wwiiavfan

The correct kit will come with several spacers. I didn’t use all of them on my ‘71 350.

Hig116

Vintage Air is sending the right bracket. Thanks everyone for your help.

Keith

Hig116

Vintage Air came through and sent the right bracket, free of charge. Now I'm having some issues getting the right belt length. I finally found one that is 60" long, but it is about .25" from hitting the lower radiator hose. I will try to find one that is a little shorter, but wanted to ask it if it necessary to route the house over the balancer pulley or just the water pump? It would help if I could just go around the water pump, so I'm far away from that lower hose. Otherwise, I'll keep searching. Napa was either too long or too short. Similar issue with AutoZone, although I did find the one I currently have on it.

Thanks
Keith

Tampa Jerry

On mine, the belt came too close to the hose, so I cut the mounting ear off the back of the compressor so I could use a shorter hose. It is hard to see on your pictures if this is an option for you. Jerry

Hig116

I would rather not cut an ear off. Thanks

DC3

I had the same issue when I installed my VA kit. After researching, I discovered many factory cars had the same issue and some came with a shield for the lower hose. I found a diagram of that shield and fabricated one to match. You definitely want to do this if the distance remains close because as the belt stretches it will hit the hose for sure. Mine would eventually stretch enough to make a ticking sound as it slapped against the shield. I eventually found a slightly shorter belt that required me to remove the AC compressor to install. That helped some but even then, once that belt stretched enough, it would touch the shield on occasion.

I no longer have the issue because I put in a new engine in 2020 and went with a serpentine belt system.

DC

Hig116

Funny you suggested this. I created a temporary shield but don’t trust it. Maybe I can find a shorter belt.

interpon

i would go to gates site or whoever someone like O'reilly's carrys and you will find belts in incremental sizes.. order what you think fits or several.. return what does not work.
FYI an OEM 79 guard on mine..
also see this thread
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ose-guard.html

and check this out!
https://www.corvetteactioncenter.com...rence-721.html

and here.. note last post about wrong bracket sent as well
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ator-hose.html

Hig116

Thanks. Looks like a common enough issue that I need to just fab a shield. I currently used an old car tag to create a wrap around the hose that is held on with zip ties. Temp fix to make sure the system is working. Now I need to find some thicker metal to fab a bracket.

Thanks
Keith

wwiiavfan

I don’t remember mine being close enough to the rad hose to even give it a thought. I’ll have to look at mine next chance I get.

bruiser

My belt is over an inch away from the radiator hose. It is closer to the control arm shaft so there is no way it would hit the hose.