L89 Intake May Not be Friend's Problem
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,351
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay FL
L89 Intake May Not be Friend's Problem
My friend Mike has been in dialogue with an outfit in CA to swap his L89 3x2 intake for a 400hp intake and air cleaner. He is having to come up with the $300 for the air cleaner.
He started to investigate his 3x2 carbs and now suspects he has a rare 3x2 setup first manufactured by Holley for use in NASCAR in the 60's. The trio of carbs are rated at 1350cfm and instead actuating the front/rear carbs with vacuum, the two carbs are solidly linked to the middle carb's linkage. As a result, the two outboard carbs open in a more agressive manner (lower rpm) and when they do, HOLD ON!!!
I am wondering if his problem is not so much the 3x2 manifold (he is running a warmed up 396 with the rectangular port heads and the L89 3x2 intake.
Is this possible? Also, if these are in fact from that limited run of 1,500 Holley carbs first tested for NASCAR but outlawed, would he be better to try to sell/swap his 3x2's for a nice set of L89 carbs (that is my potential suggestion to him).
He started to investigate his 3x2 carbs and now suspects he has a rare 3x2 setup first manufactured by Holley for use in NASCAR in the 60's. The trio of carbs are rated at 1350cfm and instead actuating the front/rear carbs with vacuum, the two carbs are solidly linked to the middle carb's linkage. As a result, the two outboard carbs open in a more agressive manner (lower rpm) and when they do, HOLD ON!!!
I am wondering if his problem is not so much the 3x2 manifold (he is running a warmed up 396 with the rectangular port heads and the L89 3x2 intake.
Is this possible? Also, if these are in fact from that limited run of 1,500 Holley carbs first tested for NASCAR but outlawed, would he be better to try to sell/swap his 3x2's for a nice set of L89 carbs (that is my potential suggestion to him).
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 16,978
Likes: 7
From: In Dreams There Is Truth Ohio
Take a digital of the setup, both sides of the carbs. In the late 60's Mr. Gasket had a kit that bolted to the likeage that would open the secondaries mechanicaly..
What is the casting number on the intake and the carb's list numbers?
What is the casting number on the intake and the carb's list numbers?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,351
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay FL
Originally Posted by GDaina
Take a digital of the setup, both sides of the carbs. In the late 60's Mr. Gasket had a kit that bolted to the likeage that would open the secondaries mechanicaly..
What is the casting number on the intake and the carb's list numbers?
What is the casting number on the intake and the carb's list numbers?
I'll see if he has takin pics of the carbs. If not, I'll get some shots of the 3x2s and forward along with the numbers off the carbs.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,351
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay FL
Originally Posted by GDaina
That intake should be a hi rise profile.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,351
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay FL
That's the problem I have with the outfit in CA he is dealing with. They essentially want him to trade even up for the 400hp 3x2 setup and he would pay $300 for the L89 air cleaner My thought is, if he is to proceed with the intake swap in lieu of the carb issue, he should at minimum get the 400hp intake plus the L89 air cleaner in trade for his intake (no extra money paid by him to the CA dealer). The dealer would still get an incredible deal since L89 resto costs are going crazy (and the parts associated).
I'll get the added info on the 3x2 carbs and see if my friend will consider a linkage change to see if that resolves the disagreeably high performance behavior of the existing setup he has (keeping the L89 intake and the 3x2 carbs he has already rebuilt).
I'll get the added info on the 3x2 carbs and see if my friend will consider a linkage change to see if that resolves the disagreeably high performance behavior of the existing setup he has (keeping the L89 intake and the 3x2 carbs he has already rebuilt).
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 10,674
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From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
KEEP IT!!! or E-Bay it after getting ALL the info on it. Sounds Like a VERY RARE setup. Might be worth 5, 6 $10,000 maybe more if it is unblasted and a one of a kind Nascar version. The 400 HP version is oval port not rectangular so it won't match his heads. He needs to do some homework 
Last edited by 63mako; Mar 1, 2006 at 10:30 PM.
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Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
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From: In Dreams There Is Truth Ohio
Originally Posted by 63mako
KEEP IT!!! or E-Bay it after getting ALL the info on it. Sounds Like a VERY RARE setup. Might be worth 5, 6 $10,000 If it is unblasted it may be a one of kind.
Last edited by GDaina; Mar 2, 2006 at 10:18 PM.
Drifting
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,634
Likes: 2
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, the World
Originally Posted by GDaina
Take a digital of the setup, both sides of the carbs. In the late 60's Mr. Gasket had a kit that bolted to the likeage that would open the secondaries mechanicaly..
What is the casting number on the intake and the carb's list numbers?
What is the casting number on the intake and the carb's list numbers?
Most probably it is a stock Vette setup with the mechanical linkage. Return the setup to Vacuum operated secondaries to restore drivability. Still worth a lot in the secondhand market and he cannot just swap the 400hp intake as the ports will not match.The L89 manifold is really just an L71 manifold bolted to Aluminium Heads.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,351
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay FL
All,
Thanks for the feedback. I will try to convince him to solve the linkage issue first before he parts with the intake (NOTE: he has both a set of the rect port heads as well as the oval port heads).
Thanks for the feedback. I will try to convince him to solve the linkage issue first before he parts with the intake (NOTE: he has both a set of the rect port heads as well as the oval port heads).
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 10,674
Likes: 122
From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Originally Posted by TedH
All,
Thanks for the feedback. I will try to convince him to solve the linkage issue first before he parts with the intake (NOTE: he has both a set of the rect port heads as well as the oval port heads).
Thanks for the feedback. I will try to convince him to solve the linkage issue first before he parts with the intake (NOTE: he has both a set of the rect port heads as well as the oval port heads).
