Can you help me identify this bracket?

My friend Tony and I sat there for a good 10 minutes discussing what we thought this bracket to be and came up with exactly squat.

The car is a '51 buick with a 320 straight 8, no air conditioning (no controls for it - has under seat heater), does not have power steering. The generator is below the bracket.

Thanks in advance!

Chris

 

it supports the air filter housing.

 

That's what I figured the top one was, it's the one in the front of the motor we can't figure out. There is also a 2 groove pulley on the crank that only
goes to the generator.

 

My Dad's 52 Roadmaster has a 320 with a power steering pump where that big bracket is, are you sure this is the original engine in the car? Original steering box too?

 

You know, that's some shit when every pic you google, PLUS every pic I've ever taken.......are of the other damn side of the engine.

But I know why, it's the prettier side.

 

I agree with the power steering suggestion.. the 50 buick im working on for a friend right now has the upper bracket for the air cleaner but not the lower one or double groove pully and its manual steering. so power steering seems the right option.

 

I'll take another look under the car at the steering box and see - I'm not 100% confident that it is the original motor, but that seems like something you'd take off when you swapped motors?

 

Why? It's not hurting anything, and if the engine was swapped from another into this car, it was probably done way before anyone gave a shit about the fact that it might not "look right".

 

I'm not concerned with it looking right or not (trust me, you should see the floorboards - 'functional' yes, pretty, no.) - if it has no purpose it may be the new mount for a 12V alternator. =)

The engine swap question would make sure I buy the right parts it is a different motor than I think is in it (like the smaller engine has been swapped in place of the 320 or something like that).