I'm getting ready to replace my 350 with a 454 out of a '77 suburban. I want to keep my hood stock. With the small hood clearance, which intake manifold should I go with? Or should I just keep the 400 lb. quad-jet manifold? (I hate quad jets.)

I should add that I'll be using the 350's motor mounts which will provide even less hood clearance.

There are few choices if you keep the stock hood. The Edelbrock Torker II would probably fit under the hood with a drop base air cleaner. The only other manifold, besides the factory units, I can think of that would fit is the old Edelbrock S.P.2-P unit.

The Torker is a mediocre single plain design with its limited height its only redeeming feature. The SP2P only flows air to around 4500 rpm, less on a larger engine like a 454.

Replace the hood or live with the fact that the engine will be choked by the intake.

Steve

Steve pretty much summed it up. If you want a decent dual plane intake on a 454 you need a cowl induction hood or a REALLY REALLY short air cleaner (or no air cleaner at all - bad idea).

Im still playing with the idea. I just threw in my 454 and surpriseing it not that much bigger than a SBC . I think anything but a high rise will fit with the right air cleaner. Ill let you know when I get the manifold swapped out

If I have to choose between looking good or going fast, I'd probably choose going fast. What I might do is cut a hole in the hood and then put a cowl induction scoop on it. Then I can run a Performer RPM manifold.

Anyone try one of those fiberglass cowl induction scoops? I'd want to bondo it to the hood so that it all looks like one piece.

<font face="Arial,Verdana" size="2">Originally posted by CA72RS:
If I have to choose between looking good or going fast, I'd probably choose going fast. What I might do is cut a hole in the hood and then put a cowl induction scoop on it. Then I can run a Performer RPM manifold.

Anyone try one of those fiberglass cowl induction scoops? I'd want to bondo it to the hood so that it all looks like one piece.</font>

Gettehr Done!!
to redneck for me. Buy a cowl hood

Oh man, I don't think I can cut a hole in that perfect hood. And I don't want the hassle/expense of a new fiberglass or steel hood. I guess I'll just use the stock intake and then hit the nitrous button when I want to go fast.

But if anyone knows of a dual plane aluminum intake that will fit under the hood, please let me know. I tried searching for an Edelbrock 2PSP, but they're nowhere to be found. I know it probably won't perform much better than stock, but I want to lighten up the motor and ditch the quad jet carb.

The SP2P is from the early '80s, that's why they are hard to find except on Ebay.

The Torker is the only one available. You may also look at the Weiand/Holley 300-42. It's a low rise aftermarket aluminum dual plane that's a tad better than stock.

I looked at specs for every manifold currently avaialable. That low rise manifold from Weiend won't fit either. Stock or Torker 2-0 are your only choices.

For a while, I had a high rise manifold on mine, and left the top off the aircleaner. It sealed pretty good against the stock hood, but It looks stupid when you open the hood. Also the airfilter sometimes stuck to the hood.

I have now have a stock one on mine that I powdercoated.

GP

So you run a stock intake? How does it run? What carb are you using? How big of an improvement did it make over the small block? Any 1/4 mile times? And just for the heck of it, how much mpg do you get?

Would a bbc Performer manifold fit if I use that flat top Edelbrock air cleaner? 'Ram-Flow' is the name of it, I believe.

Or here's a crazy idea. Maybe I should get a bbc Performer manifold and cut an inch or two off the top. Bad idea?



[This message has been edited by CA72RS (edited January 11, 2005).]

<font face="Arial,Verdana" size="2">Originally posted by CA72RS:


Or here's a crazy idea. Maybe I should get a

[This message has been edited by CA72RS (edited January 11, 2005).]</font>

Maybe you should just get a new hood. Stop trying to make a square peg fit in a round hole.

It's a dilemma. I like the stock hood but I'm not sure if it's worth giving up lots of horsepower. I'm leaning towards keeping the hood stock and using nitrous to make up for lost hp.

I guuueeeesssss...... If it were me, I'd cut a big honkin hole in the hood and sport the air cleaner. Or. even better... No hood.

i just have to chime in this one.....i myself being a big fan of the bbc in the 79-81 camaro's....

i did some intake testing last summer at the track with my 414ci
396 and this is what i came up with

the low rise cast iron intake is the worst even with a 3/4" adapter plate.

the high rise cast intake is just alittle better.

the torker 2 intake low rise out did both intakes in 60 ft time and overall trap speeds even in a car with 2.41 gears imagine that. my 60 ft times was .10 quicker then the stockers.....i would have never thought...mph was about 1.5 quicker over the cast iron units....this was an engine going to 6000 rpms.

the rpm intake out did the torker 2 by 2 tenths and the overall mph with untuned carb was about .5 faster....this was with a new cam change.....and after the cam change the torker was still on the car and ran....my shift points was 6200 rpms.....the intakes was done back to back over a 7 day period...i raced sat with the torker 2 and came home put on the rpm intake didnt changed nothing else and went to the track the following sat. and went .2 faster and .5 increase in mph............

with that being said the torker 2 intake really isnt giving THAT much up.

[This message has been edited by ddeennis (edited January 11, 2005).]

oh just to add.....i have had the old streetmaster intake with holley carb and 14" drop base air cleaner fit under the stock hood........low rise cast iron and an adapter with holley carb and drop base air cleaner fit under a stock hood. i have had the high rise cast iron intake fit under the stock hood and have the torker 2 intake fit under the stock hood and have had the performer fit as well......under the stock hood with sbc motor mounts......

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1980 z28 3900lbs daily driver,414ci bbc,13.505 @107.19 mph w/2.15 60ft. 2.73 gears in street trim.

1981 camaro "the race car" as the kids say. 454 .060 over 13.5 to 1 comp.roller cam,tunnel ram w/2 600 carbs, 4500 stall and 4.10 gears...under recostruction on chassis and engine mods.

1986 ford pick-up "the tow rig" runs a slow 18.00 flat at 75 mph in 1st and second gear only.

Thanks man, that's some great info.

If my car was a beater, I would've cut a big hole in the hood long ago. This car is too good to cut up and I want to keep it as stock as possible. I'll post photos when I take it out of the garage next month.

My car runs exactly like you'd expect a completely stock 396 to run. Very smoothly http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/smile.gif No track times, but I have a dyno sheet. 232 HP at the wheels.

I'm using a Jet stage 1 quadrajet carb. Basically a nice rebuilt q-jet.

I get about 12 MPG, 14 on a good day.

GP

[This message has been edited by gpierce (edited January 11, 2005).]

<font face="Arial,Verdana" size="2">Originally posted by ddeennis:

i did some intake testing last summer at the track with my 414ci
396 and this is what i came up with


the torker 2 intake low rise out did both intakes in 60 ft time and overall trap speeds even in a car with 2.41 gears imagine that. my 60 ft times was .10 quicker then the stockers.....i would have never thought...mph was about 1.5 quicker over the cast iron units....this was an engine going to 6000 rpms.

</font>

So I'm not crazy after all. The Torker 2 is NOT a bad intake esp with the right CAM and gears. Yes, the rpm is probably better in a day to day basis, but I don't think the Torker is garbage.

BTW, I still think you should get a nice cowl http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/wink.gif

With the legality known in Cali, going without a hood is probably not an option.

Would the stock '80 - '81 Z28 hood have more clearance with the air induction? Reason I ask might be putting a 396 in my '81 Z28 shell.

<font face="Arial,Verdana" size="2">Originally posted by 7T8 LT:
Would the stock '80 - '81 Z28 hood have more clearance with the air induction? Reason I ask might be putting a 396 in my '81 Z28 shell.</font>

theres alittle more room for the wing nut.......but the "ring" for the cold air induction takes some of the room away if you run a 14" air cleaner.....friend of mine had to remove his so it wouldnt rub the 14" air cleaner lid with a 3 inch filter eddy carb and rpm intake on a sbc.....


i myself have made modifications to my cold air induction hood on my 80 z28...im running a bbc ,rpm intake,3310-2 holley carb with the stock aircleaner assy, that was cut down to fit....the air cleaner lid is right at the top of the cold air induction hood scoop..another words i have used every last fraction of an inch to make it work....i have about 1/8" clearence from rubbing the bottom of the scoop.

...im also running a factory replacement K&N filter on top as well....hood still looks stock and is fuctional....and i still have the "ring" on......



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1980 z28 3900lbs daily driver,414ci bbc,13.505 @107.19 mph w/2.15 60ft. 2.73 gears in street trim.

1981 camaro "the race car" as the kids say. 454 .060 over 13.5 to 1 comp.roller cam,tunnel ram w/2 600 carbs, 4500 stall and 4.10 gears...under recostruction on chassis and engine mods.

1986 ford pick-up "the tow rig" runs a slow 18.00 flat at 75 mph in 1st and second gear only.

Here are the heights of different bbc intakes I found at the Edelbrock website. From rear bottom center of manifold (end seal surface) to top rear most edge of carb mount.

Torker 2: 4.6"
Performer 2.0: 5.4"
Performer RPM: 6.0"
Perf. Prod. Cyclone: 4.85" (according to the ebay seller)

hey guys just done this swap.496,trickflow heads,holly strip dom,850 demon.drop down 14inch elderbrock air cleaner.take off stock hood remove air induction.get your grinder ready.grind away all the ribs.now for the hood draw a 15in circle and cuter out.goes back together without a hitch.3/4 inch to spare.and hood looks stock.hope this helps.i had a old hood that someone allready butchered up,so i was willing to try this.it looks great.now for paint.

be carefull on what they consider stock height.theres not much real difference.ex.hollt strip dom seems hudge but its bowled out inside.looks higher.put a straight edge across the top of intake and measure it from ground up on both ends.true height.,gonna post pics later on hood and motor.

I thought there was a low rise aluminum intake they used on the old BB Vettes. They had a pretty low hood even had to have a dent in the valve cover for the alternator.

FWIW my 10.90s 455 TA uses a Torker II. Surely with some work the BB version isn't thay much worse than the Pontiac.

I thought there was a low rise aluminum intake they used on the old BB Vettes. They had a pretty low hood even had to have a dent in the valve cover for the alternator.

Part numbers 3919849, 3937793, and 3947801 were factory lowrise, oval port, aluminum, qjet manifolds. Part number 3963569 was the factory lowrise, rectangular port, aluminum, holley manifold. Any of these will easily fit under a flat hood.

Part numbers 3919849, 3937793, and 3947801 were factory lowrise, oval port, aluminum, qjet manifolds. Part number 3963569 was the factory lowrise, rectangular port, aluminum, holley manifold. Any of these will easily fit under a flat hood.

Great info. Thanks for posting. Where can you go for this sort of information? What reference?

I put the factory aluminum low rise 569 manifold it sits lower than any manifold i have ever seen. I have a drop base air cleaner and i have over an inch of clearance. Big performance drop off from the victor junior i removed after dumping the goodmark cowl. Motor is a 70 LS6, 850 DP, .600 lift solid ultra dyne cam. Has good lowend but not much on top. Cant believe the factory put these on LS6 Chevelle! I am going to try a 750 3310 maybe i have too much carb for this manifold. Either way it was worth it to get the factory lines back from the stock hood.

LS-5 iron intake will work as well. Digging up an OLD post...lol.

It's a good thing you updated this 5year old post, I'm sure the guy has put his project on hold waiting for more advice.