assuming you can make stuff plus some wiring...because I don't see how you won't have to...the ac install is very simple once you can make everything mount up though...sounds like a winter project for me and my truck!!

 

[WWRD99]

Hi,

Has anyone installed the Nostalgic Air A/C compressor brackets along with a 6.5 turbo swap? I have parts from a 6.5 TD in storage to install in the future, but they are out of state so I can't measure anything. I am in the middle of an A/C swap and am trying to decide between the Nostalgic Air bracket kit which locates the compressor on the passenger side below the 24v alternator, and a custom bracket setup that will locate it below the driver side alternator.

I am worried if I do the Nostalgic Air kit then the compressor might interfere with the turbo and/or downpipe. The custom bracket on the driver side will definitely work, but it will be a lot of effort and will probably require me to reroute the hard lines to the brake master cylinder.

Has anyone successfully done an AC install on a truck with a turbo and both alternators? If so, where did you mount the compressor? Most threads I have found start off with a 12v conversion, which I am not interested in.

Found one more pic on page 301 that shows the ac compressor on the drivers side...one note as well they have different power steering and water pump pulleys to do the 2 belt drive to the ac compressor...I am not sure how that would work since I know the compressor you'd get from Nostalgia will not a an old r12 a4 compressor so that will be a challenge as to what pulley it comes with as well as the speed at which it needs to turn to make the right pressures...pulley size for the compressor is what I am getting at...I think you could get away with the 4 groove pulley on the crank and run a single to the compressor as the old ones took a lot more to turn vs the new ones...I'd also look into a slosh type compressor, if they have one, as it will have less drag and need less belt tensioning when in use...they would be more expensive and take more computer to get that to work but would be worth it...I can think of about 20 cars I'd pull one from if I could get a controller to work it...yes I am planning this in my head right now.

 

[Skinny]

I doubt the turbo will be happy with the big honking J180 mount alternators. Thats the M1010 setup. Thats the best way to get AC whether 12 or 24v.

This is opinion but I would go 12v and use the 6.5 setup. It works with the turbo. The alternator is a newer style, yiu get a Sanden style compressor, and serpentine is definitely an upgrade.

But if you want to stay 24v you would need a 144 style 24v alternator which I'm sure is not easy to find. Plus you would need a DC to DC converter for the 12v stuff.

Sent from my SM-T380 using Tapatalk

 

[Barrman]

I have the Nostalgia Air compressor mount on one of my trucks. I have a few GM turbo set ups to look at as well. I don’t see the trouble with putting the Nostalgia air compressor on a truck with a GM turbo. After all, GM put a Sanden type compressor on the turbo side of the engine after 1998 or so. It was up high in the cluttered area where a CUCV alternator lives. Not down low in the wide open area around the fuel pump like the Nostalgia mount. I don’t see how it would work with a Banks Sidewinder though.

 

[Skinny]

I was thinking of the Sidewinder. The factory turbo manifold puts the turbo more in the middle of the cylinder head right?

Sent from my SM-T380 using Tapatalk

 

[Barrman]

Factory is more in the middle and up high. Attached is a picture of my serpentine belt Sanden compressor mounted where the CUCV alternator would be with the Banks turbo visible below it and away from the engine some. I had a belt driven vacuum pump there for a while with no clearance issues. I will try to find a picture of how far out the Nostalgia air brackets put the compressor too.

Here is a really tight shot of the Nostalgia air mount waaaay outside of the CUCV alternator and beyond the lower radiator hose on my M1009. Basically, I don't think a Banks turbo and a Nostalga air compressor can go on the same truck:

 

[Sharecropper]

First of all, Nostalgic purchases the brackets for the A/C compressor from a small mom & pop machine shop in Ft. Worth Texas. I explained all this in post #301 in my rebuild thread https://www.steelsoldiers.com/threads/kinda-got-carried-away-m1028-rebuild.54469/post-2224882 . The other choice for A/C in a CUCV is Vintage Air. There are several differences between the Nostalgic and Vintage kits. The Nostalgic kit adds A/C to the existing heater/defroster system, however the Vintage kit completely replaces the OEM heater/defroster system. For my M1028 rebuild, I purchased the compressor brackets from the Ft. Worth machine shop and then purchased the Vintage kit from Summit.

Hope this helps.

 

[79Vette]

If anyone is interested, this is how I ended up building the setup. I put the compressor on the driver side with a custom bracket off the alternator. This retains the factory 24 volt system, avoids my electric air compressors already installed on the driver side, and leave the entire passenger side open for the 6.5 turbo install.

I've got about a thousand miles on my Vintage Air system now and I'm very satisfied with it. I'd be happy to help answer any questions anyone doing a similar swap might have.

 

[Skinny]

Nice Nice

Engine top end work will be a pain either requiring compressor to be pulled and flopped over or line removal. Just something to think about.

Nothing better then sitting in a boiling hot CUCV middle of July with your leg melting to the school bus leather seat cover. But the AC is blowing ice cubes...oh yeah...

 

[WWRD99]

If anyone is interested, this is how I ended up building the setup. I put the compressor on the driver side with a custom bracket off the alternator. This retains the fact we 24 volt system, avoids my electric air compressors already installed on the driver side, and leave the entire passenger side open for the 6.5 turbo install.

I've got about a thousand miles on my Vintage Air system now and I'm very satisfied with it. I'd be happy to help answer any questions anyone doing a similar swap might have.

That's excellent!! I see a 4th groove on the water pump pulley...did you add one on the end or get another pulley and also add one on the crank too? Did you make another one of those brackets or have a diagram on how to make it? I got 2 of these that I need to get ac in. I assume the compressor you have is from vintage air.

 

[Sharecropper]

If anyone is interested, this is how I ended up building the setup. I put the compressor on the driver side with a custom bracket off the alternator. This retains the fact we 24 volt system, avoids my electric air compressors already installed on the driver side, and leave the entire passenger side open for the 6.5 turbo install.

I've got about a thousand miles on my Vintage Air system now and I'm very satisfied with it. I'd be happy to help answer any questions anyone doing a similar swap might have.

Its ironic you posted after my post of last October, as I am about to pull my crankshaft pulley off and replace it with the crank pulley for the Bullet Supercharger. I plan to send my AC compressor back to Sanden and have them replace its v-belt pulley with a 6-rib pulley so it can be powered by the Supercharger belt.

I never was satisfied with the AC bracket design anyway, so I am glad that I am about to redesign the pulley system. As reported in post #301 in my rebuild thread, https://www.steelsoldiers.com/threads/kinda-got-carried-away-m1028-rebuild.54469/post-2224882 Nostalgic Air obtained the AC brackets from a small machine shop in Texas. I'm not sure the place is still in business. Regardless, if you decide to go the same way as I had previously, you should know that there are several alignment issues with the bracket set. Just my 2 cents.

 

[79Vette]

That's excellent!! I see a 4th groove on the water pump pulley...did you add one on the end or get another pulley and also add one on the crank too? Did you make another one of those brackets or have a diagram on how to make it? I got 2 of these that I need to get ac in. I assume the compressor you have is from vintage air.

My pulley info is here. I used a full set off a HMMWV (crank, water pump, power steering) to get the 4th groove. That thread has a link to a write up with pulley part numbers and such, but let me know if you have any other questions. The AC swap is definitely worth the effort and cost.

Crankshaft pulley options for 6.2 diesel

I'm getting ready to add AC to my m1009, and figuring out where to mount the compressor. I will be keeping the 24v charging system and adding a 6.5 turbo in the future, so the plan is to build a bracket to hang the compressor under the driver side alternator. I had been planning to use the four...

www.steelsoldiers.com

I only made one bracket, but I can take more photos if you'd like to copy it. The compressor is a regular Sanden compressor, but it was provided by vintage air.

Nice Nice

Engine top end work will be a pain either requiring compressor to be pulled and flopped over or line removal. Just something to think about.

Yeah. It's going to suck and I knew that before I started. With my electric air compressors (big green things on the driver side) and the AC compressor both in the way, even checking the oil is a pain. It's possible to get to all 8 glow plugs still but it is not easy. I guess that's the price I pay for adding all there capabilities to the vehicle. But with all the desert off roading I do, having compressed air and AC is essentially mandatory.

 

[Skinny]

Yeah. It's going to suck and I knew that before I started. With my electric air compressors (big green things on the driver side) and the AC compressor both in the way, even checking the oil is a pain. It's possible to get to all 8 glow plugs still but it is not easy. I guess that's the price I pay for adding all there capabilities to the vehicle. But with all the desert off roading I do, having compressed air and AC is essentially mandatory.

I know the price we pay! The AC and overdrive have been the best mods to my CUCV. Love cruising at 80mph with the AC on. Well flat ground anyway

Look on the bright side...it's still easier then working on new vehicles even with all that extra stuff in the way.

I have a backhoe wall mount evaporator in my can and I swear you could use the truck as a meat locker if you wanted to.

 

[79Vette]

I know the price we pay! The AC and overdrive have been the best mods to my CUCV. Love cruising at 80mph with the AC on. Well flat ground anyway

Look on the bright side...it's still easier then working on new vehicles even with all that extra stuff in the way.

I have a backhoe wall mount evaporator in my can and I swear you could use the truck as a meat locker if you wanted to.

What overdrive do you have?

I have an SM465 I swapped in along with an Advanced Adapters Ranger overdrive unit. It's a 2 speed manual transmission that goes in front of the sm465 4 speed and allows splitting each gear. The "8 speed manual" is a blast to drive, and cruising 80 on the highway with AC (and now soundproofing!) is pretty great.

It's definitely not an original CUCV, and I doubt many on here would approve. But this truck had bad rust when I got it and probably should have gone to the scrapper anyway, so it doesn't bother me too much to make some mods to improve drivability.

 

[Skinny]

I went with a 4L80. I was dreading the tall ratio splits of the NV4500 and was looking for what you have but they are discontinued and nowhere to be found used.

I imagine as far as a manual goes you have the best of all worlds. Super granny low, tall overdrive, and lots of gears in between. The NV4500 is close but I don't think very well suited to that trans. A 5.7 or 7.4 would be a better match.

Stock sucks...

My truck is infinitely better with the lift, crossover steering, overdrive, and AC. I like old school trucks that are dirt simple, easy to work on, etc. but everything can be improved with modern technology. Anyone that thinks modifying is bad clearly has never driven a truck with modern leaf springs or steering geometry that doesn't want to steer you into the ditch when braking hard.

 

[79Vette]

4l80 is a good trans for a CUCV. The splits in an the nv4500 with the super low first are similar to an sm465, and I agree they are poorly suited to a low RPM diesel. I have a truck with a 5.7 gas motor and a sm465 (no overdrive) and it's great, but that engine makes power out past 5000 rpm...

If I had to give up my current setup I would probably go with what you have, or possibly an sm465 with a gearvendors OD.


Sounds like you have a solid truck. Someday I need to do crossover steering, but I should probably get a D60 front first.

 

[Skinny]

4l80 is a good trans for a CUCV. The splits in an the nv4500 with the super low first are similar to an sm465, and I agree they are poorly suited to a low RPM diesel. I have a truck with a 5.7 gas motor and a sm465 (no overdrive) and it's great, but that engine makes power out past 5000 rpm...

If I had to give up my current setup I would probably go with what you have, or possibly an sm465 with a gearvendors OD.


Sounds like you have a solid truck. Someday I need to do crossover steering, but I should probably get a D60 front first.

I want to drive one with a 700R4. I know strength wise it's a downgrade but on paper it's great. Has good ratio spreads, low first, tall OD, lockup converter, and it's all hydraulic. For a CUCV that's a great match.

In my mind I always want the beef but in reality when is my CUCV going to be working harder then what a modern built 700R4 could handle? Probably not...

Good luck with the hunt. GM D60 axles have almost tripled by me. A matched set from a 1 ton CUCV is now going for $2500 to $3k.

I'm going to say something unconventional but if I was building a truck and wanted 1 ton gear I'd go Super Duty. Can get a set in either leaf spring or coil flavor and down to 4.30 gears stock.

Front axle even though no hi steer is crossover from the factory as well. You are talking $300-600 maybe for a set in decent shape.