New pulleys for smallblock rebuild

[fc3]

Any Ideas where I can find the right size pulleys for my 383 rebuild? Chrome or Billet aluminum. 1972 Vert. Fred :confused

 

[WayneLBurnham]

Performance Automotive Wharehouse

PAW, as well as Summit and JEG's has a good selection of these.

PAW gives a good description of each, including many in the March Performance line. You might also call March directly, but a set of those is just under $300.

Sometimes they tell you what belt they expect to need to be used, but from the only one I've done so far - a Moroso increased diameter alternator to save this newest alternator from my excessive high RPM use - it takes a little hunting and pecking around a tape measure of the actual path of the belt.

While the aluminum saves a tiny bit of weight and I suppose some rotational stress because of that (I have to reason that out, since the pulley is under constant lop-sided force from the belt anyhow), the chrome plated steel ones are a LOT cheaper in the PAW book.

 

[Scott81]

Fred,

March seels an underdrive pulley set specifically for 71-72(?)-82 Corvette, it's close to 300 big ones and contains the crank, WP, and ALT. Another good place for billet pulleys is Street & Performance where I bought my PS pulley. The billet stuff looks great but it's not cheap.

 

[topless82vette]

fc3

saw these on ebay possibly they will work on your vette with a little work

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2403875248&category=10076

 

[AKRAY4PLAY]

Fred,
i would highly recommend that stay as far away from the underdrive pully units as possible. yes they free up 10-15hp, but that is hp that is needed to properly operate your water pump and alternator. if you are planning on keeping your AC, it will also require they right number of rpm. underdrive pulleys use a small crank pulley and larger accs pullies to slow the rpm of all accs. this were the performance gain comes from. March has a street geared version of their billet pulleys. it also comes in serpintine, that is what i am running. all the gear ratios are very close to stock, except the water pump. it has a smaller pulley, giving you more WP rpm and better flow = better cooling. being Texas is not exactly cool in the summer and running high hp, that is my opinion. i do have to warn you, March pullies are known for **** poor rotational location of the power steering pump. they place the fill cap right under the water pump leg. it can be overcome with some creative trimming of the PS cap. i would be glad to snap some photos of my set-up and cap if you are interested. i think the serpintine system was around $450, but that was two years ago. Brian

 

[WayneLBurnham]

How DARE you imply Texas is hot in the summer, Sir!



You know I intentionally installed only the underdrive on my newest alternator because my stupidly too-high revving engine ate the two before it in a matter of months. It's one of the one-wire "self actuating" 100A types (chrome (of course)), meaning it doesn't charge at all until over 1K RPM and, with an engine idling under 500 in gear, you have to pay attention to the ammeter ( I wish I had both ammeter and voltmeter because of that...)

I wondered about water...cooling is always a challenge in the summer.

Fred, let us know which you pick!

 

[71roadster]

If you are running power steering or AC, it may be difficult to get the grooves to line up to those pulleys. Right now I am trying to figure out how to get my power steering lined up with the crank pulley. It was off by over .25" on the aluminum pulley I was running. I am going back to the stock double groove crank pulley which has wider spaced grooves rather than hassle with modifying a perfectly good power steering mount. I will then run a single belt aluminum water pump pulley.

Chris

 

[WayneLBurnham]

Yeah, I know what you mean

My current PS pulley is way off kilter from how it should be.

The mounting bolt broke, so I've been manually steering it for over a week (and discovering the PS also makes up for/hides some slop in the steering.) I hope I mean it that tomorrow I will get under there and both remove the broken bolt and washer/shim up the whole thingy until it's true with the crank pulley. (At least I wasted a ton of AR/CO2 repairing some old junky ramps today...surely that counts for something! )

Hey, speaking of ATAS aluminum and chrome things, seen the billet PS reservoir body from Granatelli Motorsports? That thing is cooler than three day old bread! Brace yourself for the price, though. Put that puppy together with a high pressure AGR pump, a polished billet pulley and a couple of braided SS custom hoses and you'll be set back six bills! I think I'd have to get a new reservoir chromed or make one out of aluminum myself before going that high.