hello Rob and All,
I think I bought that car from the inheritance estate of the gentleman who owned the car from original and originally purchased the car as an R1 from a dealership in Santa Monica, Ca. while he was stationed in California while in the Air Force.. I have the original documentation of the purchase of the R3 crate engine less the Alternator and starter. Even the shipping order. And indeed, the crate engine was ordered without the Supercharger from the Granatelli Bros. (It was ordered and delivered in 1967 and all information and correspondence seems to support the R3 was never installed until about 1990). A less aggressive Cam was supplied or reground by Isky from what I can tell from the old correspondence. Long story, I heard about the car while I was working Fly in, Fly Out doing project management on a remote mine site in Australia. I ended up flying out and buying it in White Feather, Idaho. and had to get it transported to Georgia.
The car moving company broke the key off in the ignition while backing it out of the car carrier and while trying to get the broken key out shorted out half the electrics for the gauges under the dash.
The original DIY A/C mounting bracket on the R3 engine was a little bit lacking in robustness and I took it off because it was basically broken and non-functional.
I was a novice in regards to the unique differences between the R1, R2, R3 and R4 set ups. I have also been continuously reminded by the rareness of parts. Obviously there was never a stock R3 with supercharger and A/C. Although, I keep hearing about someone's cousin twice removed that has successfully done it but I have been unsuccessful in locating said cousin. But I can never locate that mythical person or company who has built or will build a mounting bracket for a supercharger and pully set up. to mount an A/C and Supercharger to an R3 that never had a Supercharger that replaced an R1.
I came across this thread while trying to research a source of parts or providers of advice. I have also been kind of surprised by the rather sarcastic rudeness of some of the "experts". When I call inquiring about the availability of R3 specific parts from some of the suppliers, I am inevitably laughed at and told that I do not have an R3 engine or do not know the difference. (I won't mention names but I'm surprised that their attitudes towards customers allow them to stay in business). 18 months ago, that was probably true when I first got the car, however the learning curve has been steep. When I provide block and casting numbers as well as the original order sheet- silence ensues, but never an apology for initially (in one very memorable discussion), acting like a jerk. Nor do I seem to get anything useful in regards to information.
I am guilty of looking at the R3 as a real mythical item of history in a way and would love to pit it together in its glory with a supercharger set up but fabricating the required parts from scratch is beyond my ability. I am at a point where I have to make a decision to just on sell the car or selling off the engine. and maybe go with an aftermarket LS engine which seems to be a relatively popular swap. Frustratingly, I get plenty of interest in buying the R3 engine once it is established it is a real R3 and less than 10,000 miles on it.
I came across this thread by accident and notice that it is relatively recent -2022.
Larry S.
