Hello all.. New to posting and contributing on this forum, but a LONG TIME lurker and learner... My current addiction is a '72 Vette that I picked up in Mn. Typical frame and rocker rot, but other than that, an awesome car that I simply fell in love with.

I've acquired a '74 frame in near-perfect condition and have modified it to the '72 frame physical specs (minor changes here-and there), chemically stripped it, metal prepped and POR15ed it inside and out. Currently removing and replacing the rockers (not my fondest endeavor) and performing a full frame rebuild with new bushings, springs, hardware and so on. I Have a Tremec 5-speed kit coming along with a hydro-boost and steeroids kit as well. Lots of other things going on with it as well and once I get in the swing of things, I hope to post and share my wins and losses with everyone.

However, I have a situation that has me stumped.. I have read numerous postings, but have yet to develop a plan that works for me as there are many options and numerous open-ends.

For no particular reason, I would like to convert the 454 v-belt drive to a reliable and low-cost serpentine system that fits in the '72 with little or no modification/interference. After we finished the rebuild, the engine dyno'd at 460hp with somewhere just north of 500 ft/lb torque; if I recall correctly.

So, any and all input and guidance on how to accomplish this task, what to buy, where to buy and so on would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

Not sure if it makes a difference, but the 454 came out of a '74 with air. Air was removed as the '72 does not have it.

 

A friend of mine used a stock serp set up from a sbc by drilling holes into the heads, another made a bracket that ran around the front so the same brackets would have something to bolt to. Since you dont have air you could use a ac delete pulley that bolts in place of the compressor and completes the loop. Those are the inexpensive provided you dont damage the heads tapping them. The other route would be to look at after market set ups and choose the one you like and may or may not have to use a ac delete pulley also.

 

While not low cost. I see March Performance finally heard the noise. They have a compact serp setup for the BB corvettes now. They call it the style track part #21270

 

I had a set up from a 95 blazer and had it mocked up on my L48. Needed one hole for the accesory bracket, PS & alt on driver side, A/C on pass side. everything seemed to fit under my '78 hood. Not sure how it would be w/ a BB. Then I had a brainstorm and went with an 86 L98 TPI. So away it will all go. Good luck.

 

A stock SB serp set up will fit on the front of a BB, BUT, to get it to fit under a hood on a vette, you have to lay it out a bit, they sit too tall as is. You don’t have to drill holes in the heads though, or the block, they already exist. To get the clearance, I made mounting plates from 3/4” plate aluminum using templates I got from a member on another forum. There’s a triangle plate for each head, and two smaller plates that fit on the block down at the sides at the bottom of the timing cover. This is how you get the brackets to lay out a bit and give the needed hood clearance. Then, to get everything to line up, you need to mill 3/8” off the back of the A/C bracket, and shim the water pump and crank pulleys out 1/2”. This lines the belt up laser straight. Also have to use a reverse rotation water pump because the belt will drive it in the opposite direction the standard V belt does.

In this pic you can see the “triangle” bolt pattern on the heads, and the two vertical bolt holes alongside the lower part of the timing cover. The plates bolt here, then the brackets bolt to threaded holes in the plates.



You can see the triangle plates in the next two pics:





The brackets in place:



You can see here how the brackets being spread out give some additional hood clearance:



Looks like a factory install....kinda!

 

do the BB's sit higher in the engine bay? I used factory bolt holes when I bolted my third gen Fbody brackets on my engine and have no hood clearance issues with a stock 79 L82 hood.

 

A BB is a couple inches higher than a SB, I don't recall the actual measurement off the top of my head. The measurement with regard to your question would be the relationship between the engine mounting pads and the mounting position of the brackets, but yes, if memory serves, the BB does sit higher, and so will the brackets. I don't know anyone who has been able to use these brackets without hood clearance issues in a straight stock configuration. There are also hood clearance problems from intakes, carbs and air cleaners when doing a swap.

 

I have used them on a SBC in stock config without the smog pump and have no issues along with several others on another forum, not sure how they would work on a BBC as I havent seen anyone do that in a vette.

 

Yes you have.....me!

 

lol what I meant was I havent helped anyone put one in a vette

 

All of that to get rid of one fan belt.... I don't know...

If the ignition timing was dependent on that belt, maybe. But for a SBC engine? Too much expense for me.

But, your set-up looks really good!

 

Thanks! It wasn’t to get rid of a belt, it was to avoid the expense of finding all the factory brackets it would have taken for the BB accessories. I did this for less than $300 all in. I couldn’t get the v belt parts I needed for that, and the pretty March stuff was in the $2-$3K range.

 

Ive got $200 in mine including the powder coating, I did it because the brackets that were on my car I couldnt tighten the alt belt and couldnt use a shorter one because the alt hit the valve cover, and not to mention the lack of access to check the power streering fluid.

 

Wow I really wish I knew that sbc serp setups worked on 454's...my car could have been done sooooo much sooner

 

Very creative. Reasonable cost to get that done.

 

Any issues with crank pulley to crossmember clearance with the SBC serp setup? I know that's an issue with trying to use some other pulleys.

 

No, it gets very close, but I modified my trans crossmember for the 2004R, so there were driveline angle issues so mine was close. There was enough room to get the belt between the pulley and the front crossmember but that was about it. I have since modified the crossmember for more room, but it's really not needed, I just wanted to!

 

I can only comment on an SBC simple setup that I am doing:

Main Rule-------Pull-A-Part (salvage yard=70% discount!)

No special brackets are needed....however you can buy one suggested by other members to avoid adding spacers behind components to align the pulleys faster........if you have the extra cash.

Look for early model big-block engines with serpentine drive pulleys (you also may be able to use 350SBC pulleys).

Alternator pulley(alternator may need spacers to get pulley to sit in same plane as the other pulleys)/ $5

Waterpump pulley/ $5

P.S. pulley if needed/ $5

Crank pulley/ $10

Belt Tension pulley assembly/ $10

Smog pump pulley if needed/ $5

idler pulley $5

Assorted nuts/bolts/spacers $20

Can of black spraypaint $6

Serpentine belt $20

*Parts store---New reverse flow water pump of your choice* $??

Re-drill holes in pulleys as need to fit engine components.

Position the idler pulley to cause serpentine belt to wrap around waterpump pulley more than it normally does to prevent slippage.

Did I forget anything.....