Serpentine belt swap

[smills78gmc]

Which car at JY to rob for bracket to swap to single belt. I heard late 80s camaro??? Is this right? Are there any others?

[ElGracho]

I used a setup from a 91 Buick roadmaster with a TBI 305. It's the setup as what GM Performance Parts sells for like $800. I paid about $100 plus $100 for shipping. First off, it's a great swap. It may not look the best, but it looks at least as good as the factory setup. The best part is no more replacing alternator belts all the time and to fix any one component all you have to do is remove the belt and that one part.

Also those full size late-eighties/early 90s cars are usully not as stripped in the yards as pickups or f bodies...

[jdmaffeo]

I got one off of a 92 Firebird and installed it onto my 1984 305 stepside. I got all the accessories, brackets, studs, pulleys, a/c condenser, a/c lines, p/s lines, nutts and bolts. The install was pretty straight forward. I installed a new water pump just to be safe. I had to drill and tap one hole into the passenger side head on the front to mount the aluminum bracket properly. I deleted the smog pump. The a/c lines even work from the firebird on the truck condenser. I used a smaller serpentine belt from Gates #K060966 since I deleted the smog pump. If you find a doner car/truck make sure to get all of the mounting studs and braces out of the doner car/truck. Since I have headers I had to drill out the mounting braces that mount to the original manifolds to get a better alignment. Here is a picture of where I am currently at with this project. This setup uses a different alternator than what came on our trucks. I am currently wiring everything up. Once I get that done I'll post up how to do that the right way.

[gchemist]

Use a setup from a 93-95 Chevy Pickup. The truck brackets have the smog pump option cut off.

[72jimmy]

hey jdmaffeo, did you ever get the alternator wired? I'm working on this today and need the info! I already did the swap to an internal voltage regulator so I'm guessing the hard part is done and I just need to splice in the connector....

[72jimmy]

ok well a quick search netted a lot of information... first in the FAQ section of this board and then the link listed in that FAQ

[piecesparts]

The update of MOST, is the use of the brackets from a 88 through 92 Camaro or Firebird. This allows the room around the intake to allow for any air tubes for TPI installs. The Truck brackets work also, but the alternator and A/C set rteal close together at the top of the mtor, do decide what you want to do in the future and use the appropriate brackets. I am putting the camaro brackets on my 91 chevy so I can install the Vette tuned port that I have.

[Russell]

I found a set of Vette / Camaro brackets on a late 80s 305 powered 4 door car of some sort. Fit perfectly, esspecially since I am running tuned port!

[jdmaffeo]

Hey 72Jimmy. Yes I did get it all wired. I did this swap the same time that I put in a Tach gauge cluster. There were quite a few changes that I had to make to complete the swap. There are only 2 wires that you use to hook the alt up. The large wire just loops done to the post on the back side which is also where the same wire hooks up from the old alternator. Then I'll have to look when I get back in town this weekend, but I think it was the 2nd wire from the larger on that was hooked up from a 12-Volt ignition only source. This wire "excites" the alternator. Without it being hooked up it won't charge. If it isn't hooked up to a 12-Volt ignition only then the truck might not shut off. I'll look at it this weekend and let you know.

[CN84C10]

so with the compressor on the other side of the engine, will an A/C hose setup from the Newer pickup fit? as long as it was a TBI setup, they were the same from 88 to 95 right?

[jdmaffeo]

All of the hoses from the 92 firebird hooked right up. I have not charged the system to verify that everything works as it should yet because I am getting readt to take the clip off and blast it. Here is a different view showing how the lines are a lot cleaner looking.