I just re-read your early post. I see you have a late 455 with long nose water pump. You need the late 71 and up stuff to make that work. I would still look for all 70 stuff and swap out the water pump.
Cool, thanks for the info...Yeah it's a 70 Stage 1 car, but the drive train is a montage of parts. It all ran and drove before I pulled the motor (3 years ago) to start the frame off restoration. I just wanted to clean it up and paint it before I put it back in and thought maybe I'd install a new water pump, hoses, starter, spark plugs and wear items before I put it back. That's when I realized I opened a can of worms I did buy a new long nose water pump and made sure I got a starter for 72-76 BBB's. I bought a 70 stage 1 style fuel pump Here are my part numbers: 1976 Block - block has the 1241735 casting number and the front serial number is 46Hxxxxxx 1972 Heads and Intake (72 on heads and the intake manifold has a number of 1239925) 1970 Stage 1 Valve covers (chrome and have the correct part numbers - I think these are the only original bits left) Pulleys = 1235777 and 1235778 AC Compressor = Don't know. It was in the trunk when I got the car. Will have to check the box when I get home from work Power Steering = Don't know. Currently still attached to the steering box sitting on the frame which is at the body shop. Will have to check. 1971 Fan Shroud = 1234484 1972 Radiator Top Cover = 1240323 1972 Rubber Insulators = 1236777 and 1236778 Alternator - I will have to check the bracket. I do have a 70 bracket somewhere in the garage. Further down the road, I can get a correct 70 era motor built (no funds now for that). I do have a 455 motor from a 70 LaSabre or Electra sitting in back of the garage. Can't remember if it has an AC compressor with it or not. Wonder if anything from a 70 Skylark would be of value?
Yes on the 70 Skylark. Grab the power steering pump. Also the triangular aluminum PS bracket from a 70 35o is what you need. The thin plates for power steering bracket on a 350 are not correct for a 455 however. You will need those two plates from a 455 big car and use those. Also I believe the lower AC /alternator bracket is the same as a 70 455. Most important of all. Grab the upper radiator cover as 70 is unique and valuable. Make sure you get all 4 radiator rubbers ad 70 are special. Take the radiator too especially if an AC car. About 75 percent of Buick’s were. If that Skylark has AC it would have been equipped with the same alternator with correct pulley you need. That would be a huge score.
Here is an original 70 55 amp correct alternator with double pulley. Pulley part number for 70 is 1961408. If you wanted to be super correct part number on alternator is 1100774. That Skylark could have it if AC.
Don’t use that alternator pulley if you are going to run those later pulleys. The 71 and up used an alternator Pulley with a thicker center section as you can see here. This is a smaller diameter version for a big car but thickness is the same. I don’t have the pulley number. Maybe someone with a 71- up can look at theirs? Actually my parts book says 71-75 double alternator pulley is 1970832
Here is a 70 correct aluminum power steering bracket. Should be same for 350-455. There appears to be no part number on it. You would need the two plates off a 455 to complete it.
Don’t forget to check that Skylark for a 7 blade fan if car has AC. If Non AC see if it has the short style heater hose bracket attached to the intake manifold and you will have guys knocking down your door.
1970 parts 455 All will work with short water pump only 1961408 double alternator pulley 1386935 power steering pulley 1375146 water pump pulley (double groove) 1375143 lower crank pulley (triple groove) 1387139 stamped- upper alternator brace 1387422 radiator rubbers (2) 1387423 radiator rubbers (2) 1971 parts 455 (possibly later years) all will work with long water pump only MANY PARTS STORES AND LISTINGS GET THIS WRONG. YOU WILL KNOW WHEN YOUR WATER PUMP PULLEY HITS THE PUMP 1970832 double alternator pulley 1235776 PS pulley 1235778 water pump pulley double groove 1235777 lower crank pulley triple groove 1235837 stamped upper alternator brace 1236777 radiator rubber(2) 1236778 radiator rubbers (2)
Don’t see a number on the alternator bracket or pulley. Bit did notice it us a bend it it to shift it back. Power steering bracket has a 1241787 number.
The alternator arm has the part number stamped about halfway up on the front. I have never seen one without it but it may be faint. It’s very important to hsve the right one. They are bent different. That’s not a 70 pump bracket and don’t worry about the alternator pulley. It’s not correct for your car. It’s a parts store special.
Your power steering bracket is listed in the parts book as a big car 455 72-74 combination bracket for PS and Smog pump.
This is good diagram of all the 455 possibilities. Your application is lower right. You can see the need for the double pulley. Alternator belt goes in outer groove. It’s interesting the bare bones Stage 1 lower left shows it has a 37 amp alternator which I believe is a mistake. I believe all Stage1 came with 55 AMP even in bare configuration. I believe it was corrected. Either way note the double pulley even without AC.
I stopped at the body shop and my power steering pulley is 1386935 for 1970. I did manage to pick up a larger 19-20” fan off a 1974 Buick # 1248432. At least this will fill up the 22” 1971 shroud I currently have. Just gotta get it blasted and painted.
So do you have a 71 350 shroud or a 455 shroud,..topic switched to fans unless I missed something,..but you need a 455 shroud using a 350 shroud as I mentioned causes issues
Your pS pump pulley is correct for 70 but bracket is wrong. What does pump look like? Using a 350 shroud and now a 74 big fan you are heading down endless rabbit holes and you will drive yourself nuts. Many things go wrong when you mix and match.
I didn’t pick up the 350 shroud or the radiator top. The top plate was the plastic kind with the metal end brackets. I just got the 70 skylark power steering brackets and alternator brackets and double alternator pulley. If I ever rebuild the 70 455 lasabre motor I got stuff to put on it. My 76 motor ran and everything lined up before I started restoring. The hardest part was trying to figure out what starter, water pump, clutch fan to buy. I guess if I add AC back to my 76 motor, I’ll need to pick up the bigger double alternator pulley. For now I think the bigger 5 blade fan I got today would be better than the smaller fan I have on it.
I have a 71 fan shroud (diameter 22”) with a 18” 6 blade fan currently in the car. Once I started restoring, I figured out what a mess of parts I have. I picked up a new 1974 fan today. I Figured a 5 bladed 20” 1974 fan would be better in the larger 22” diameter 1971 shroud on my 1976 455 motor. I didn’t get the 350 shroud today. It sounded like it wasn’t going to work. I was just trying to get back to period correct parts or as close to 70 as I could. Looks like I need to find the holy grail 70 455 shroud and top cover.
Oh yeah, my pump looks just like the one from the 350, just with a different bracket. Obviously the junkyard one is cover in vines, mine is covered with a rubber glove since it’s at the body shop.
You need to go back and get that radiator cover. You can sell it for a premium. Don’t use the upper alternator brace from the 350. It won’t work. The aluminum power steering bracket is correct but you need the front and rear plates for it from a 455. Did you get the pump too? It might be different than what you have. It may not even line up with the long water pump you have.
You could sell that plastic radiator cover on this site quick. Lots of guys with early cars want them. What is part number on the alternator you got? It’s stamped in the aluminum along with 55A and a date code.
