Im looking to buy an L88 hood and I want to run a cold air intake.
Combo is 1970 with BBC and Edelbrock C454 manifold. Zip Corvette catalogue lists a L88 hood with air chamber, will this fit. What else will I need and what air cleaner will work.

 

If anyone else has already tackled this one before, please jump in, but from what I've found (or haven't found) you'll have to fab your own air box to mate up with the hood if you are putting a Dominator type carb on your C454, like I'm planning on.

Height doesn't appear to be the problem here, but rather the diameter of the dropped air cleaner base needed to clear the carb (16"). There's a 14" out there that "fits" the 4500, but the base and filter are cut out at each end and the resulting loss of flow could well create a vacuum above the Dom under certain conditions, as the remaining filter area just can't flow 1000+ cfm otherwise. At that point, what's the use in having the Dominator in the first place?

If you aren't using a Dominator, the necessary adaptor plate likely will cause height issues, in which case you'd be better off with a C427 and no adaptor. Then you could probably use all the L88 pieces...

Anyone else??

 

I have not done it yet either, but thats what I have found also. I would get the hood and air box seperately and install it once I have it all fit up.

 

I'm using an ecklers L-88 hood with the chamber. The filter is a 14x3 K&N and the air cleaner is a L-88 repro.


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I went the Eckler's route with KN filter, too. Also, treat yourself to some new hood cables--you'll be glad you did!

 

No way that intake will fit under that hood........tried that with a Victor Jr. it will not fit either. I did a lot of dyno testing and even an RPM Air Gap cost me 36 rwhp with the hood closed. This was on a 450 rwhp motor with a drop base air cleaner, extreme top, and 3 in. element. I tried a lot of things to try to make it work.

 

Hate to dispute the point, but I have previously run a 4500 on a C454 under an Eckler's long L88 hood, but w/o cold air box. ...with great performance, I might add. That's why I'm planning on a BG 1095 RS w/vac 2nds this time around. If I give up a slight bit of perf over the hood being a little closer than optimum, I'll still be better off than with any lesser carb/intake combo on the up coming 496.

What ever it takes, as long as it doesn't look Bubba, I'm determined to fab up a proper box for it, even if it ends up looking a bit NASCAR when you open the hood.

Nice setup, zwede. I've always wanted to see an EFI w/ L88 air box, but we're talking 4500 series carb here. FYI, you might consider following Penske's example and replace the factory foam isolator material as follows...

 

So let me get this right, the Dominator needs a special aircleaner base and normally those bases are for a 16" element. A 14" base is available but the 14" element is too small and the base does not have a good entrance into the carb venuri. I do like the look of the factory airbox.
The hood without the airbox would have a hollow, to that I could add a floor through which I could cut a 17" hole (with basic seal) for the 16" aircleaner to travel through. It might not be perfect but should do fairly well?

 

I could not tell there was much of a problem with mine untill I got above 5500 rpms or so....that is why I took it to the dyno. If you are happy with how it ran before I guess there is no reason to mess with it.

 

So what is that material and how is it better than the foam?

 

There are aftermarket spun Aluminum bases for a 4500 series Holley that can be used for your set-up. The C-454 intake is a good combination and yes you can make it work, height is perfect for L88 airbox.

 

A drop base is required to fit under the L88 air box. The L88 box is designed for a 14" filter, but a 16" diameter filter base is needed for a drop type base to clear the 4500's float bowls.

The exception is a 14" that's been chopped up to allow the bowls to extend out thru the filter's seat ring at the ends, which would make it necessary to cut a big chunk out of the front and rear of the filter ring and filter, and then figure out a way to seal the base, hood and sections of filter back up.

Personally, I think I'm going to go ahead and buy an underhood box to study, when I get to that point. It might just be possible to enlarge the filter ring on the underhood box to seal a 16" base to it.

It appears to be A/C line or water pipe insulation, such as you'd buy at Lowe's for your home (the good stuff, not the cheapo). I'd think it would be more resilient than the original foam, should provide a more positive seal, and I'm betting it probably lasts longer. Hoping to try it out myself...

Thank you! That it has been done before is encouraging, but with what pieces and from what sources? Pictures? Please, enlighten us. Man, if we could make it look almost just like the stock L88, only larger diameter.....

 

[QUOTE=zwede;1560749796]I'm using an ecklers L-88 hood with the chamber. The filter is a 14x3 K&N and the air cleaner is a L-88 repro.


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Good practical solution and looks excellent.

How is the filter element replaced ???
Is the chamber detachable? or do you rely on deforming the element to fit into the recess???

I am considering this setup as an option for cold air intake on my new sb stroker. It has a (vortec) rpm airgap manifold, so I'll have to play around with height for the base plate once it's fitted.

 

The filter comes out easily be deforming it. No need to make the chamber removable.

 

This is what I need, where would I find one?

I like the look of my C454, Im building a budget street 533, I wanted a dual plane for an original look and Im hoping that despite its big runners and plenum it will allow me to run a big (.64) overdrive at low revs. I might have to fine tune the plenum divider.

 

Regarding L88, and parts.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1709486

 

Simmo, I'm putting BG's #9728020V Annular 1095 RS King Demon Vac. Sec. on a moderate street solid roller 496. Not aware of a budget priced Dominator, sorry.

http://www.barrygrant.com/news/artic...oduct_018.aspx

Don't know your other specs, but suspect that might the one you should be considering, if not the 995. In any event, make sure you select a unit with annular boosters, and then follow Lars' setup and tuning papers.

As for modifying your C454 for the street, I wouldn't go cutting down the plenum divider, as that will make it work more like a bad single plane (reduced bottom end and poor driveability). If anything, you might want to consider adding material to further isolate the halves of the intake to increase signal to the carb.

Below are a few sources for 4500 sized drop bases I've found. Before you get excited about the 14" drop base one, that's the one where the base and filter have been cut out for the float bowls.

http://www.rrpinc.com/catalog/air_cleaners.htm
http://www.candsspecialties.com/stor...essories3.html
http://www.universalspinners.com/autoparts.html

Other than the orig design L88 parts, does anyone know of other pieces that could help make this mod work out??

 

Re Budget build up I mean cast crank mild hyd roller and rev limit of 6000 (no racing).
Yes if anything I might increase the height of the plenum divider, I was looking at making a piece I could drop in and remove for fine tuning. As for carb I was thinking of a factory 3 circuit 1050 with annulars or an AED ProStreet Dominator.

Thanks for the aircleaner base info.

 

Should you do go with a mech. Dominator, a progressive or soft progressive secondary cam and a safety plate below the throttle body would both be good decisions.

Keep us posted. If you're as determined as I am, we'll both get this one solved, eventually.