The killer heat wave we’ve had recently motivated me to consider installing air conditioning. At first glance, the easy way seems to install a 12 volt electric AC kit($600 on Amazon); but do they really work in the 90 degree heat? These electric units are claimed to have 20,000 BTU capacity which seems optimistic for a unit drawing 800 watts. Maybe the thing to do is put in a conventional motor driven compressor. So, I’ve been hunting for a 3 groove pulley. Several suppliers state that their pulleys are for later 60’s and 70’s models. Anyone out there know of a 3 Groover for a 57?
When I put AC in my 55 Olds, I had a very good local machinist cut a pulley up and weld one to the stock one.
Exactly what I was thinking. Buy a 2 groove pulley, cut off the front section, and weld it to my 2 groove original. Looks like the only way.
Used to mount A/C on a lot of odd ball equipment. Usually took a Chevy single groove pulley and had a local shop make an adapter that bolted on with the original pulley bolts in recessed holes and had the Chevy bolt pattern on the front to bolt the pulley onto. In other cases if by odd chance the diameters matched we just edge welded the single groove pulley onto the existing one.
Edge welding is what I’m thinking so now I need a Pontiac 7 3/8” diameter pulley to cut and weld to my 2 groove pulley.
A guy parting out 57 Pontiacs told me that Pontiac ran AC with a 2 groove pulley. I found an old photo of this setup. The rear belt is crank, water pump, and AC . The front belt is crank, power steering, and generator. Solves the problem cheaper and with less work. On another topic: How do I edit my profile and add a photo?
To add an avatar photo, click the banner above with the bust (third from right). Click 'personal details' I hope this helps.
It looks like the 57would have originally used a triple pulley, see pic of 57 with original AC below.
Since auto AC units pull 3-10 hp (factoid from my fallible memory) I'm pretty sure that electric one's specs are BS
The Jalopy Journal
