53 Mercury water pumps

J

JBD

Senior Member
Building a 53 merc flathead for a old style hot rod and down to the finishing touches. Of course you know the 53 mercs had two narrow (3/8") belts. I would like to run a single belt, an electric fan, 12v alternator and 8ba water pumps. The 8ba water pumps line up correctly for a single belt but have a wider belt pulley than the merc pulleys and my alternator. I would like to run a single 3/8" narrow belt. Three questions. First, can I get or change out the 8ba water pump pulleys for the narrow pulley and the 3/8" belt? Second, is the 3/8" belt strong enough to pull both water pumps and the 80-100 amp alternator? Third, any recommendations on the type of alternator and type of mounting bracket for the alternator? Thanks, Jim
 
I think a better route would be to use a wide crank pulley and change your alternator pulley to match. What distributor are you using? If it's a post style, you will need the 8RT truck pumps.
 
A single 3/8 belt set up in the same configuration as the widebelt is original will have a hard time doing the job and will wear out fast and slip.
Get a 8RT crankpulley.
For alternator the cheapest if you don´t care about looks is the Delco 10SI with a bracket...for looks powermaster powergen.
 
What vehicle is this old style hot rod? Some pumps work better than others but we need to know the application.
 
JBD said:
Building a 53 merc flathead for a old style hot rod and down to the finishing touches. Of course you know the 53 mercs had two narrow (3/8") belts. I would like to run a single belt, an electric fan, 12v alternator and 8ba water pumps. The 8ba water pumps line up correctly for a single belt but have a wider belt pulley than the merc pulleys and my alternator. I would like to run a single 3/8" narrow belt. Three questions. First, can I get or change out the 8ba water pump pulleys for the narrow pulley and the 3/8" belt? Second, is the 3/8" belt strong enough to pull both water pumps and the 80-100 amp alternator? Third, any recommendations on the type of alternator and type of mounting bracket for the alternator? Thanks, Jim
Click to expand...

Jim why don't you look Skips phone number up and give him a call I khow
he has done a lot pulley conversions for hot rods. G.M.
 
I agree with "Murre" that one narrow belt isn't gonna cut it. I like the two narrow belt look because I think the wide belts look old-fashioned and "clunky" on a hot rod. After trying several approaches, I ended up using one on the 8BA in my "T" Tub because there is really no reasonable alternative.
 
Thanks guys for the feedback. After your comments and a little research on the HAMB I have decided to run 8RT water pumps and a 1/2" pulley on my alternator. To answer a couple of your questions, I am running a boxed Model A frame and an extended cab pickup (30 Model a coupe with a shortened Model pickup bed.) and using a 53 Merc post distributor. The Model A coupe body we got was already tore up in the rumble seat when they did a pickup conversion back in the 50's so I didn't screw up a good restoration. One last question "What's the difference between an 8BA and 8RT water pump? I do need the pump with the long shaft so my belt will clear my distributor. Any advice on an alternator bracket other than make one? Already have the alternator with the 1/2 pulley. Thanks Jim
 
The 8BA water pumps (49 thru 51) and the later EAB pumps (52 & 53) were basically the same with sheave differences for different belts. They were designed to mount on the side of the pump but they have no foot. The 8RT truck pumps have a foot that adjusts engine height slightly higher than the old prewar and 59 series pumps. The 49 thru 51 Mercury pumps allow a wider foot print and put the engine in a lower height location unless adapters are used as they were in the Mercury cars that used them.

The 8RT truck pumps are as close to the 1937/48 78 series pumps as you can get for the 8BA. The prewar 78-8501 type pumps can be used with modifications and will fit the Model A better but if it's too late to go that route, then your stuck with the 8RT truck pumps. Sometimes you have to locate the radiator a bit farther forward to get the 8BA type engine to fit in the model A with truck or Mercury front cooling system accessories.
Model As are the most limited for room between radiator & firewall. The 28/29 are a bit tighter than the 30/31 models are but they are all still pretty tight in there.
 
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