Seafoam65 Posted May 3, 2018 Share Posted May 3, 2018 (edited) I thought I would give everyone a heads up regarding the purchase of an A6 compressor for your early Rivieras. Although most people are not aware, you can still buy brand new ones........you don't have to settle for an oil slinging noisy remanufactured unit. If you look online you probably won't find any for sale, but they are still being manufactured by Alma Products. You can't buy them directly from Alma, but if you contact them they can get you in touch with a dealer who will sell you one. You can even buy one with the double pulley clutch hub that was used on the early Rivieras. I have these new compressors on my 65 Riviera and my 1970 Chevelle SS and they are fantastic.....quiet as a mouse and they don't sling oil out the front seal. They have updated internals that make them better than when GM's Harrison division was making them, but they still look the same on the outside. Until about 7 years ago, GM was selling new Alma A6 compressors, then they dropped them as obsolete. I found out I could still buy one when I called Alma Products on the phone to see if they could make me a new one. They informed me that they had never stopped making them, GM just stopped selling them. And people wonder why GM went bankrupt! GM was making about 300.00 off each one of these they sold but the bean counters decided it was too big a bother to sell them anymore! Edited May 3, 2018 by Seafoam65 (see edit history) 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
65VerdeGS Posted May 3, 2018 Share Posted May 3, 2018 Good info Winston! Who was the dealer you bought your Alma A6 compressor from? Can you share the approximate price? Thanks, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafoam65 Posted May 3, 2018 Author Share Posted May 3, 2018 (edited) I'm sorry, I have forgotten both of those tidbits of info as it has been a couple of years since I bought one for the Riviera. According to their website their phone number is 989-463-1151. Alma Products is located in Alma,Michigan. One of my customers bought a new compressor last September for his 74 Trans Am Super Duty by calling them after I gave him the number. They hooked him up with a dealer who had the compressor on his shelf. For some reason, none of their dealers advertise these compressors for sale online, which is why nobody knows they are available. Edited May 3, 2018 by Seafoam65 (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted May 3, 2018 Share Posted May 3, 2018 The companies have way too many MBA's sitting around working on ideas to make more money. Some of the changes......get rid of parts that don't meet a certain sales goal each year. Getting rid of a part may actually make them $$, No warehouse space for the part... that space can now be used for a part that makes more $$ than the old part. also remember each year GM, Ford, etc release new model cars with new part numbers. If they are selling 500K of a new model, they need warehouse space for those new parts, that make them more money. The good news, some of these old parts are being reproduced by small shops with less overhead and a lower selling price, and in this case it appears some updated engineering to make the part better. I am a very small example.......I make a replacement part for the Reatta headlights. The original part that failed was sell for $180 when GM dropped the part number. I found a Pontiac part that I could modify and replace the original. I also found GM supplier for the Pontiac part and got them to run a batch of new parts (GM had not purchased any in 10 years, so they were happy) I sell the replacement part for $45 Also some of you may have sent me power antenna for repair. GM sells some replacement power antenna but they are not Delco....but made to Delco specs in China so they are plug and play, but not the original quality. I don't have any new spare power antenna parts but have switched from the plastic cord that breaks to a steel cable. Now once fixed, your original Delco antenna will last a long time 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbinator Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 On 5/3/2018 at 1:47 PM, Seafoam65 said: I thought I would give everyone a heads up regarding the purchase of an A6 compressor for your early Rivieras. Although most people are not aware, you can still buy brand new ones........you don't have to settle for an oil slinging noisy remanufactured unit. If you look online you probably won't find any for sale, but they are still being manufactured by Alma Products. You can't buy them directly from Alma, but if you contact them they can get you in touch with a dealer who will sell you one. You can even buy one with the double pulley clutch hub that was used on the early Rivieras. I have these new compressors on my 65 Riviera and my 1970 Chevelle SS and they are fantastic.....quiet as a mouse and they don't sling oil out the front seal. They have updated internals that make them better than when GM's Harrison division was making them, but they still look the same on the outside. Until about 7 years ago, GM was selling new Alma A6 compressors, then they dropped them as obsolete. I found out I could still buy one when I called Alma Products on the phone to see if they could make me a new one. They informed me that they had never stopped making them, GM just stopped selling them. And people wonder why GM went bankrupt! GM was making about 300.00 off each one of these they sold but the bean counters decided it was too big a bother to sell them anymore! Blind Squirrel found an acorn. My friend new the NAPA dealer in Cockeysville Md. The NAPA dealer got Alma A6from a supplier in Texas.Imagine that. Red Riviera Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynaflash8 Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 (edited) On 5/3/2018 at 1:47 PM, Seafoam65 said: I thought I would give everyone a heads up regarding the purchase of an A6 compressor for your early Rivieras. Although most people are not aware, you can still buy brand new ones........you don't have to settle for an oil slinging noisy remanufactured unit. If you look online you probably won't find any for sale, but they are still being manufactured by Alma Products. You can't buy them directly from Alma, but if you contact them they can get you in touch with a dealer who will sell you one. You can even buy one with the double pulley clutch hub that was used on the early Rivieras. I have these new compressors on my 65 Riviera and my 1970 Chevelle SS and they are fantastic.....quiet as a mouse and they don't sling oil out the front seal. They have updated internals that make them better than when GM's Harrison division was making them, but they still look the same on the outside. Until about 7 years ago, GM was selling new Alma A6 compressors, then they dropped them as obsolete. I found out I could still buy one when I called Alma Products on the phone to see if they could make me a new one. They informed me that they had never stopped making them, GM just stopped selling them. And people wonder why GM went bankrupt! GM was making about 300.00 off each one of these they sold but the bean counters decided it was too big a bother to sell them anymore! So, why didn't you include the contact information for Alma Products. Does one just go to www.almaproducts.com ? I am going to try that, but it could be right here. I did just find them at that website, and wrote asking where my mechanic or myself could get one. We have a restored 1971 Riviera with a rattly A6 in it. Edited June 8, 2018 by Dynaflash8 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafoam65 Posted June 8, 2018 Author Share Posted June 8, 2018 (edited) I dug up my info on buying these after some searching. You can buy new Alma A6 compressors from: Air Parts in Ocala Florida Their phone number is 352-509-3281 Edited June 8, 2018 by Seafoam65 (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PWB Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 (edited) Bring your Riv’ by me here in Ocala and we’ll get her done. We have the NPD and Garlets auto museums too. Well over a thousand vehicles between the two. Paul Edited June 8, 2018 by PWB (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 If only they made the A5... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynaflash8 Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 11 hours ago, Seafoam65 said: I dug up my info on buying these after some searching. You can buy new Alma A6 compressors from: Air Parts in Ocala Florida Their phone number is 352-509-3281 Man, that's great news. I'd love to get rid of "Old Rattler". It works, doesn't throw oil, but sounds like a diesel. A couple guys are sniffing around my wife's Riviera. They're tempting us. If that doesn't go anywhere in the next week I'm going to contact Air Parts. Thanks, BCA #55 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynaflash8 Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 6 hours ago, PWB said: Bring your Riv’ by me here in Ocala and we’ll get her done. We have the NPD and Garlets auto museums too. Well over a thousand vehicles between the two. Paul I'm in Sebring. It's 123 miles up there to the rest stop at Garlets'. Give me your directions at suzybelle39baby@aol.com. Thanks, BCA #55 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBK Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 You can buy new ones for good prices there Rockauto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seafoam65 Posted June 11, 2018 Author Share Posted June 11, 2018 On 6/9/2018 at 3:54 AM, BBK said: You can buy new ones for good prices there Rockauto Rock Auto is selling reman compressors, not new Alma compressors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul K. Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 Have an Alma on my 78 Bentley. It’s the recommended replacement in the Rolls & Bentley arena. Good unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynaflash8 Posted June 14, 2018 Share Posted June 14, 2018 I was going to buy one, I got to talking to a couple of guys on this thread, and ended up reluctantly selling the car to one of them. I had really wanted to sell my 1964 Wildcat, but I'm still stalled getting it out of the backyard paint shop I made the mistake of putting it in. Guy does a good job but a the speed of a turtle. Anyway, we had owned a 1971 Riviera Boattail continuously since 1977. I'll bet we'll miss her, but nothing is forever (well, maybe the blue car to the left is forever for me personally-ha). Good luck to the new owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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