timing cover and water pump confusion

[Brand Apart]

Ok so we have a 360 with a drivers side water pump inlet, We need to swap to a passenger side to run the AC & other accessory drives we want. I know there may be a timing cover swap needed to but since we just got this car I'm wondering if they have a matching cover already, I know this engine was pieced together from a few small blocks by previous owner.The cover is aluminum the pump cast iron. The cover has the timing tab on drivers side. I can't seem to locate my timing light (been a long time since I've used it)to verify it's proper and the engine runs great so I wasn't planning on messing with the timing yet.

so did they make aluminum timing covers for both water pumps? or does the fact its aluminum narrow it to one? I'm not usually that lucky but I can hope.

 

[replicaracer43]

Buy a 70 up aluminum pump, done deal

 

[tonysrt]

I think there is a little confusion here. The inlet is the lower hose. The upper hose was always on the drivers side. The lower hose can be changed from drivers side to passenger side by using 70 and up. Pre 70 had lower hose on drivers side.

 

[belmateo]

To answer your questions, yes they made several timing gear covers. The one you have (timing mark on driver's side) is the correct one to achieve your goal. As stated before, all you need to do is buy an aluminum (1970 or later) Water Pump. The only thing you did not mention is your radiator. Which side does your bottom hose attach?

 

[Brand Apart]

Buy a 70 up aluminum pump, done deal

so

To answer your questions, yes they made several timing gear covers. The one you have (timing mark on driver's side) is the correct one to achieve your goal. As stated before, all you need to do is buy an aluminum (1970 or later) Water Pump. The only thing you did not mention is your radiator. Which side does your bottom hose attach?

oh we will have to change the radiator no doubt about that, a shame cause it's a nice looking aluminum one Champion is the brand, looks like a quality set up so possibly I'll look to them for the new one too. Thanks for the replies

 

[Robbie2734]

I just thought I'd mention one more thing, the harmonic balancer should have the correct timing marks. My new one had 2 timing notches, I painted a white mark on the correct one to avoid confusion. It looks like they had marked for either timing chain cover.

 

[krazykuda]

verify true TDC with a piston stop and then make a mark on the damper to match your timing marks that you plan to use...

Keep the original damper with the crank it came on...

 

[Dartswinger70]

Whatever you do, don't use a "Flex " radiator hose....

 

[AJ/FormS]

Whatever you do, don't use a "Flex " radiator hose....

LMAO

But yeah if you cannot read the timing on th D-side with a functioning AC system, then you need to find a new index point.
You can make this easy or difficult.
You can just put #1 piston at TDC, and make two new marks anywhere you want, one on the damper and one on any adjacent non-moving surface; badaboom. Then use a DB lite to set the timing wherever you want. That's the easy way.