Upper radiator hose clamp blocked by AC compressor on 68 Coronet

[mewise]

I can't get the radiator hose clamp to fit between the thermostat housing and the AC compressor. Were the Mopar engineers crazy enough to make it so you have to remove the AC compressor, which requires the pulley to come off to get at the bolts, and remove the front AC bracket bolts which drops the power steering pump and the alternator? Does anyone know of any tricks? I could cheapen out and just use a worm gear stainless steel clamp but that is not very authentic.

 

[mewise]

68 Super Bee 383, stock AC & PS

 

[WileE]

First... welcome to the site. For your inquiry, just use hose-clamp pliers for the corbin clamp. There is none of what you mention necessary.

 

[copper67sat]

I think the 68 brackets are the same as/similar to 67. It's a tight fit, but I am able to access it using hose clamp pliers as WileE mentions on my 67 383 w/ac & ps - the right tool makes a big difference here vs. regular pliers. One thing I see different in your pic is what looks like a mechanical water temp sensor coming out of the top of the pump housing - can't tell if that's getting in your way. I use an electric gauge with a sensor mounted in the factory location on the front of the housing so my housing just has a pipe plug there.

It also looks like there's some kind of bracket on the thermostat housing bolt. Not sure what that's for as mine doesn't have it. That may also restrict your access. If so, I'd try removing that bolt and bracket before I pulled the a/c brackets.

 

[R413]

The correct clamp plies make it easy. They have some with swivel ends, and I have a pair that go straight on or a 90 degrees and that would work with what you have there.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

I think the OP is having trouble installing the clamp not removing it. You can see the upper portion of the clamp hitting the bracket. So the correct clamp plies does not change the difficulty here...
If it were me, I'd try loosening the thermostat housing bolts (if you can get to the back bolt), removing the front bolt and swing the housing around a bit for added clearance. Or get out the grinder or dremel...

 

[mewise]

I apologize profusely. I didn't explain this problem very well. But everyone is so nice and helpful; this is a great forum.
The bottom of the AC compressor casting is very, very close to the upper lip of the thermostat housing tube. So tight that it doesn't even allow the corbin clamp to fit through the space. I put the car together wrong. I realize now I should have installed the upper radiator hose and then the AC compressor and the PS pump, etc. To remedy, I pulled the AC through-bolts and the AC top mounting bar bolt. This allowed me to tip the compressor forward just enough to slip that clamp down. I had to loosen, but not remove the PS pump pivot bolt. The picture here is with the AC compressor loose so the gap widened enough to get the clamp to fall on there. Now to slip the hose over and bring the clamp up from the bottom. Yes, having the right clamp pliers is essential.

Grinding the bottom of the AC compressor would be a good long term fix but I just got done painting the compressor and I don't have a good grinder. When that AC is all mounted up, the drivers side bolt of the thermostat housing is completely hidden. The thin bracket on the passenger side bolt of the thermostat housing is the spark plug wire loom.

 

[gtx6970]

AC cars do not use that spark plug wire bracket

 

[mewise]

AC cars do not use that spark plug wire bracket

I think you might be right. It looks like my thermostat housing is wrong, too. According to FBBO member, ChryslerKid, the AC cars had a water neck that was bent passenger side to avoid the interference with the bottom of the AC compressor

 

[eldubb440]

4 posts and 3 issues solved...... welcome

 

[R413]

Don't the 1968 and older A/C cars use a water neck that points to the passenger side not straight up? Here are a couple.

For 1969 they completely changed the A/C brackets and then used the straight up neck on all of them.