A/C on 1979 Camaro w/Buick 350

[bnations]

I just got a 1979 Camaro with a Buick 350 in it and it is missing most of the A/C Components. I am trying to figure out a starting place, do I need to hunt down the 79 camaro ac parts or the buick ac parts. The guys I bought it from told me when they replaced the 305 engine with the new 350 the brackets didn't fit the the old A/C compressor so they just left all the lines and stuff off. It would also help if I had a diagram of how the A/C is supposed to be hooked up.

Can someone help me get started with this project?

Thanks

[oldblu65]

Are you sure it's a Buick engine ?

[MagicRat]

Originally Posted by oldblu65

Are you sure it's a Buick engine ?

I would agree.

Up until the late 1970's, all GM divisions designed and manufactured their own engines. This can be confusing to people who are new to classic GM cars because often the engines had the same displacement and configuration, but were quite different with no interchangeability of parts.

IMO the 350 V8 engines are the most confusing because Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Pontiac and Buick all made 350 V8's, but all were quite different and were generally not interchangeable.

However, emissions regs changed this in the late '70's. Engines were no longer unique to their divisions. Therefore, some Buicks came with Chevrolet V8 engines, which is different than a Buick engine.

So, even if your 350 engine came from a Buick, it's likely it's a Chevrolet engine design. Can you post a pic of it and we can tell you?

[oldblu65]

bnations , on the rear of the block ( right below the head ) on the drivers side ,will be a flat place with numbers stamped into it . Take those numbers to www.mortec.com . There are numerous lists there showing engine codes for SBC and BBC engines . See if your numbers are on any of these lists ? If so , you'll know the size and history of the original use of that particular engine . Do the valve covers say Buick and can you describe their characteristics ? Do you have a friend that has a Chevrolet with a V-8 so you can compare the engines appearance wise ? Let us know what you find out !