[Bryan59EC]

I recently picked up a serpintine system to put on my 66's current 307.
The head on the drver side has all three holes in the front for accy. mounting, but the head on the passenger side only has the hole for the
sbc long wp alternator mount.

The serpintine bracklet for the passenger uses two mounting spots at the top and the upper front mount on the block.

I have bolted this on with just the one upper and lower bolts, and the inboard upper part of the bracket is veerrrrry close to the head (maybe .015).

How much meat is available to drill and tap in this area of the head???
Looks like this hole will drill right thru a cooling passage (is this a big deal??) just below the front intake manifold bolt.


Anyway--got this serpintine set up --- wp, pulleys, ps pump, fan & clutch, AC pump, Alt, brackets-----for under $150.

This exact same thing in the summit catalog (GM parts) is nearly $800.
__________________
Bryan's toyz

59 ElCamino 454/TKO 5spd--(daddy)
66 ElCamino 3oh7/TKO 5spd (mousey) looks like a car again--painted 12-12-08----YAY

[bondo]

How much meat is available to drill and tap in this area of the head???

Ayuh,... My 1st guess is,.... Not Enough....
What are the head's Casting #s,..??

[Bryan59EC]

Have no idea what the casting # is. (I am guessing early 70s engine---has corporate blue paint on it---how long was the 307 produced---long wp)
I'm just trying to keep from locating a set of heads that will work on this
engine for just a short time-----till I can sneak a different one past the spouse. (I told her I would run this motor til it quit----so I'm not too interested ripping it apart for any reason---yet)

Even if I drill thru to the cooling jacket----I would think plenty of sealer on the bolt or stud would keep it from leaking.
I just wonder if there is at least 3/8"- 1/2" material for a bolt to grab onto.

Really needs to be a 3/8"-16 bolt-----but perhaps 5/16-18 will clamp the bracket to the head without having to worry about the bolt breaking.

[johnsongrass1]

Drill, tap, insert JB coated stud, wait 1 hour. Bolt stuff up.

[price]

Don,t even bother drilling the extra hole. The serpantine belt is a smooth running system so just put a little locktite on the bolts you have and you,ll be fine.
Clint

[junior stocker]

Although it does'nt have "serpentine" style belts, my 82 Chevrolet truck needed an engine in it temporarily while I put together another engine for it. In went a 327 with camel hump heads that I made up some flat metal brackets to bolt the accessories onto the engine. Did'nt drill holes in the heads, and the brackets worked fine. I do have another set of camel hump heads someone drilled holes in the heads to bolt accessories to. Should work fine as long as you have the spacing and alignment correct, especially since as someone has already said, "the serpintine setup runs smoothly".

[Bryan59EC]

This particular bracket supports the AC compressor.
With only one bolt in the head, and another down by the fuel pump, I would be concerned about the AC cycling and breaking the bolt at the head.

Would probably be just fine if I had no intentions of addin AC to to it in the near future.
The brackets are from a mid to late 90s GM pu.

My neighbor had a head in his backyard that I had a look at yesterday--
--appears to have plenty of meat where the hole needs to be drilled.

I think I am gonna tackle it this weekend-----no grille or radiator in the car so it will be easy enough to get to.

[cobalt327]

Originally Posted by Bryan59EC

I think I am gonna tackle it this weekend-----no grille or radiator in the car so it will be easy enough to get to.

You might consider using a correctly sized stud. That way, the threads in the cylinder head wont be as stressed.

[Bryan59EC]

Will be doing just that.
This particular hole in the bracket uses a stud from the factory and when I got the brackets, I got all the studs and extra braces as well.

Even snooped around some and found that GM uses the same bracket with different bracing on different SUVs-----so I have been getting some of those as well, just to see what will work on the old motor

[boatbob2]

Hi,i would bolt up the bracket,and the whole system,then drill with the appropriate size bit,thru the bracket,to insure correct placement,but only drill maybe 1/16 to 1/8 inch.remove bracket,finish drilling.if you go into a water jacket,no big thing,use RTV on the bolt threads,or stud as mentioned.