Big block conversion questions, help me please!

I've decided to convert my '69 to a big block. The 350 in the car is not the original engine and its tired and worn out. Converting the car to a big block isn't going to hurt its value because its not original anyway. I want to do the job as right as possible so that I wont have any issues with the conversion but I'm in a pickle as far as what to get for engine pulleys and brackets. The car has a/c and power steering so I picked up some original big block 'vette a/c compressor mounting brackets on ebay today and bought a power steering pump and alternator bracket kit from Zip corvette parts today too. I also scored an original big block 3 groove water pump pulley on ebay today for 100 bucks which sounds like a lot of money but its cheap compared to what the corvette supply places want for them. However, I haven't yet bought the crankshaft pulley and the power steering pump pulley because I have a feeling that I don't have to buy corvette specific pulleys for the crank and power steering pump, am I correct? Zip wants a whopping 229 bucks for a '65-early '69 crank pulley and 107.50 for a '65-'74 power steering pump pulley. They also list a late '69-'74 crank pulley for a more reasonable 53.50. Whats the difference between the '65-early '69 crank pulley and the late '69-'74 crank pulley? The power steering and alternator bracket kit I bought is the one listed for '65-'69 cars. They have one listed for '70-'74 cars too for the same price but since my car is a '69 I got the kit for '65-'69 cars. I'm assuming that the difference between them is because of the smog pump that came on the later cars? I'm not sure on that one though because my assembly manual shows the smog pump on the '69 even though mine doesn't have one. Do I have to use the 229 dollar '65-'69 crank pulley with the 65-69 alternator and power steering brackets or can I get away with using the 53.50 dollar '70-'74 crank pulley? Did all big block vettes use the short water pump or did they switch to the long water pump in '70? I think they all used the short water pump and if that's the case then I should be able to use the cheaper '70-'74 crank pulley, correct? I'm not building a "must be correct" show car, I just want to do the conversion as cheaply as possible. Also, I see that an idler pulley was used on the diagrams in my assembly manual but is it necessary on cars without a smog pump? Zip lists it as being used on '69-'74 cars with A/C and they want 144 bucks for it. Was there an idler pulley on the big block '65-'68 cars with A/C or is it only used on '69-'74 cars? Do I need that idler pulley? The belt diagrams in my assembly manual only show diagrams with the smog pump, it doesn't show any diagrams without it, and it shows the idler pulley as being all by itself, its not "idling" on the a/c, power steering, or alternator belt. My car isn't going to have a smog pump on it so I'm at a loss as to what I need as far as pulleys and brackets go now. Does anyone have some pics of a big block vette engine with A/C and power steering but no smog pump so that I can see what pulleys and brackets were used on it? I just ordered the 65-69 bracket kit today, I can call them first thing Monday morning and switch it to the 70-74 bracket kit if necessary.

Here is the '65-'69 power steering and alternator bracket kit:

http://ift.tt/2bZNoEh

Here is the '70-'74 power steering and alternator bracket kit:

http://ift.tt/2bZMLdN

Here is the 229 dollar '65-early '69 crank pulley:

http://ift.tt/2bZNlbr

Here is the much cheaper 53.50 dollar late '69-'74 crank pulley:

http://ift.tt/2bZMhEC

Here is the '69-'74 idler pulley:

http://ift.tt/2bZNcF1

By the way, here's a 25 dollar crank pulley I found on e-bay for big blocks w/short water pumps but for some reason it says that it cant be used on corvettes even though it looks just like the late '69-'74 vette pulley from Zip, can anyone tell me why it wont work?:

http://ift.tt/2bI2LDG

Also, I found a two groove power steering pump pulley on e-bay that fits the early style power steering pumps that have the keyway on the shaft for 33 bucks, can I use this one instead of the expensive 107 dollar pulley from Zip?:

http://ift.tt/2bZM3xr

Also, what front springs should I get for a vette with an all iron big block with a/c?

By the way, here is the exhaust system I want to put on it, is there something better out there for around the same cost?:

http://ift.tt/2bZMqrL

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!

---

Last edited by TheGreek!; Today at 02:01 AM.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Big block conversion questions, help me please!