OK. Perhaps that will work for someone who wants to cobble thier existing bracket. It would take some "doing" to get things to fit right. If you have to move the attaching point forward, won't that put the A/C mounting holes out of whack? This isn't some simple bracket with all right angles. Here are some photos of what the stock single looks like. Anybody got pics of a dual quad bracket?
Here's a question. Are there 2 or 3 different rear brackets, 1 for the regular covers, one for the aluminum rocker covers with a single 4 carb and a 3rd for the aluminum rockers with the 2x4? I am showing in my 64 parts book gr 9.171 only 2 brackets, with and without the 2x4. I know I had a hard time trying to get the manifold bolt in on my bracket because it didn't quite want to line up. Larry
I don't know how many different variations there were of this bracket, but here is a photo of mine. The bend is actually about 1" to the right side of the valve cover bolt:
I say there were three brackets. I have an original AC bracket for the steel valve covers. I bought an original AC bracket for single 4 barrel aluminum valve covers from a board member. I have a cobbled dual quad AC bracket, so I say three. Again, I ask does anyone have a genuine dual quad AC bracket we can use as a template & reproduce them? Dan
i would also like to buy AC brackets (for 1X4BBL) because if have now the finned valve covers (but not installed yet). strange for me is that everytime i've had deals w RR i was satisfied. haven't had the chance to try any of his products yet for durability due to continued restoration issues w my rivi. he was also very honest when i had to return an original radio which did not work at all (possibly damaged during transport because of big stab-through hole in package). i am just like others wondering why he has such a bad image ... but who am i to ask as a new rivi owner since 2005 (lack of year long experience).
I am like Dan, I think there were actually 3 different ones from Buick, one for stock, one for cars ordered with a single 4 and the alluminum valve covers, and then one for the super cats.
My 64 book only shows 2, which makes me wonder if there is a difference between the one for a single 4 with the aluminum rocker covers vs the Super Wildcat with the dual quad and aluminum rockers. It also makes me wonder if there are in fact 3 different brackets if the one I have for my car is a dual quad bracket or a single quad bracket. Anybody with a 65 or 66 parts book? In 64 they are in Gr 9.171. Larry
OK, I can add to the confusion; this ought to make it clear as mud. o No: It lists one 2x4 bracket for '64, '65, and '66 (1367411) A '64/'65 single 4 bbl (1367410) A '66 single 4 (1372195) No mention of dress up option (aluminum valve covers). Parts manual is 1972 revision. Would they have consolidated part numbers to reduce inventory? {edit} Could you get aluminum valve covers on a single 4 bbl in '64/'65? Maybe only in '66, requiring the bracket with extra clearance. All Supercats (with the 2x4) would have had Al valve covers, right?
Let me clear this up for you guys....then we`ll watch the lurkers/budding entrepenuers start beating the bushes on Ebay... Larry, your `64 book only shows two brackets because the Al valve covers were always part of a dual quad package...so the Al valve cover bracket is also the dual quad bracket in `64. No single four barrel Al valve cover application in that year. In `66 Buick changed the single 4 standard valve cover bracket contour to also clear the taller Al valve covers....but as Joe has stated the single 4 mounting boss is an inch or so to the rear of the mounting hole on a factory dual quad manifold. So...take a standard `66 AC mounting bracket, heat and bend the manifold mounting leg forward an inch and dress the mounting hole (to compensate for shortening the manifold leg of the bracket when putting a forward bend into it). Voila!! I suspect we`ll soon see some "repro" dual quad brackets show up on Ebay. uzzled: Tom Mooney
hmm ... reading all the comments i think i have to decide whether to keep my A/C and the standard valve covers or install AL finned ones and skip my A/C ... just to avoid the ebay "tricksters" you mentioned on this board. skepsis / doubts rising and rising on some ebay things i bought.
I'll need to go and see the one on my car to see if it has the bend built in or if it looks like it was a 66 standard, though it cleared the Al covers. I remember when I was putting all the parts together for the conversion on my 64 way back when, the differences in intakes from 64 to 65/66 were either not commonly known or I didn't ever talk to the right people because I ahd to swap out the intakes to get the kickdown to work. A similiar problem may have occured with the air cond bracket. I did buy it from a reputable vendor and never really gave it a second thought. Are the part #'s stamped on the brackets anywhere? Larry
So now that this thread has gathered steam, back to my original question. What does it take to reproduce the super cat dual quad AC bracket? I am willing to do whatever it takes to get them reproduced.ray: Dan
You would have to make a die in order to punch them out of a steel plate in the correct shape. Or laser cut them. Then you would have to shape them.......I presume that was all done on a punch press. My dad used to make dies and run a punch press, but I know very little about the whole process. I would think that unless you have access to the machinery, which is very costly so I think this would be a very expensive proposition to do correctly. Would anybody be interested in brackets that would fit but not look original? I could fabricate some from iron stock. :idea2:
I have access to VERY large burn table and a Whitney (torch and plasma). This will burn the bracket out of a sheet of steel in 2 dimensions. It will also punch or burn the holes at the same time. I have access to a press brake. Basicly its a big hydraulic ram. The die is an inverse patern of the 3 dimensional object cut in half. When the two halves are pressed together, the plate is formed in the shape of the die. In some cases there may be multiple steps or series of bends and stages of dies. I think this one can be done in one press. I would need a sample- or even if I had a sketch with the correct dimensions-in which to create the AutoCad (or Inventor) drawing to make the 3 dimensional patern(s) and die(s). The forming itself is super quick and easy. Making the die correctly to hit the specified dimensions is a laborious and expensive process. The majority of the cost is invested in the tooling die (patern). Kind of makes me wonder what ever happened to the one (or perhaps more) in Flint Michigan...... It will cost thousands $$ to get all that done. How many would have to be made and sold to pay for itself and make it worthwhile? How much demand is there really? My guess is maybey 100 that could be sold- provided they could marketed, or perhaps through distribution chanels like TA Performance, etc. If someone can send me dimensions, or a sample, I will get a quote on the pattern. (OMG! What am I getting myself into?...):idea2: Erik
