1981 GTV2.0 popped my cherrie

[Nate Dog]

Wow,
Away a couple of days and come back to GOLD.
Dissecting pics now...
Went camping on the weekend, didn't get my work on my Alfa fix. Argh.

At the panel beaters getting rust cut out and sections resprayed. Hopefully won't break the bank.
Made an offer on a denso compressor and mireli (i think) alternator off a 156.
Good direction or am i barking up the wrong tree?

[Nate Dog]

MD

After careful study of your mount, i've come  to the conclusion that,
That is an engineering tour de force
Stretching the bounds of friendship i know, but i don't suppose you've got a rough template of that mount you've made do you?
Even a hand drawn sketch with rough dimensions would be a great starting point.

Think it's a fantastic idea to mount them on the same side, i'll definitely be stealing that idea

If not all good, worst case scenario i'll try and mock up something rough out of wood that i can take to a metal workshop and ask them to make for me out of Aluminium.


Regardless, I'm very grateful, was somewhat worried that this might be a very big ask.
Looks like it'll be fairly cut and dry.

[MD]

Couple of problems. One, I no longer own that car. Two, I made it up as I went along with trial and error- no nice tech drawings I am afraid.

Not all is lost.
Here are the basics:

The mount is a 6mm channel that fixes at the bottom where the alternator usually mounts.
The top fixes where the air-con. usually hangs off.
In between, projection tags hold the alternator and compressor in place.
The alternator uses from memory a 164 mount that enables a limited amount of movement to tension belt.
A separate  Jap tensioner is used to tension the alternator belt.

Some cautions:
Not just any compressor will do. You will note this one has rear connections. Otherwise the connections will foul the alternator above it.
If you use a different alternator with different mounts, you will need to make the appropriate changes to suit.

A timber dummy up is definitely the way to go. In my case I had the  bracket zinc plated but you could just paint it.

Do allow for a new condensor, new hoses and above all, try to install at least the heater box from a 75 together with it evaporator unit. Clean it all up first inside first and be sure the fan works.

Be warned this is a MAJOR undertaking and will require you to spend a lot more time and bucks than you anticipate.

Driveline, gear change and brake issues on the GTV pale into insignificant when trying to make a proper air conditioner for this car.

[Nate Dog]

Drive line, Clutch and brakes have all been a piece of piss.

This is the big daddy.
I intend to have it as a daily, of sorts anyway, but will need A/C.
Headlight upgrade too but again, that looks very straight forward for me to do.
Will only do headlight upgrade after this as alternator will change locations during this upgrade.

Hoses yep, will need to be re made. Heater box from a 75 will work better?
Wonder how easy that'll be to source :/
If i  go to the trouble of replacing the heater box/evaporator i'll rebuild it before it goes in. 0 point doing all that work for a crappy result.
Budget for aircon now stands at around $1500. (none spent yet but will start forking out soon)
I've got the Condensor from a donner GTV. Will that not do? Hoses too (in good condition).
Can understand the moisture unit and hoses being replaced, but why the condenser?

Looking at my list $1500 might not cut the mustard.

[Nate Dog]

OK.
75 heater box sourced and hopefully on the way.

[MD]

Nate Dog,

Appreciate your enthusiasm as I said before but it seems to me you are doing this at a break neck pace. You need to take a lot more quiet  suck it and see approach because a lot of this stuff is all custom fit and you need to work out just how to make it all come together.

For instance the way the 75 evaporator box and fans work is much better than the early Alfetta stuff. HOWEVER, it will need customisation to make it fit and work. Your centre console for a start is going to be an issue.

Take it one step at a time and you will get through it. I cannot stress that enough.

[Beatle]

Nate, ditto to everything MD has said (particularly the bit where he makes stuff up as he goes along............... )


For what it's worth, I'd be using a more common alternator than the 156.  From memory the E-series Falcon alternator is the same basic unit as used on the same series Commodores, so support and spares are readily and cheaply available.  Also, you can get the same alternator body (Bosch) with 120amp innards.

When I did an engine swap on a Landcruiser I found the factory NipponDenso compressor to be extremely versatile.  They basically come in about three different capacity core units which are physically different sizes (length), but the nose casting, pulley/magnets, and rear castings are all interswappable.   So once I'd made the brackets up, a trip to the wrecker got me a selection of rear casings with different hose connection orientations I mucked about with until I found a configuration that suited best. 

Consider access.  It's often possible to arrange things so you can disconnect the aircon comp and move it out of the way without needing to de-gas the system.  So make sure you think and design in four dimensions.

Belt wrap:  CRITICAL that the belt wraps sufficiently around the aircon pulley.  It's under significant load and will slip if the wrap is inadequate, particularly when wet.

[Nate Dog]

Thanks guys.
I do tend to leap ahead.
75 bits and pieces fell into my lap for next to nix (thx gumtree). Found one of you loons in NSW thats happy to sell me the heating unit for $50 so happy to drop that just to see how it goes
He's offering me all the other bits and pieces off his car, hence the Alfa 75 compatibility questions.
Nice enough guy and asking very little money so happy to spread the good Karma.
Good idea re using a more common alternator. A/C compressor i'll still need to look for. Probably want something off a newer car.
Biggest step forward for me is the mounting bracket. Once i can have something like that mocked up i can at least shift alternator, allowing other projects to proceed at their own pace (A/C, headlights, electrics, etc..)
I do leap ahead its true.. Full time job in IT means i spend the week planning and weekend trying to fit as much tool time in as i can. Between weekend work anyway. I'm also single right now but that never lasts long and when its gone i lose any free time i normally have Hence the manic rush to do as much as possible as quickly as i can.
Again, I really do appreciate the great advice and rapid responses.

[Nate Dog]

This weekends jobs will be fixing holes in exhaust and replacing huge muffler with something a little quieter as well as replacing radiator fan with something a little more modern and thinner, which brings me to my question...
How much current does the factory fan draw?
Am asking as im thinking of replacing it with 2 side by side and am wondering will i be overloading the existing loom?
The replacements look to draw around 6 amps a piece.
Thoughts?
Stupid?
Waste of time?
Will again post up pics before and after.

[Beatle]

I owned a stock Alfetta for years in Katherine NT, never had a cooling problem.  Likewise driving Sydney city in summer.  So unless you are running the car on the track, the factory setup or a similar fan should do fine if the rest of the cooling system is serviceable. 

An aftermarket fan would be well down my list of priorities on an Alfetta, but if you do go that route, heavier wiring would be prudent, particularly given the age of the OEM wiring.

Note that The airconditioned cars usually had an additional fan in front of the condensor.  Some would add circuitry to enable manual engagement of that fan, even with the A/C turned off.

I'm also not convinced that two smaller fans will give the same volumetric airflow, or cover the same area of the radiator face, as one larger fan.  If you truly want to increase the efficiency, put some effort into a properly shrouded rad and fan.  Shrouding ensures as much air as possible is drawn through the rad, that the air is drawn more evenly across the entire surface area of the rad, and minimises the recirculation of engine bay air through the fan (pure waste).

Get yourself a test meter (under $20.00). It'll come in handy. 

[MD]

Geez Paul. I am sure you went to the same reform school as me. 

Mr Barker.   Your combined original fans should not be pulling more than 18 amps .
With a bit of craftsmanship, it is possible to fit a single Commodore shrouded fan hard up against the fins. You should use some door cushion rubber fixed to the shroud edge so that the soft rubber takes up any minor irregularities. This will ensure that the fans pull air only through the radiator and no short circuiting occurs.

Try to fit your future air con. fan infront of the condensor using the same techniques.

[Nate Dog]

OK,
Exhaust done,
Centre muffler was leaking fumes, pipe was rusted through, above the transaxle, and previous owner put on this huge hotdog, 3".
Looked awful, revolting drone, and silly loud.

Labrose on Flinders street, Sydney, Taylor Square.
$800, Stainless steel, Cat back, very pretty.
Couldn't find any pics from before the change.

But here it is now.

[Nate Dog]

Some more

[Nate Dog]

Last muffler recessed a bit, previous one had been scraping...

[Beatle]

CAT BACK  !! !!    Wash your mouth out Nate.  Alfetta owners don't use such language....................