Technical Cragar Blower Drive Tensioner ID Help

I'm hoping someone on here can confirm the details of the gilmer tensioner in this original Cragar ad. I'm working on a car that's missing it, and I'm coming up dry locating one to put back on it.

It appears that it's just flat plate, so I may be able to replicate it ***uming I can get some more clear photos of what the whole things looks like. I'm also ***uming that it may have a spring that provides constant tension on the idler pulley. It appears to share the front cover bolts for mounting.

If you happen to have one, please drop in some photos/measurements/anything that can help!

 

I am not sure how long these were produced before Cragar started casting their own front cover, that had the tensioner boss in it.

This one is for an original GMC/Detroit Diesel front cover.

It is a cool piece for sure. I hope that you find one.

One thing to keep in mind, if the destination is a street vehicle, this is a drag race piece.

This puts the blower drive belt right through where the water pump would be on a street vehicle.

 

This car won't see much actual use once it's done - and it ran an electric water pump in 1961!

 

"You don't know what I got"

 

As my dad called it "Little Doo Scoop."

I am pretty sure it had a different tensioner, though.

 

Since it looks to be plate instead of cast aluminum, would not be that difficult to machine/duplicate. Even easier if you could borrow one to get the dimensions from. 1960's aluminum looks the same as 2023

 

IIRC, that particular Cragar set up had a spring tensioner on the idler bracket. IIRC it was a rotary spring.

 

I've been trying to figure out if they packaged a rotary spring, or if it had a push or pull spring? There isn't a gap between the parts, so I'm thinking a push or pull spring?

Also, I'm thinking that bolt above the pivot might be where the spring attaches?

 

Cory, I don’t think that early tensioner was spring loaded, when I bought my Dyer drive kit in 1975 I was told to adjust the idler pulley to give 1/2” of slack when I pushed on the drive side of the belt. Too loose was no good and too tight might snap the crank snout.
Those old Cragar drives that used v-belts needed the spring tensioner because the belts slip and can jump up and down. The Gilmer belts are positive drive, you adjust the idler to give the proper slack on the belt.

 

1961 catalog

 

If that's all that is needed, it will be a very easy part to replicate!

 

Looks like the same idea that Weiand uses...

 

Please show us Cory! Inquiring minds..

 

You never cease to amaze me! Seems you just might have everything... well for sure too much cool stuff for one just one guy.

 

I should've put a bet on you! PM coming......

 

I have had several for hemis. None had a tension spring. They had a plate with the slot to slid the idler for tension. If you check your tension when the engine is hot, you will be able to see that you don't have it too tight. Most of the stuff on the HAMB is steel heads and block so the expansion rate is minimal as compared to alum.

 

Legend.....Power of the HAMB