Shortbelt routing...how is it possible that it works?

Reverse rotation simply means that the water pump is turning the opposite direction of the crankshaft pulley/engine rotation. The engine rotates clockwise. For cars with the factory serpentine drive system, the water pump is designed to operate by turning counter-clockwise. This allows for the proper serpentine routing. If you have an HO motor, with the 'standard' reverse rotation pump, you simply need to route the belt so that the ribbed side is on the crank pulley, and the flat side is on the water pump. If you do that, no matter how else it is routed, the pump will turn the opposite direction from the engine.

This approach is contrasted with 302's that have standard v-belt accessory drives. Those will have the engine and water pump pulley rotating in the same direction - so you need a standard rotation water pump - which is designed to pump when it rotates in the opposite direction of our reverse rotation pumps. Confusing as hell......

Hey...
Anyone got a belt length they remember on hand for me? I am, going to buy a manual rack.

I need a short belt that will go around the crank pulley, then brush up & by the passenger side of the water pump pulley, then over the serp pulley and around the alternator. [install belt with serp pulley loose then tighten it, to tighten belt]

Or skip the serpentine pulley alltogether and just go from crank, around side of water pump and up & around alternator pulley then make an adjustable bracket....

When you went to manual racks, how did you guys do this?

Thanks a bunch!

Oh yeah... Crank and water pump are underdrives, and alternator pulley is stock.

They're all a little different with your set up Schlodes - you'll probably have to take some twine/string and measure yours. Look at the diagrams up above and you'll see the potential problem. Because of the angle, getting the tensioner to tension the belt is often difficult because it won't reach the belt run between the pump pulley and the alternator the way you've got it configured - unless you reconfigure the tensioner mount.