Hood clearance question
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Hood clearance question
I have a stock base 350 cu. inch corvette motor in my 1972 Corvette with of course the base hood for that year. I am looking at installing the the Edelbrock Performer-RPM or the Edelbrock Air-Gap intake manifold to this engine along with a new Holley 670 4 bbl Carburetor. I know that I won't have enough clearance with my 3 inch Air Cleaner and that base hood, but will I have enough clearance with a low profile K & N air cleaner? I looked on their website and K & N have a 3 inch Air Cleaner kit that fits snuggly over and around the Holley Carburetor making it effectively a 2 inch Air Cleaner, thereby giving me 1 inch of extra clearance for the hood, will this be enough? Or has anyone successfully performed what I am asking on their base 350 Corvette (1968 to 1973)..if so, what was your trick to get the clearance?
Thanks kindly
Thanks kindly
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,713
Likes: 31
From: Shreveport LA
LA Events Coordinator
The best way to check your clearance is to get some plumber's putty, roll three of them in about 2" ball each and place them on the air cleaner...front, middle and rear. Gently close the hood (don't drop it...set it down, then push to close). Open the hood and the ***** of putty should be somewhat compressed....the height of the putty ***** is the clearance of the hood. You can repeat the procedure at different location on the air cleaner.
I have a 3" Fram Air Hog with a K&N drop base and flat lid. I have about 3/4" clearance on my stock hood and have been for the past 8 years....no issues or problems. I also don't drop my hood to close...I set it down completely then push one side then go to the other side and push the hood down.
Good Luck!
I have a 3" Fram Air Hog with a K&N drop base and flat lid. I have about 3/4" clearance on my stock hood and have been for the past 8 years....no issues or problems. I also don't drop my hood to close...I set it down completely then push one side then go to the other side and push the hood down.
Good Luck!
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,404
Likes: 791
From: Redondo Beach, California
I have a stock base 350 cu. inch corvette motor in my 1972 Corvette with of course the base hood for that year. I am looking at installing the the Edelbrock Performer-RPM or the Edelbrock Air-Gap intake manifold to this engine along with a new Holley 670 4 bbl Carburetor. I know that I won't have enough clearance with my 3 inch Air Cleaner and that base hood, but will I have enough clearance with a low profile K & N air cleaner?
Thanks kindly
Thanks kindly
I once called Edelbrock's tech aid phone lline and asked if their 383 crate engine (a very pricey but high quality engine) would fit in my 68 with a stock hood or perhaps a BB hood. To make the story short they were not at all interested in providing any advice. Since they sell this stuff (the crate engine, the manifolds) and Corvette owners are certainly a significant percentage of the customers who buy this stuff, you'd think they could answer the questions. Why does every individual Corvette owner who buys a manifold have to make a cold start trying to find if it'll fit. This is something Edelbrock should do.
Anyhow, I had over $10,000 setting in the bank for my 68 restore project and I would have bought their engine in a flash if they would have told me it'd fit. From what I know now, I'm sure it would. Why didn't they know that. Too bad. Oh...the $10,000 was gone after about a year and had to be supplemented.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 11,520
Likes: 13
From: CORVETTE 77 385 C.I. TEXAS
LT-1/BB hood is minimum for hi rise intakes like RPM.
There needs to be at least about 3/4" clearance over the Holley vent tubes.
SEE http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...er-intake.html
There needs to be at least about 3/4" clearance over the Holley vent tubes.
SEE http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...er-intake.html
