Does anyone know for sure? will a S10 serpentine setup swap into a 3rd gen Firebird?

I have an '85 w/ the v-belt setup. somewhere along the way I understood that the F,B, and S10 platform early 90's serpentine setups would work as a swap while the full size trucks were different. So, I bought an S10 setup when I was at the junkyard. I came across some info in an unrelated read that said the S10 setup was the same as the 1500+ truck platforms and not the F & B body.... did I buy the wrong setup? There were no Fbody or Bbodies w those parts when i went.

 

I'm not sure how similar they are between the two platforms. But there are plenty of pictures of f-body serpentine setups on this site for comparison purposes.

One thing to be sure of is to swap the water pump as between V-belt and serp-belt they rotate in opposite directions.

RBob.

 

yes the S10 fad will work fine. you may actually prefer it because that setup did not use a smog pump so an extra idler isn't needed (if you're not planning to use the smog pump).

no chance of using the old water pump, the drive won't install with it in place.

you'll need a new alternator and power steering pump as well, the later camaro pieces work.

can't say for the AC compressor. I did the swap primarily to allow installation of the sanden compressor using the dirty dingo brackets.

need any help or pics, let me know.

 

The 88-93 B-bodies are a good find for the serp. setup. I definitely make use of salvage Caprices 88-93 when I see them.

Unfortunately, the 4.3 S10 hangs the accessories higher than the F / B brackets. And a Firebird is a lower hood than other models. I am not saying it won't fit, but it's one of the least likely to fit.

I did use a 94 S10 compressor on the F/B passenger aide bracket.

Most people don't care since they go electric, but a reverse rotation fan from an S10 is something that helps some swaps.

And don't forget the support brackets up high for triangulation.

 

What jmd said
The S10 brackets are the same as some truck setups...ive seen different truck setups though but the S10 is not the same as a F / B body....

The S-10 accessory bracket is a bit higher on the passenger side and the tensioner is positioned differently from the F/B -body one so the intake on TPI engines might not fit properly.......that plus possible hood clearance issues.... I was considering it since I have a spare S-10 motor for my S10.... but it doesn;t seem like it'd work too well.... It looks like the driver side alt / steering bracket is the same though...

I got a b body unit and it is the same as the F-body minus a couple brackets and it fit perfect.

 

finally at the stage to verify the C10/S10/Truck setup in the '85.
Not gonna work with stock hood.
Of course expected this otherwise GM would likely have used the same accessory drive between the cars & the trucks.
the tensioner hit the hood with only about 1/2" to go to close the hood. this does not include the compressor either, which was not installed. It would have been similar or worse.

Now I need to find another accessory setup

 

I have a serpentine setup off a 1991-1992 Buick Roadmaster / Chevy Caprice. The brackets share the same part number as the F body Firebird/Camaros of that era.

I don't know if I will ever even do the swap on my 87, but I had the chance to grab the brackets so I did, knowing that they would keep getting harder to find.

 

yeah, when i was at the yard i had in my brain camar/firebird = caprice/Bbody = 4.3 S10 for accessories. I found an S10 and took everything. turns out s10 = C10/1500 and not Fbody. so, it doesn't fit and I have yet to come across another car setup to snag.
the S10/C10/1500 setup works in a Gbody but this swap is for my firebird and not Monte Carlo....

 

you might be able to stil use the driver side bracket. I think those are the same.

 

I was actually wondering this very same thing. the part numbers (cast) are different and the webbing looks different, but i'll do some more researching. It would be alot easier to find just the AC bracket and use all the other parts I already have.

 

Here is the AC/AIR bracket

https://www.ebay.com/p/657968785?iid=115120974978

The S10 Alternator bracket puts the alternator up real high. It may or may not clear a Firebird hood.

 

A list of the part numbers in the GM Serpentine Belt kit

https://paceperformance.com/i-625526...-with-air.html

 

thanks for the list.
yeah, here is a screen shot for the alt/ps bracket for a car vs the S10/1500
alt sits up high

 

Hmmm it looks like the S10 bracket would lift the alternator higher / would require the S10 alternator....

HAWKS sells the F body unitsused but they are expensive...there are usually brackets on ebay for about $70 - 100 per side.

 

started picking through the part numbers a little.
the PS pulley is the same for truck and car, but the WP pulley and maybe crank pulley are different. At least in part # for WP pulley, not sure what is different physically. I would guess the diameter. couldn't find a good reference for crank pulley.
WP is the same.
PS pump is different but its just the return tube layout. looks these should interchange w/ a little line routing. the s10pump has a metal bracket on the backside I do not see in the new GM universal (fbody) kit.
Alternator is same for earlier trucks & cars, but different for later (105A versions). looks like the back is just clocked differently on the '93-95 trucks. so earlier alts are same but later may swap easily.
the 124A truck alternator has the bolt bosses 180degrees apart. but the s10 & 105A truck alternators have the same alt bolt bosses.
camaro on left, 1500 truck on right.
pick of my S10 is third. note big heavy bracket on backside. part bolts to exhaust at #1 cylinder and upper part bolts to back of AC (I think, been a while).

 

ALTs

 

the water pump pulleys are different..at least the S10 one..

the F body wp pulley is "thinner" so i think the belt would sit more forward?? I had a F body one at the JY...I turned my back for a second ans some guystole it from my pile lol...I grabbed a truck one...but I found out later it was different...........


Actually..I wodner if the truck bracket would put the accessories more forward and the belt wou;dnt align up?

 

thats a good point. i was assuming they sat in the same plane since the ALT and PS pulley were the same. However those could be teh same parts but shifted forward by the bracket location. And since uses the same WP, the WP and crank pulleys are different to line up.

all saying I need to get a full FBody/BBody setup but would be able to use my PS pump & alt.

 

Yeah, if they worked the same, I doubt GM would design 2 different ones..theyd just use the truck or F body unit for both applications...

I agree, safest bet would be to get a F or H body?? (Caprice / Roadmaster I think) unit.