Billet Specialties; Anyone got pulley experience?

[scouttrooper]

I have an insane deal dropping in my lap on this set of pulleys:

I am building a 302 from the block up and needed every bracket and pulley for the front end anyway. Is using this going to snowball into one headache after another, or should I jump all over this? I wouldn't have spent the money to get these retail, but love the way they look. What do the experts think??

 

[66bluepony]

I would not hesitate. Go for it.

 

[brin0357]

Why would yo do that?

 

[scouttrooper]

Express yourself, don't be cryptic.

Why the opinion? The "why or why not," is what I need from you guys.

I'd do that because:

1. Vintage engineering doesn't do much for me. I'm not hung up on keeping it original. There are plenty of original cars out there for the archeology majors among us.
2. Vintage brackets and pulleys were going to cost me almost $500 and were still going to need blasting and painting.
3. This is a $2300 kit being offered to me at less than the vintage setup because this guy feels he owes me and is trying to do something nice.
4. Everyone is scrapping for every horsepower they can bleed out of these engines; this should be good for 15-20 HP.
5. I do like the look. It's flashier than I would have sought out, but it is the one being offered, so that's what I have to decide on.

I don't have any inclination to run around with my hood propped open, so as long as it's clean, I don't much care what it looks like. I want it to function well, and I'd like to put it together once. Are there any reasons you guys would encourage me to choose one route over the other?

I appreciate your opinions as well as your reasoning. Thanks

 

[Eyeless_Seven]

Do you get all the bracket's, the pumps and the pulleys?
If you do its a no brainer jump on it.
500.00 for the original brackets is kind of high, you should be able to pick up a bad motor with everything on it for less.

 

[Rusty67]

Personally I LOVE the serpentine setup. I can't really stand the V-belt setup.

That being said, you should be able to get a factory used serpentine setup for like.... 200 bux from a junkyard, if not an entire motor with either belt drive on it like Eyeless_Seven said.

If you want the shiney stuff, go for it. I was about to complain that setup is wasting of HP because of the extra belt length there. But then I looked at the install sheet and it is actually shorter then my short belt setup. My stock pully setup minus the smog pump and PS pump is 70.5 inches and this setup with AC and PS is 62, 60.5 without the PS pump. Also, all the parts look to be REALLY nice quality. I can't tell from the picture of sure but its definately billet.

Basically if this is going to be very afforable for you and you want a serpentine setup, then get it ! Shiney and extra HP, never a bad combo =)

 

[brin0357]

2300 dolllars?!?!? Underdriving it will make a bigger difference anyways, why are you worried about getting the stock brackets? Theyre just for show and in my opinion there pretty lame. Money would be spent better elsewhere.

 

[302 coupe]

if you spend more then $50 on stock brackets, you suck at shopping. Don't expect fancy pullies to free up any horsepower over a 60's designed v-belt setup. They are low tech for sure, but there just aren't really any frivolous power robbing accesories like on a late model vehicle, looking at something like a 3 or 4 hp gain. That billet setup looks damn sharp, but thats really the only reason to buy it IMO. If it comes with a new power steering pump, new AC compressor, new alternator, and whatever else, then it is absolutely a screaming deal, but it better come complete with all the brackets and hardware or it will be a real headache to install it.

 

[scouttrooper]

I absolutely suck at shopping!

I never seem to run across what I need at any given time. Maybe you could give us some tips on how to stir up the goods. Sources for used vintage stuff? Mid-America is the one scaring up parts for me. I'm not committed in any way, but $400-500 is what I was told for the rusty old brackets I'll need. (By the way, I would not spend $2,300 on brackets and pulleys. Someone must though, that is the retail price they list for.)

 

[302 coupe]

junkyards, ebay, swap meets, the stuff is everywhere. I wouldn't buy something like that from a specialty parts vendor, they put a specialty price on an unspecial part. What all brackets do you need? AC? PS? ALT?

 

[scouttrooper]

Here's what I do have...

From the 6-cyl setup, I have a tacumseh type cast iron A/C compressor with original pulley, Original style alternator and pulley, an original PS pump that needs rebuilding, (so I'm not committed to it). Here's what I don't have. I have no V8 brackets, no water pump pulley, no crank pulley, and no Idler pulley. It is a four-bolt harmonic balancer, so if I start with a 3-bolt crank pulley I have to weld the 3-holes and re-drill for 4. It's a 68 289/302 block, but it's built as a 302 and set up to go with a T5z. The billet kit didn't sound so bad. As it turns out, the billet connection has gone "awol", making me feel a bit neurotic for bringing this up in the first place. Who knows what's going to happen at this point. I feel like I'm herding cats. Isn't life interesting?

 

[PJx5x]

well im in the middle of installing a 5.0 serpentine setup on my '68, so i have a bunch of the old brackets and pullies laying around. ill see what i can part with...