You guys are all out of control. The OP didn't bother to state the year or engine of his car. Both matter. I think the parts varied at least 3 times. Early alt brackets were totally different, then the flat brackets, then the aluminum water pump shifted everything forward 1".
Post #6 finally shows the question concerns the later. Post #12 is for an earlier cast-iron water pump. I think the pulleys setups also varied between different power steering pumps and AC, which may have affected the alternator. Oh yeah, and we are also talking about small block engines.
Regardless, if you can get V-belt pulleys aligned within 1/8" axially, it usually works. New serpentine belt are much less forgiving. Just yesterday I was trying to help a guy stranded near my house w/ a ~2000 Huyandai that threw a serp belt. We loosened the alternator, but the old belt was too short to slip on (wrong part or bad design?). By then the engine had cooled enough that I told him to just drive home 4 miles w/o the water pump turning.
