I recently purchased an aluminium power steering bracket for my car. The car is a 78 RS camaro with a 1980 z28 350 in it. The bracket said 69-73 sbc and other small blocks using a long style water pump. I'm using the long style so I thought I was gonna be okay. According to the installation instructions there needs to be a threaded hole on the block, directly beneath the two water pump holes. Now there is one on the passenger side, but not the driver's where the p s pump is located. (I checked and it doesn't appear to be on the older style blocks either.) Is there any alterations or fabrications I can do to get this bracket to work? I hope so cause I don't wanna be out the 50! I included a picture of my kit that I purchased to maybe shine some light on my question. Thanks for looking!

 

You may be out of luck. I tried to put a billet alternator bracket on my '71 and ended up only being able to use part of it, and then reuse my adjusting arm from the old bracket which was chrome.
I suppose you might be able to fabricate a plate that would attach to the water pump or some other threaded holes and then situate over the unthreaded hole you need to bolt the new bracket in place. But the thickness of a plate might make your bracket sit out and not let the alternator line up correctly with the other pulleys.
I had a power steering bracket too, and couldn't make even part of that bracket work. as you might see in this picture, I used the pivot bracket, but also used the adjuster for the alternator on the power steering pump:

 

I'll look at mine here in a bit,as mine is an 80 as well.If i remember though,i believe there is a difference between the one you have and the later style,because when i was planning to buy mine i was going to get that same one,then i went to jegs and looked at the one that march has listed for 80-up and they were pretty different.There are alot of people selling those brackets on ebay,all the same bracket with alot of different descriptions saying they will fit different years,and like i said i almost got one from there because of the price,but a few months ago when i got mine nobody on ebay had the correct one so i ended up getting one actually made by march for the 80-up and it cost me a bit over $100.

 

I was afraid of that. Yea I seen the one that a locknut actually goes on the backside of the water pump, then you have a triangular shaped bracket that mounts to the head w an adjuster on the side to adjust the ps pump.

 

I'm not sure what one like that would mount on,the one i have looks very similar to the one you got,it has the same main bracket,but the other parts are a bit different.Here is a pic from when i first put it on,like i said looks almost the same with just a few differences.As soon as i can get out there,i'll let you know exactly what those differences are.

 

Ok,i just went and looked at mine,and as long as all the spacing on the holes is the same,you may be able to use that set.The threaded hole they say is below the water pump,should actually be on the water pump,looking at mine the big bracket is bolted to the 2 holes that mount the water pump to the block,these 2 bolts will hold the bracket and the water pump to the block so the existing bolts need to come out.The smaller arm looking bracket that has 3 holes should mount on the water pump directly below the bigger bracket.Then the smaller arm with just 2 holes will mount lower on the block,down right next to the timing cover a bit lower than the freeze plug.My bracket that mounts there has 2 holes where it bolts to the block,but yours should be the same principle.One thing i think you may have a problem with though is the bolts that came in that set.That set is actually made for the earlier cars which used standard size bolts,and the 80 uses metric bolts.Being your car is a 78,those bolts may work,just depends if your power steering pump is from the 78 or the 80,as i cant remember what year they started the metric.Also if you have the 2 groove pulley on your pump,that bracket may not fit,i have heard from a few people that said they had to change the pulley to get it right.

 

you know, i tried buying a couple of those march performance power steering brackets and none of them worked. After my 3rd visit to the post office to return it, i gave up and painted the stock bracket. Couldn't ask for a better fit.

 

Very well said, can't beet the stock stuff sometimes. The aftermarket doesn't always care if it fits and the computer don't do returns. I did install a really nice P/S bracket on a sb powered Jeep it used the two bottom holes by the timing cover and the bottom P/S mount boss on the water pump. Used a lot on circle track cars, easy to install and adjust. I can get the Company name Monday when I get to work.

 

Sounds like they want to use one of the old motor mount holes from the 50s. My elcheapo alt bracket needed some mods too. If you don't use yours sent it to me, I'll force it to work.

 

Yea well the stock bracket I have don't work with my headers so I bought an alternator bracket about 3 years ago when I built the engine modified, and used it, but over time it became weak and now I'm shredding belts. If there is a stock bracket I can use with the headers, I will use it, just let me know which one will work and where I can get it. Thanks