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If you got a RPM Air Gap ya don't need no stinkin heat shield. Can lay your hand on the manifold after the car has been run. Good historical info though.
Rich... I bought a Tarantula within months of Edelbrock releasing them in 1971 ($125 I do believe). I can't recall the numbers on it, but cast clearly in the manifold is the name Tarantula. I seem to recall that on the BB, the carb was twisted close to 45 degrees, like your's is, it wasn't nearly so on the SB. I just didn't think anyone ran them any more. It was a higher RPM manifold that made good power (back then) particularly if you didn't want to run a tunnel ram.
The Torker was similar in design and released a few years later with a lower power band. I used one of these on a Mustang and it worked well on the street. I still see them from time to time, but rarely a Tarantula...
The Tarantula is still on my '63, it just hasn't seen any fuel pass through it for the past 35 years...
Ok, Heat Shield it is. This one is on a Q-Jet..........I just had never seen one before and thought, I think I'll ask I'm sure somebody here can tell me what it is. It has a part number on it so I was sure it was a factory part but just wanted to know what it was.
Finally got to fix the brakes today so.....I'm on the road again.......
VAPOR LOCK. I can't believe I'll be the first to use the actual reason for it's use. Specifically, it is to reduce the occurance of vapor lock. Yes, vapor lock. That's what happens when the fuel gets sooo hot that it turns from liquid to vapor. That makes it difficult to properly spray (atomize). Curiously, I'm not sure why more vettes didn't need them. this is definately not a carb spacer.
Jay-Dog, You're absolutely right. I've been watching this thread and I'm surprised no one else posted it earlier. It also came on my '70 350hp 350.
Greg
Jay Dog is right. It is actually a heat sink, designed to pull heat away from the bottom of the carb and let it radiate into the engine compartment. Should be aluminum.