Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Very nice. '66 and '67 was a very good year just pre-emissions. I noticed they didn't use a heat riser on the air cleaner snorkel. Does it have a heat riser valve in the exhaust or would have one stock? What kind of carb do you run? I notice you add an A/C, I assume an after market one. I guess you need one of those in TX.
First year for heat-stove snorkels on Federal emissions cars was '68. That dual-snorkel aircleaner is actually off a '69 Newport that had a factory 383 Super Commando (it was a rare car to be found in a junkyard, but it was past saving and I grabbed a ton of factory hi-po parts off that one
) I'm not sure how they got away without heat stoves on it, but the hi-po packages seemed to not get them until the early 70s. Guess there were some exceptions allowed.
It does have a heat riser and manifold crossover- both disabled (butterfly cut off the riser inside the pass side exhaust manifold, crossover passage blocked with a FelPro blocker gasket). I'm running an Edelbrock Thunder Series carb (aka a new-production Carter AVS) with electric choke, which combined with Texas weather rarely getting below 20F lets me get away without the heat crossover just fine. The aluminum Mopar Performance intake helps too.
Its factory air car and I had the factory RV2 compressor on it up until about 3 years ago, working great on R-134a. My '69 Coronet still has an RV2 on R-134a. I gave serious thought to keeping it on the '66 but it does weigh a TON. Its also getting darn near impossible to find them in good condition and most rebuilds don't last more than a couple of years, so I put on a brand new Sanden. The mounting kit (and compressor) are from Classic Auto Air in Florida- great outfit. Vintage Aire in San Antonio is better known, but they're more into full AC systems for hotrods, whereas Classic Auto Air has bracket and hose kits for just changing an old compressor to a modern one while using all the original air ducts, evaporator, condensor, etc. that was already there.
I rebuilt this car to be a daily driver, and it is. I love the way muscle cars drive (call me crazy if you want, but I like to have my backside kicked hard when I mash the skinny pedal). This 4-door isn't collectible, so if a doofus on a cell phone in his BMW stuffs himself in my fenderwell its not the end of my world- which it would be if it were a real'68 Charger R/T, '67 GTX, etc. Its got everything to make it reliable and competent for modern traffic- big disk brakes, electronic ignition, modern AC compressor, sticky tires on 80s copcar rims, sway bars, bulletproof cooling system, big modern alternator, the works. Gas mileage still stinks, but I have a short (and fun!) commute ;-)
Sounds like a really nice set up. The dual snorkel is better than an open element for street IMO. I think the AVS is a great street carb, better than a Holley. With the heat riser blocked and an AVS I bet that 440 really moves. 'vealso heard Sanden A/C compressor were one of the best. I was just curious if you were using POE or PAG compressor oil with th R134a? Sounds like you know your classic cars.
In regard to the classic Green anti-freeze both Peak and Zerex still sell it. It is low silicate but about what silicates is in G-05. I prefer the Zerex Green. I have no use for Prestone any more, they don't even have Green or G-05 that I know of, just Dexclone. But G-05 is fine for older cars and as a bonus longer life. I also agree with you that Asian is good but I think it's more geared toward all aluminum or bi-metal engines than all iron like Green and G-05 is.
