I am currently assembling the Y-Block for my son's 1954 Crestline and I want to add A/C to the car. I have purchased the required brackets from Vintage air, but I didn't want to buy their accessory pulley. I want to keep the engine looking as original as possible, so a machined aluminum pulley wasn't going to cut it. My question is; Do I need a two groove pulley or will a single groove work? Silly question, but I want to get it right the first time. Thanks!

On every street car, hot rods, etc I’ve seen with added air conditioning using a Sanden style compressor not using a serpentine belt have one single vee-belt. I would not have a concern at all. This compressor has the fittings in the side which helps in stay small. If I add air the compressor will go where the generator is now and use a mini-alternator.

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

My Classic Air a/c system runs the Sanden compressor, 90 amp alternator, and water pump off the stock front pulley. I was sure there wasn't enough wrap for both the compression and alternator, but even with everything on, neither of them slip. So I wouldn't worry about the single belt on just the compressor. Depending on how you set up the fan(s) for the condenser and radiator you might take a look at the generator or alternator output. My loads are high (EFI and electric fans), you turn the a/c on high with the headlights on and both fans running, it's a large load. I had to double the alternator output wiring to the battery in size.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

Regarding the alternator aspect of the conversion, the alternator needs a pulley ratio of about 3:1 (crank:alternator).  With a stock Y, this is impossible but it is pretty close with a alternator pulley of about 2 3/8" diameter and that is about the smallest you want to go, with a V-belt.


Lawrenceville, GA

Ok, single groove it is! Thanks for the help all!

Matt, if you have the time you can look through my build on hotrodreverend.com. It is a 55 but certainly Y block. The first post concerning AC (and the original extra crank pulley I purchased) is right here: https://www.hotrodreverend.com/post/2017/09/30/55-ford-fairlane-restoration-blog-part-18

Daniel Jessup

Loveland, Ohio

aka "The Hot Rod Reverend"
check out the 1955 Ford Fairlane build at www.hotrodreverend.com

Excellent write up Reverend! I'm going to have to "binge read" your whole blog at some point. It is very well done! Oh yeah, I'm Ron, my son is Matt. Lol! He's 8 and he bought the Crestline with his money. He saw it at a big junk sale and fell in love with it. He washed dishes, collected change and did anything he could to make a buck to buy the car. He negotiated the price himself as well. Got it for $500, but that's a whole other story!

Good story, getting the younger generation involved with classic cars is very important !!
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Mud Key Tim
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