Need Help With Water Pumps

sanborn

sanborn

Senior Member
I have a friend with a fresh 59AB engine. He wants to use the later style 8BA front cover and distributor.

The engine will go in a 34 Ford.

What water pumps does he use OR what crank pulley does he use?
 
He would have to use the later truck pumps and associated pulley. He'd be better off with the 59AB front mount distributor as it makes for a shorter package and would be easier to fit in the 34.
 
Dont forget that using the 8BA style front cover and distributor that the cam will have to be addressed also. Flatjack9 has the best solution.
 
The engine will be significantly longer with the late pump setup and the distributor will be a noticeable downgrade in performance in most cases. Why?? '42-48 distributor is a better performer and allows the engine to be built with a close-in single belt setup using a fan that fits in a '34.
Late setup would need big sheave late style crank and gen pulley, '49 truck type pumps, etc. Even if built with single belt, all is moved forward in a very tight engine compartment. Distributor should be changed to an aftermarket one because of dismal advance characteristics of the stocker.
 
I have a 59a with stock type distributer in a 33 and it is tight! Also have to worry about the fan and fan clearance. I even think the stock style distributer are far better looking, but then that is subjective.
 
The 8BA cam and front timing cover can be used on a 59 engine with out any other change, except moving the generator 1/4 inch forward and using a SBC dist to clear the belt. No water pumps or pulleys need be changed, Very simple job, but require some thought. Have run this on several engines to get a better ignition system
 
That clears up the problem of the 8BA distributor...
On the 59 stuff, swapping to a '42 cap and rotor knocks a couple inches off distributor, and use of a generator with fan mounted on pulley then allows cutting away the forward pulley sheave and running everything on a single belt like '34.
 
Ol' Ron said:
The 8BA cam and front timing cover can be used on a 59 engine with out any other change, except moving the generator 1/4 inch forward and using a SBC dist to clear the belt. No water pumps or pulleys need be changed, Very simple job, but require some thought. Have run this on several engines to get a better ignition system
Click to expand...

I believe the generator pulley (in the stock location) lines up with the stock early pumps. Are you moving it forward 1/4" to clear the Chevy distributor and living with the slight misalignment with the water pump pulleys?
 
The water pumps to use are the 8RT type. They have the wide belt pulleys that will line up. There is no significant advantage to using the 8BA ignition on the earlier engine. We did such a conversion last year for a customer. In addition to changing the cam and the cover, you have to fabricate a distributor hold down on the right side head, and mark the crank pulley to set the timing. You also have to use the later carb to provide the proper vacuum, as the later distributor has no mechanical advance. That is a lot of work and cost for very little, if any, improvement in performance IMO.
 
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