Convert to Serpentine Belt

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Balinesian

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I have a 1973 Duster with a 1985 318 overbored to 360. I am looking at replacing the stock pully system with one of the MARCH Performance kits to dress up my engine. I will probably go with the V-belt versus serpentine only because of cost. I was wondering if anyone had installed a MARCH or other manufacturers' V-belt or serpentine system. If there are pictures at A-Bodies of member's installation, that would be a great help for me too.
 
how about using stock magnum pulleys? i would think that they could have serpentine belts stock?!

this is something i have thought about but dont think i ever found any info on if it could be done, much better prices at the local junkyard and oem stuff seems to work nomather what instead of being lots of blingfactor alone,whish way to often is the case with aftermarket parts


btw not saying you are wrong but overboring a 318 to 360cui? that cant leave any metal in the cylinders and would take some oddball pistons.
 
If you want to use a serp setup off a magnum, I believe that the timing cover and water pump has to be changed due to the WP being reverse rotation.
 
Sorry D340; you are right. It is a 318 overbored 0.040" not a 318 increased to 360.

LARS: I am glad you said what you did because I now understand the reverse water pump discussed in their literature. I looked at their pictures and totally missed that. But those are the really fancy ones that come with new alternators, water pumps and power steering pumps cost about 1/4 of the cost of my partially restored car.

I have pretty much decided to buy the brackets only and keep the same OEM v-belt, alt and PS pump. Maybe eventually, I will buy the matching crank and cam pulleys next year. Chrome almost always looks better.

Next follow-on purchase will be a new radiator.
 
Well I went ahead and bought both the MARCH Performance power steering bracket and alternator bracket kits and will use the origianl V-belt. I will let you know if I was successful and provide some before and after pictures. I won't be back in the USA until 20 December so it will be about 27 Jan before I get to spend quality time with my Duster. Family stuff till the 27th.

I was really disappointed with MARCH. I tried e-mailing them for technical assistance and never got a reply. So I took a big chance.

I was also disappointed with Summit. Their web-site search capabilities would not let me search for MOPAR only and I had to sift through all the Chevy and Ford stuff. There were 450 v-belt/serpentine type items and only 12 related to MOPAR. I had to go to MARCH Perf web-site to figure out the part number I needed.
 
I had high hopes of installing the alternator bracket, power steering bracket, radiator and electric fan this trip. However, the cold weather and my wife's idea to wall paper the large bathroom and separate toliet room ended my plans for a great 2-week vacation stateside.

Anyway, I install the March Performance Alternator Bracket. It really improved the looks of the engine. I bought it from Summit Racing Parts for $120, it was worth the money and took me about an hour to install. There are at least 3 other manufacturers that make a product similar to March.

However, installation was not as easy as it should have been. Both 5-inch bolts that replace the water pump bolts needed to have the threads chased with a die. The bolts fit nicely into the alternator. It goes with out saying the engine holes needed to be tapped to clean out debris.

Another oops was that there are no regular style bolts. All bolts and screws use hex head. Of course, the one size I needed I had lost. I filed a metric allen wrench so I could provide water pump bolt torque ft-lbs.

You should be aware that the bracket sets the alternator at a different location. I was lucky and I did not have to buy a new fan belt.

As soon as I can figure out how to load pictures, I will include them in the next update.
 
Finally followed FABO picture installation directions. Hope this helps.
 

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