opinions needed. Best factory cast BBC intake.

seventy468 · Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 3:31 am Post subject:

correct. the intake that I am in need of will be going onto a tall deck 427. I understand the original tall deck intakes were by no means performance. I am trying to stay away from using spacers.. which is going to be tough, unless they make a cast spacer?? anyone know? What are the chances of taking a old td cast manifold... cutting it up and fitting/welding/brazing/whatever it takes, to a more high perf. std deck manifold... then blending it all on the outside to make it look fact. and then you could match the insides as well.... A lot of work ... most likely... practical.. maybe not... but would it work???

Big Dave · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 12:21 am Post subject:

Cast iron can be welded but it takes a skilled (retired or about to) welder, nickel rods, and an oven to heat and quench the casting to do it.Along with a big rose bud and a lot of gas to keep it at heat while it is being welded. Few know how and those that do know enough to not want to get involved with the process. About the only place I know of that does it any more is a dry dock/ship repair facility where you have to make do with what ever the tide brings in.

What you are desribing is porting work; which can be done (all you need is an air powered die grinder or two, a lot of sanding rolls, and a set of carbide burs, along with a couple of cans of epoxy).

Big Dave

seventy468 · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 11:44 pm Post subject:

well im still undecided on what im going to do intake wise (havent tried to get a hold of mercruiser either, but now focusing on the exh. manifolds what are a set of these corvette manifolds (3856301 LH and 3856302 RH) running these days? I have tried a quick search with no luck so I assume IF I can find them they will cost me dearly. Good news is I can use motor plates so those manifolds should work fine for me.

seventy468 · Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 8:17 pm Post subject:

I was also told someone makes a intake adapter (for the tall 10.2/9.8 deck difference) that went from oval port to square port... any truth behind that? I am now planning find a standard deck height intake and run spacers... put some silicone over and paint and the untrained eye wont even know... hopefully sarcastic eye roll

87IrocTim · Member Joined: 10 Jan 2006 Posts: 421 15678.82 points

im pretty sure this started out as a tall deck talk which is why i mentioned my manifold. like previously mentioned, run spacers and you can run any intake. buy a tall deck intake and most likely it is a single plane race manifold. i just happen to have a factory tall deck intake, which make lots of torque but not much power above 3500rpm.

seventy468 · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 9:16 am Post subject:

well what if someone had access to a mill? A friend of mine has gotten real good at taking intake like that and making single planes out of them. They aren't the prettiest but with a carb on, you could never tell. What kind of carb flange is on it?

87IrocTim · Member Joined: 10 Jan 2006 Posts: 421 15678.82 points

what aggravates me is where i work, not only is NiCu weld wire readily available, also the heatoing strips and tig welders to do the job correctly, but there is no way i could over sneak an intake manifold into there. its one big tease.