Probably? The 87 is a CS alternator same as 88, just with a different bolt tab clocking. Stock to stock, barring any tooty frooty one wire setups and oddball wiring schemes, extending the wiring, or rerouting it should work without any other changes. Best bet would be to compare the 87 and 88 wiring, but I'd probably just make it reach and see if it works. You've got a Fire Extinguisher close by, right?

edit - quick BTW, electrical fire you'd want to disconnect the battery before using the fire extinguisher or it'll just flame right back up again until the wires melt. TMYK.

 

I just did this on my 86 iroc during an engine swap. I went with an aftermarket new style alternator that had a little more juice. It was also clockable to the position i needed it, fit great. The pigtails to the old style obviously didn't work, so i just bought a conversion pigtail for it. One side goes into factory pigtail and the other side goes into new alternator. Rest of wiring the same. Now, if you are using an alternator that has the same style pigtail as what you had, all you need to do is pull that original pigtail out of the loom until it is even with the other side of engine. There is plenty of wire to do that, then reloom it to the alternators new spot. You will probably have to add some length to your starter wire to reach the starter. Then you will have to figure out how you want to route your charge wire to your battery since you will need a longer one, (and make sure you size that wire correctly). Done. Stock a/c is just as easy, (pull pigtail out of harness to other side and reloom), but you will have to discharge and recharge to swap to the short pressure lines, but i took that opportunity to upgrade to a complete new kit made for serpentine style.

 

I haven't seen anyone saying for sure that a truck setup will work or not on our cars? I have an 85 IROC that is missing all front drive accessories. Now is the time to make the switch. I found an article on hotrod.com that makes it seem super simple and easy. But I have heard others have issues with hood clearance. Has anyone ran into this?

 

truck setup wont clear the tpi throttebody.

 

The truck setup will clear the hood, at least it does on my 82 Z28. Mine is a carbed.

 

Would a caprice work? I am at the wrecking yard now and see a full setup

 

If it looks like the thirdgen TBI/TPI setup, the bulk of it is the same. The TPI intake uses a few different brace bars, which obviously a car without TPI isn't going to have but thats a minor problem.

 

I just grabbed everything off the caprice. My next question for the belt, can I get a belt for a vehicle without smog pump or do I really need the delete pulley? The Caprice had a smog pump but I am not putting it back on. And I saw some trucks with the same bracket, but no smog pump. Seems I could get away with a different belt.

 

There were no cars without a smog pump or delete pulley, but you can run a shorter belt and change the routing. Check the "How-tos" link at the top.

 

firebirddude142 sent me a smog delete pulley with my serpentine setup I bought off him. I understand you get better belt wrap by using it than not using it and going with the different belt routing.

 

You really get better belt wrap without that delete pulley

 

Drew, any idea how to modify those braces to work? The ones on the cylinder heads won't work due to headers on it. The middle brace off the A.C. goes to a center intake bolt that is not here on the TPI.

 

Use spacers and studs as necessary. Don't use the braces that you can get away not using. Seek out the braces you need that are different on a tpi car in the classifieds. Or grab some bar stock, a torch, a hammer, use string to measure the distances you need. Heat the end of the bar red hot, hammer it flat, drill hole. Cut to length, heat other end red hot, smash flat, drill hole.

 

For anyone that was unsure, the caprice setup works great. No interference with TB or hood clearance. It took me a couple tries with the belt but this is the one that ended up working. Thanks for everyones help and input. Going to have my fuel lines modified and a local hose place next.