Cutting holes in a perfectly good hood

[XXL]

I've been stewing on this project for quite a while, and thanks to some CAD work by slammed67, some machining by mekdad, much finagling by rokcrln, and way too many pesos, it's time to post pictures.

First, you've got to yank a nearly new Holley 390 4bbl. Then you've got to cut on a perfectly good Clifford manifold.

[XXL]

Next, you take the Vintage Speed 3x2-to-4bbl adapter as the conceptual model, and a zillion different measurements, and feed them to slammed67, who turns out some CAD files.

Note: There's a fundamental interference problem with running an off-the-shelf 3x2 setup. It's called a firewall. And, this isn't a hot rod, but rather, I'm trying to achieve a particular style. With that in mind, the manifold may not seem so odd after all.

[XXL]

After a few mid-air adjustments to the design, waiting for the brown truck to arrive from points far and wide, and 17 trips to the hardware store, you end up with this assembly...

[XXL]

Once this contraption is mounted on the motor, you'll find that there's a clearance problem with the hood... but that, ladies and gentlemen, is the essence of the plan

[XXL]

Now, you've got to solve that clearance problem with the hood...

[XXL]

... and make it look like you actually had a plan...

[BAGNDRAGIT]

thats lookin pretty fancy there, cant wait to see the finished product!!!!!

[XXL]

Build a bit of dimensionality into the holes. Flat holes are so... flat.

[mclairmo]

You are brave, I would be scared to cut a hole in the hood. How will the fuel distribution be with the front carb so far away and the back carb right on top of the opening to the plenum? Will you have to jet that back one lean and front one rich? How do you balance them?

[XXL]

Originally Posted by mclairmo

How will the fuel distribution be with the front carb so far away and the back carb right on top of the opening to the plenum? Will you have to jet that back one lean and front one rich? How do you balance them?

Well, you got ahead of me on my posting...

Actually, if you study this pic closely, you'll note that the fuel inlets on the front 2 carbs are plugged. The front 2 carbs are externally fully functional dummies. All the linkage on them works, but they don't squirt fuel. In fact, while my log manifold has pockets under the carbs, they don't connect with one another. What I have is a 2bbl carb with a straight shot into the manifold. Simplicity at its finest

[jay-dawg]

Originally Posted by XXL

Well, you got ahead of me on my posting...

Actually, if you study this pic closely, you'll note that the fuel inlets on the front 2 carbs are plugged. The front 2 carbs are externally fully functional dummies. All the linkage on them works, but they don't squirt fuel. In fact, while my log manifold has pockets under the carbs, they don't connect with one another. What I have is a 2bbl carb with a straight shot into the manifold. Simplicity at its finest

poser! j/k...this rig rocks!

[XXL]

Weld...

[VA72C10]

Very cool. I like your build because you're willing to really step outside the "box" and do things no one else has tried. And everything is executed very well. Good work!!!

[XXL]

Do the finish work and prime...

[XXL]

Voila...

[Jim_PA]

Awesome!

[BAGNDRAGIT]

that is some wicked stuff, do you have a shot a lil further away?

[OARNGESI]

That looks really cool your truck is gona be nice

[VA72C10]

Very cool!

[hilandr452]

The added bonus is that you now have 2 spare carbs!!



Dan

[BluTrukker]

That is the coolest thing I have ever seen! The quality and originality of the work you do is amazing!

[68 short step]

that is really nice engineering on all parts......did mekdad mill the new manifold??

[XXL]

Thanks, all, for the positive comments!

Originally Posted by chevy_mike

...it's just all show and no go.

I have an "all go" car too, so this one is fine for getting me down the road at 65.

Originally Posted by petey-pablo

I have one question though will the motor move, and cause the carbs to rub on the hood on acceleration like torque?

I've got a PB Dropmember with the prototype set of I6 mounts. The bushing method is nice and tight. We'll see what happens when I drive it, but I don't anticipate any issues.

Originally Posted by 68 short step

did mekdad mill the new manifold??

Yes. He cut it in 2 pieces so we could use thinner (read as "cheaper") stock, and then they're bolted together. As you can see in the CAD 3D, the original plan was to add the necessary height on the carb side. Again, due to material cost, we were going to cut those as separate pieces. However, after lots of measuring, it turned out to be better to add the bulk of the height on the bottom of the unit. However, mekdad had already finished cutting... so we used an off-the-shelf 4bbl spacer. If I was being anal, I'd probably have mekdad recut the bottom piece again with the added spacer height built in.

BTW, one of the things that didn't get done, that I hope to get around to fairly soon... I want to bead blast the whole manifold to give it a cast look to match the Clifford on the bottom. Right now it's a little too "machiney." I've still got to make a mount for the fuel distribution block, and tidy up a few other things as well.

[lyrikz]

My initial thoughts were WTF are you thinking... And the final thought was your freakin awesome...

More pics please.... Just no tutu's this time.

[Bamm]

Cool factor = 10