Engine cooling

["Douglas R. and Julia R. Harris" <dharris@domain.elided>]

    Having decided that I'd cover the basics before making an
improvement regarding my '77 Spider that runs a wee bit on the hot
side,  I decided to have my existing radiator flushed and rodded.  (Last
summer, I flushed the cooling system and installed a new 180 degree
thermostat; everything else checks out fine.)  The radiator work has
brought the temperature down in stop-and-go creeping on a hot day (we're
having August in April here in Virginia) from just under 212 degrees to
about 200.  At cruising speed, or under most any conditions on a cooler
day, it stays around 185 to 195.
    I'm thinking that part of the problem might be the air conditioning
condenser in front of the grill and the generally restrictive air flow
through the front of the Series 2a spider.  I still intend to replace
the mechanical fan with an electric puller fan, but that's for another
day.
    But all this has me wondering about the genesis of my car's air
conditioning and whether anyone can shed some light.  As far as I can
tell from available literature, all non-catalytic '77 Spiders (like
mine) had air pumps.  Mine doesn't.  With the air conditioner compressor
above and to the driver's side of the water pump, where would the air
pump go?  (I've read on the Digest that some Alfettas had the air pump
outboard of the SPICA pump, but I don't see how that could be on a
Spider.)  My exhaust manifold has plugs in the holes where I presume the
air pump would connect.  My guess is that the New Jersey dealer that
first sold the car, in the days of performance-minded denial when folks
still thought they could modify away emission controls, removed the air
pump and installed the air conditioning compressor.  (It does appear to
be an Alfa Romeo rig, and the car came with a boatload of literature,
including an Alfa booket on maintaining the air conditioning system,
when I bought it last Summer.)
    Does anyone have a Series 2a Spider with air conditioning?  If so,
does it show signs of the air pump having been removed to make room?
Oh, and does anyone have any other ideas on keeping the temp down
(again, I'm still planning on upgrading to an electric fan soon -- just
haven't decided on the details).

Doug
77 Spider
Richmond, Virginia

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