hello to all. I need help. Edelbrock says the rpm air gap will not allow hood clearance on my 82. i dont believe them but am no so cocky that id buy it before being assured. I ran a victor jr on my 70 lt-1 and had no clearance issues, and it is 1/2" taller than the gap. There is a plastic or fiberglass duct that moves air from above the radiator to a snoot that fed the original crossfire. if i remove it ill gain almost 2". i dont know if its glassed to the main hood or if it is plastic and bonded somehow. i started with a rounded edge 1" putty knife and although the paint flexes a tiny bit i think i could take my time and get around it. im hoping somewhere one of you knows what im talking about.thankyou in advance matthew

 

I recently installed an RPM Air Gap intake and Holley DP on a '81 (same hood on the outside). We also had new VBP poly engine mounts which raised the engine slightly. We were able to leave a droplight in the engine compartment, close the hood (with no air cleaner), remove the passenger side wheel and peer under the hood from the wheelwell. We had about 3 inches between the air cleaner base on the carb and the hood immediately above the carb. Of course as you move forward, the engine tilts up slightly and the hood slopes down. This means that the greater the outside diameter of the air cleaner, the more clearance problems it will create. While we are breaking in the 'new' 355 engine we will be modifying one of these little Pro Flow (triangular basket rounded over a thin foam element) air cleaners by either shortening the base or 'crushing' the outer mesh screen until it fits. Later, we will try to find a dropped base 12", 13", or 14" round air cleaner and build our own set-up that hugs the underside of the hood, or get a hood scoop or aftermarket hood. We were shooting for 450+ HP, so we did not want to compromise the intake manifold and decided to deal with the consequences that the taller RPM Air Gap created. I am confident there is an air cleaner out there that will work with minimal fabrication requirements and no power restrictions. Besides, if I install something (in search of more power) without having to modify it first, God forbid, I am not doing my job as a 'car guy'--shame on me!

 

Someone needs to clue the Edelbrock people in on the existence of DROP BASE FILTERS. 3/4 of the intakes on their site say "will not fit with stock Corvette hood", yet half the people on this forum (including ME) have those same intakes under those same stock hoods!!

 

thanks guys.i started to attempt to separate the inner lining of the hood . its definately fglass and i chickened out. im borowing a friends dremel tool and im gona surgically dissect out what i need.

 

I've done it. You have to cut a cirlcle out of the meat under the hood and use a drop base filter. Larry

 

I even fit a Super Victor intake under a medium rise hood.. However, couldn't fit an air cleaner with that intake...

 

How about Vortec heads in combination with the RPM AIr Gap? I've heard these heads put the intake higher.

 

its got dart steel heads on it

 

RPM here. Fits with Drop Base. 14" air cleaner.

It's tight, but; fits.

They put that on their sight so some chucklehead won't put it on and then use their stock breather and then sue them for hood damage.

I don't know about the 82 hood. It's different than what I have. . .

 

You can cut out that plastic fresh air chamber and get an inch or so. I did it to clear my SuperRam setup in my car.

 

yep, I also cut my chamber out of my hood on the 82 with a dremel cut off tool.....I used a drop base air cleaner too. And the victor jr. fits fine.

 

I have Vortec heads and the RPM Air Gap. It fits.