I have a serpentine setup on my car and a vbelt setup off a 79 truck. I am only going to be using the alternator, pwr steering, and water pump. Might possibly switch to an electric water pump later. So I would only need two belts max. Would I gain any horsepower by switching to the vbelt setup?
Also if I switch to vbelt can I use my current power steering pump?

 

Serpentine system takes less hp, I think that's the main reason the auto makers started using it, it improved MPG.

 

also tends to not throw the belt as often at high rpm

 

Granted serpentine would use less HP on a large system, but I am talking driving two to three things. This is two belts. Would the serpentine using a dummy pully for a/c and smog pump really outperform it?

 

you could take off the left bracket or you serp. set up and make something to mount your tensioner, then you'd have serpentine for your few acesorries.

 

Don't really want to mod the serpentine setup. I am either gonna break down and buy the pulleys or convert to the vbelt setup.

Thanks everyone for commenting.

 

IMO, just go with the Vbelt setup. The differences due to frictional losses is nothing you'll ever notice. I had the serp setup on my car (using idler pullies for the A/C and air pump), but switched back to the v-belt setup. With the v-belts theres a lot more room in the engine bay to work with.