Would anybody be interested in billet pulleys?

[Anaconda]

My friend has been making billet pulleys for a couple of years now. He has been making idler and power steering pulleys. Up to this point he has been making them for Mustangs and F-bodies. Anyway, I was thinking that if there was enough interest we could start making some for Vipers (Gen 1/2). I could use my car to test it out on, measure, etc. I'd need to sell like a dozen just to break even.

So, is anyone interested in this? If so, would you want just an idler, just a power steering, or both. Or, the other much more complicated option would be a set of underdrive pulleys.

Anyway, here is examples of his work:
Idler pulley for 5.0 Mustang...

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Power steering pulley for 5.0:

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You can see more stuff and read more at wazeepulleys.com


Here's a pic of underdrive pulleys for a 5.0. It is the alternator, crank, and water pump pulley...

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[plumcrazy]

i might be interested, how much and when?

 

[Anaconda]

I haven't really thought up a price. Obviously I would like to make a couple bucks on them for my time, but I am not looking to really make anything off of them.

I am just wondering who would be interested IF they were available. I am not going to trouble of getting them fabricated on a CNC machine if I was the only one who would want them. Know what I mean?

 

[plumcrazy]

cant blame ya brother...lol

keep me posted. over the winter would be a perfect time for me..

 

[Anaconda]

They don't take long to make. He has sold like a hundred or so of the Mustang pulleys. In fact, I had the very first idler pulley on my 95 Mustang and it was great. It looked very good.

Basically once the CNC template is made up, you can just pop them right out. They'll be made from high quality billet aluminum.

Now, should I just make the idlers for now, or do the power steering? Since you seem to be the only one remotely interested (so far), what would you like to see? I think I will just start with one type (idler OR P/S) and see how that works out.

 

[TCKTPLZ]

Will they have an underdrive? I really don't want to take power away from my already strained AC out here in the desert. Also, what would be the weight savings? I have an aluminum flywheel in my car(which weighs around 20 pounds less then the stock flywheel) and I really can't notice that much of a difference when driving. Would there be any other benefits to these billet pulleys?

 

[plumcrazy]

maybe just stick to the idler for now but keep me posted.

 

[Anaconda]

I think I will just make the idler for now. Basically it is just something to dress up the compartment. This whole thing started with the VERY ugly, black plastic idler pulley that frequently wore out on 94/95 Mustangs. My friend Mike (Wazee) and I both had them. Basically he made them to dress up the compartment and replace the stock piece of junk. He uses high quality bearings in them. The Viper pulleys would essentially be the same.

TCKTPLZ: Normal underdrives don't change the diameter of the A/C pulley. Most do just the alternator, water pump, and crank. Some do the A/C, but that's not usually the case.

Now, I can't say what effect any of this would have on Vipers, but I can say for a fact that steel underdrive pulleys on a 94/95 Mustang resulted in a gain of about 5 RWHP across the entire power band, and aluminum ones would gain a little more, like 7 or 8 RWHP. However, another advantage is since the accessories were turning less, they would last longer. Underdrives are popular with the Mustang crowd because steel underdrive pulleys were about 80 or 90 bucks (depending on brand), and aluminum ones were a little more, say $125 or so. $125 for like 8 RWHP isn't a bad deal, and is a cheap bolt on that can be done easily. It doesn't effect emissions and is completely street legal.

 

[Greg 99ACR Red and Silver]

FYI: A well Engineered set is available from West Coast Viper with no negative issues (but are $495):

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West Coast Viper

 

[Anaconda]

Yeah, see I could make that exact set for like half (or less)...

That's a GIGANTIC markup.

 

[Joseph Dell]

March performance sells a PS pulley for 85 or 90, methinks... just as info. i might be interested in the idler if the price was right...

JD

 

[Anaconda]

Well, the Mustang and LS1 idle pulleys are both $42.99, so it would be about the same price (depends on how much aluminum needs to be used).

 

[Anthony - 98 GTS]

Billet pulleys?

 

[Anaconda]

Is that your car? Are those one of a kind?

Looks NICE!

 

[Anthony - 98 GTS]

Is that your car? Are those one of a kind?

Looks NICE!

Yea, it's my Viper. This is the complete March Performance set excluding their crank pulley. I went with an under drive crank pulley.

They are nice pieces. They are not cheap as I think I paid $400 for the set.

 

[Dave's Big Brakes]

I'd be interested in an under set