rmchrgr
Skate And Destroy
I've been thinking about doing this for years. As far as I know, no one currently or has ever made a low mount alternator bracket for a small block Mopar. There are a few for big blocks but not a one for the lowly small block. I'm not sure why that is since they are available for just about any other American V8 you can think of. What that means is that if you want one, you're going to have to make it.
The top bracket is based off a Denso 60a alternator from an '80s Toyota and not a factory alternator but it could probably be made to work either way. Densos are great alternators but there are two particular caveats to them - when mounted in the "normal" position, the wiring harness ends up very close to the #2 header. While it may not be that big of a deal it's obviously preferable not to have any wires in close proximity to heat. The wires on stock units are located more towards the water pump and on top of the alternator. Additionally, the belt ends up being fairly long and is not supported by anything within it's span. Again, probably not a huge deal but why not try to see if there is a more elegant solution.
So after years of hemming and hawing about it, I decided to knock one out so I could have it done for when my engine goes in the car. It took a bit of thinking on how to accomplish this. The method that was easiest (for me) to execute involved welding two old accessory brackets together and cutting them into the shape I wanted.
First, I started with a scrap piece of thin plate and drilled the holes based of lots of redundant measuring. The intent was to use what became the template as the actual bracket but once the shape was cut out, I laid it on top of the old brackets and realized it would be better to weld the old brackets together. Turns out a big block alternator bracket happens to have the exact spacing needed between the bottom hole on the water pump side and the lower hole on the cylinder head so there was only a need to locate and drill one hole. Plus, the OE brackets were the correct thickness - the thin plate might have worked but it would have needed washers welded on behind the holes to make it the same depth for proper pulley alignment. Too much work. So ultimately the plate became a template to drill and cut the welded-together brackets into the desired shape. Didn't take much to finish it after that.
This is the thin plate that was intended to be used as the actual bracket before it was cut out.
Roughed out template.
Might have been acceptable strength-wise just not thick enough for pulley alignment.
I didn't take pictures after welding the two old brackets together but this is what ended up being cut off after they became one. The BB alternator bracket is on the left. I'm not sure what the triangular one on the right was for. Fully welded both sides.
Template.
Needs some finish work and paint but this is basically what the final product will be. The hole to the left of the adjustment bracket bolt is for the heater hose holder-upper thingy on a BB. The adjuster arm is from the AR Engineering Denso 60A bracket set.
Top view. Note the divot in the top edge - that's the bottom of the cut-out in the BB alternator bracket. Not sure If I'm gong to leave it like that or not. You can kinda make out the wiring harness pigtail under the spacer. Much better there than 1 1/2" from the header. The wires will run up the front and towards the firewall along the valve cover rail like normal.
Works! I'm stoked on how this came out. My preference would have been to make it one piece but I don't have enough of the proper thickness material to make another one. Hope you's dig it.
- Greg
The top bracket is based off a Denso 60a alternator from an '80s Toyota and not a factory alternator but it could probably be made to work either way. Densos are great alternators but there are two particular caveats to them - when mounted in the "normal" position, the wiring harness ends up very close to the #2 header. While it may not be that big of a deal it's obviously preferable not to have any wires in close proximity to heat. The wires on stock units are located more towards the water pump and on top of the alternator. Additionally, the belt ends up being fairly long and is not supported by anything within it's span. Again, probably not a huge deal but why not try to see if there is a more elegant solution.
So after years of hemming and hawing about it, I decided to knock one out so I could have it done for when my engine goes in the car. It took a bit of thinking on how to accomplish this. The method that was easiest (for me) to execute involved welding two old accessory brackets together and cutting them into the shape I wanted.
First, I started with a scrap piece of thin plate and drilled the holes based of lots of redundant measuring. The intent was to use what became the template as the actual bracket but once the shape was cut out, I laid it on top of the old brackets and realized it would be better to weld the old brackets together. Turns out a big block alternator bracket happens to have the exact spacing needed between the bottom hole on the water pump side and the lower hole on the cylinder head so there was only a need to locate and drill one hole. Plus, the OE brackets were the correct thickness - the thin plate might have worked but it would have needed washers welded on behind the holes to make it the same depth for proper pulley alignment. Too much work. So ultimately the plate became a template to drill and cut the welded-together brackets into the desired shape. Didn't take much to finish it after that.
This is the thin plate that was intended to be used as the actual bracket before it was cut out.
Roughed out template.
Might have been acceptable strength-wise just not thick enough for pulley alignment.
I didn't take pictures after welding the two old brackets together but this is what ended up being cut off after they became one. The BB alternator bracket is on the left. I'm not sure what the triangular one on the right was for. Fully welded both sides.
Template.
Needs some finish work and paint but this is basically what the final product will be. The hole to the left of the adjustment bracket bolt is for the heater hose holder-upper thingy on a BB. The adjuster arm is from the AR Engineering Denso 60A bracket set.
Top view. Note the divot in the top edge - that's the bottom of the cut-out in the BB alternator bracket. Not sure If I'm gong to leave it like that or not. You can kinda make out the wiring harness pigtail under the spacer. Much better there than 1 1/2" from the header. The wires will run up the front and towards the firewall along the valve cover rail like normal.
Works! I'm stoked on how this came out. My preference would have been to make it one piece but I don't have enough of the proper thickness material to make another one. Hope you's dig it.
- Greg
