We ran across Robbie Freeman’s ’57 Ranchero at Chopit Kustom, not long after their doors opened, following the company’s move cross-country from Florida to California. The Ford was in the shop for the addition of air conditioning, but having a 460 Ford engine under the hood ought to make things difficult, with custom brackets required for the compressor at the very least, right?
Those Chopit boys start way earlier than us journo types; the hood and radiator had already been removed from the Ranchero before we arrived.
Well, wrong actually, as March Performance offers one of its Style Track serpentine kits for Ford 429ci and 460ci engines. While finding the space under the dash for an A/C unit is always a challenge, hanging the compressor off the engine and still having space for an alternator and power steering pump is just as much “fun”, especially when no mounting kit is available. March offers their kit with or without power steering bracketry, and provides a one-piece alternator and A/C compressor bracket that rigidly supports these two components. Three separate idlers ensure maximum belt to pulley contact area.
The Style Track comes complete with a 105-amp alternator, an alternator pulley with fan and nose cover, chromed A/C compressor and nose cover, a water pump with pulley and nose cover, a crank pulley, and the alternator and compressor bracket. Kits with power steering include a GM Type 2 remote power steering pump and the power steering pump pulley with nose cover. All the necessary hardware is included, along with a unique belt tensioning tool, and detailed instructions. The whole assembly is clear powdercoated too, meaning the shine won’t deteriorate and won’t need polishing. Chopit Kustom also ordered a new water pump from March Performance.
The belts, battery, and water hoses came off next.
With the new parts laid out on the bench, and the hood and radiator-less Ranchero waiting, we followed along as Gary “Chopit” Fioto and son, Nick, tackled the first part of the A/C install. Come back next month when we get inside the cab and under the dash to wrap things up with a Vintage Air Gen IV system.
