Rotary a/c compressor clearance issues with alum intake

Every alum intake I can find says "will not clear rotary AC compressor on 79 up models. What exactly is the problem and can it be adapted to work? I have a 1985 318 with air conditioning and would like to put my pro-comp air gap intake on it and also keep my AC, am I SOL or is there a way to make this work?

I am looking at this to use with my Airgap.

http://www.bpeusa.com/BPE4732_BPE4733.asp

Thermostat location is the only issue I know of.

I have heard that as well, what exactly does than mean? What will prevent me from swapping intakes on a mid 80's Dodge truck with AC?

The ac is center and can't reside in the same spot the thermostat and upper radiator hose sit. Hence the Offset of them on the early 80s when the swapped compressor. The 70s pump didn't hang clear back like the newer style so center t-stat was fine

The only way you could use the rotary pump with the older centered thermostat & hose connection would be to make a very sharp 90 bend to the hose connection, change the location of the thermostat, and raise the ac pump (make custom brackets & longer belts, and possibly modify the AC hoses), to accommodate the higher pump needed to clear the hose/thermostat housing. Sounds like a bunch of fun to me. Gene

the edelbrock 318/340/360 performer intake has both t-stat bolt patterns.

the large centerd one for older LA a/c comp.

the smaller off-center one for the sanden rotory comp.

hence 2 sizes for t-stat housing and stats, they have different bolt spacing and stat sizes.

this intake is not much if anything more than a stock intake but alum. for weight savings.

this is the only intake I know of that adresses this a/c problem and will solve it. plus use the stock q-jet with stock linkage.

you would use the smaller metal t-stat housing from the late model LA engines.

Just noticed this older post about SB AC and performance intakes. I just picked up an Edelbrock Performer 318 intake for my '87 D100. I now see why you were going to sacrifice your AC for performance. I will follow this thread to see where it goes.
I have attached a picture of the manifold I got from Baxter61 courtesy of Triple Threat.

Quote:

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Just noticed this older post about SB AC and performance intakes. I just picked up an Edelbrock Performer 318 intake for my '87 D100. I now see why you were going to sacrifice your AC for performance. I will follow this thread to see where it goes.
I have attached a picture of the manifold I got from Baxter61 courtesy of Triple Threat.

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I ran this intake for yrs with a q-jet and a edelbrock carb.

same performance as a stock cast iron intake,the runners are 340/360 size but neck down to a 318 port size the last 1" of the port opening.

responds well to gasket matching or open up to a 360 head port with gasket matching.

the best intake I used was the LD4B intake on the 318. even with large port heads the LD4B was a big improvment over the performer.

as you can see on the performer the t-stat housing has the smaller one moved over for the sanden rotory comp. clearance.