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i would like to change my stock intake (73 w/original base engine)with an aluminum intake, but i want to keep the stock air cleaner. is there an aftermarket intake or a factory intake that will accomadate this while still keeping the quadrajet or holley carb. we are restoring this car and getting to rebuild engine, not looking to gain hp as much as the look of the intake , gonna dress the motor up a little. anybody else doing this?
i would like to change my stock intake (73 w/original base engine)with an aluminum intake, but i want to keep the stock air cleaner. is there an aftermarket intake or a factory intake that will accomadate this while still keeping the quadrajet or holley carb. we are restoring this car and getting to rebuild engine, not looking to gain hp as much as the look of the intake , gonna dress the motor up a little. anybody else doing this?
When I got my 75, I had the original Rochester with a Edelbrock intake and still used the stock air cleaner. Check with Edelbrock, my engine ran very nice with the aluminum intake.
If you're not looking for performance improvement, just paint yours with aluminum VHT hi-temp paint. You get the look you want without having to change it.
When I had a '78 I installed an Edelbrock Performer and kept the stock Q-jet. The stock air cleaner fit fine...it sat slightly further to the rear than stock but there were no clearance issues of any kind.
If there's a problem with the Holley, it's more due to any difference in carburetor height than to the intake...at least with a Performer intake.
BTW - you need to determine if a Holley you might use is a square bore or spread bore design...that can make a difference. If it's a square bore, it won't fit your stock intake without an adapter...and that would almost certainly make for clearance problems with the hood. The Edelbrock Performer works with square or spread bore carbs.
If you do use a square bore carb, consider the Edelbrock EPS intake. It's a bit more expensive but it designed specifically for a square bore carburetor and makes for somewhat better hp and torque numbers.
If you want to make sure things fit, just use a stock intake from a 78-80 L82 motor. All 81s used them also. I have one on both my 73 and 76. Just look up "corvette aluminum intake" on ebay and I know you will find some stock intakes for a reasonable price.
I have the 2101 with the Holley spreadbore replacement carb, 4175. When I had the Q-jet it was the same as the stock intake but without the egr valve. The Holley had a small issue with the air cleaner hitting the vacuum sec module so I had to put a 3/8ths riser on the top of the carb.
The 73-75 air cleaners are smaller then other years because of the cowl induction hood. The filter is only 11in diameter.