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Looking for PS bracket for 66 Big block

3K views 14 replies 4 participants last post by  brickwhite 
#1 ·
Anyone have a Power steering bracket they are looking to sell from a 65-68 Impala that had a big block?

Thanks,
Ted
 
#8 ·
The Small block PS bracket is on top and Big Block PS bottom. You can see how the bolt holes are different.



I got the new ones from EBAY. Looks like the will work.

Lower bracket


rear adjuster bracket





The rear bracket does not hit the header.



It seems as it should fit. The pump lines up with the outer pulley.





I should have one open pulley slot if I want to add AC on the passenger side down the road.
 
#9 ·
Reason the bolt holes on the front of the block differ is the BBC was never installed in a 1955-'57 Chevy, or a 1955-'64 Corvette that used four motor mounts to hold the engine in the frame (two up front and two in the rear that bolted to the cast iron bell housing). The BBC was used in trucks that always used four motor mounts but the spacing was different (and trucks used a 14 inch clutch disc instead of an 11 inch clutch so the rear bolt spacing also differed). Cars went to to the now common two middle of the block motor mounts and one at the rear of the tranny in 1958.

That bolt spacing difference caused me to go nuts trying to bolt a SBC onto my test engine stand until I got out a ruler and measured the difference. Had to weld up a separate set of front engine mounts to bolt a SBC into my engine stand that had used the four mounts and 14 inch bell housing off of an old dump truck to put a SBC motor on my test stand. (BBC is two inches longer than a SBC so the mounts had to go back and an adapter made to hold the SBC motor in place on a stand designed for a truck engined BBC).

Can't harp on that enough. People don't realize that every GM vehicle that had a 455 used the same size block for their 350. You can not tell a 455 big block Poncho from a 321 small block, or a Buick 455 from the smaller displacement 350 by looking at it. Same for the Olds rocket 455 and 350. Cadillac never had a small block, only big blocks, and bigger blocks. As to the big block Caddy 500 cubic inch production engine was still only a little bigger and about ninety pounds heavier than a SBC (the 455 Buick only adds twenty pounds of extra weight and is the same size as the SBC).

Not one of GM's big blocks can compare to the mass of a Chevy BBC because it was designed for use as a truck engine. Gasoline powered truck engines run at wide open throttle. All day, every day, for 300,000 miles between rebuilds. As such they have to be heavy, and strong.

That is why a BBC is two inches longer than a SBC (less room in front of the water pump for a fan blade) and two inches taller (less room under the hood; so good luck closing a flat hood if the car didn't offer a BBC as an option) and an inch and half wider at the valve covers (don't forget those big cast iron exhaust manifolds) so it doesn't fit in an economy car like the Nova or a Camaro without sitting side saddle. This is not to mention the added 220 pounds of cast iron over the front axle that a SBC powered car doesn't have to deal with. If you think of it like you do an 1,100 pound L6 Cummins diesel it makes sense. Big, strong, and very heavy.

Big Dave
 
#10 ·
Now to find the correct pulley for the PS on the crank.



The PS pump from my Small block fits pretty good, the hoses seem to be a little short I can have new hoses made.

But the small block crank pulley is a about 1/2" off and does not align with the PS pump pulley.



I think they make one called a deep DEEP GROOVE (GM# 3874416) for the big block.





You can also buy a 3 grove pulley for a short waterpump big block. CPP - CP8845S



but not sure which one....
 
#11 ·
SBC pulleys are a half a belt off from the location of the groove in a BBC pulley. They will never align unless shimmed out a half inch, and it will result in thrown belts. You have to buy used BBC pulleys, or aftermarket billet aluminum pulleys.

If going billet I recommend that you switch over to a two belt serpentine system (as used on 1985-'88 pick-up trucks before they went to a one belt with a reverse rotation water pump in 1989). this way you get away from belt tenssioners (they adjust using the V-belt slots in the brackets), and having to buy another $340 dollars worth of reverse rotation aluminum water pump.

Big Dave
 
#12 ·
I'll open that can of worms...

Not a fan of billet or chrome. I think it looks terrible and tacky in a classic Chevy or any car for that matter.

I don't understand the commercial chrome valve covers, air cleaners etc..... MOROSO, EDLEBROCK, Milodon, OR MT.

WHY??



That looks Cool??

I'd have to paint it all Black....

This is better...



I think the original factory look is the way it should be. If you need to improve function make it look original.

My opinion....
 
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