Bear with me guys. Newbie carb guy. I'm an EFI hot-rodder. ;)

I'm considering a low-rise, single plane intake if I swap heads on my '69 BB. I want a powerband that is street-friendly. Will be using a hyd. roller cam, and will be designing the combo (as best I can) to make peak HP ~5800rpm, with a shift-point ~6200rpm.

I have plenty of gearing/torque multiplication now that I have the Richmond 5-speed in the car (3.28 1st gear, 2.14 2nd gear, etc. ... 3.36 rear gear). So its not like the thing will spend any real time below 2000rpm if I hit the gas at all. ;)

But I do not want it to be lazy on the bottom-end. I'm looking for a big, broad TQ curve. Obviously part of this is camming, but I believe I'll get that worked out.

Is the single plane intake (specifically an Edelbrock Torker 2 that will fit under a stock BB hood) going to be inefficient in the rev-range I desire?

 

If you're shifting less than 6,500rpms then you will gain little if not WORSE performance from a single plane. You are going to give up low end power to the single on the street vs the dual. A single plane really doesn't take advantage until past 6,500rpms.

With your setup it would be worse on the street and lose throttle response.





[Modified by Corey 68, 7:32 PM 2/4/2003]

 

Don't know your head setup but the Torker II's are for Oval port heads only.

 

:iagree: Based on everything I have read, Corey hit the nail on the head.

 

why oval port heads? and what heads have oval ports?

 

Big Blocks :reddevil

 

There has been a lot of discussion on single planes and street big blocks on this forum. Generally they are best reserved for pretty serious motors, probably 600 hp and up, regardless of cubic inches. In your case however because of your desire to stay with the stock hood, one might be appropriate.

The Torker is probably the best you can do with your hood clearance issues.

 

i say ditch the single-plane. Especially if your a newbie carb guy, a single plane carb setup is about 10 times harder to properly tune than a dual-plane. the Edelbrock performer RPM would be perfect for the conditions you described.
my $.02

 

What intake are you currently running on it?

:cheers:
Pat Kunz

 

The Performer RPM will not fit under his hood

 

Was considering the Edelbrock Performer "High Comp." heads (100cc chambers). These only come in oval port config.

Along with a new intake, I would also be swapping the cam.

Those who have followed my posts know I currently have a Gen VI crate motor... 454HO. Rect. port iron heads, tiny roller cam, LS6 low-rise intake, 8.75:1 CR.

Goals are 500+hp/525tq. The Edel. heads would put me just over 10.0:1 CR and with a more aggressive bumpstick (but still very streetable), I was hoping to hit my power goals, but keep the rpms down.

It looks more and more like I should budget an L88 hood and paint work with any serious head/intake swap if for no other reason to give me a LOT more choices in intakes.

Trying to have my cake and eat it too. ;)

***Everyone says the oval port heads are better suited for my rpm needs and that I can make my power numbers with them, but yet there's no dual-plane intake that will fit under my hood for them. I've got a decent dual-plane intake now, but its rectangle port. Argh! :(

I could get the Performer heads in rect. port, but will only be able to mill them down to give me ~9.5:1 CR, as these come in 118 cc chambers.


[Modified by WA 2 FST, 10:53 PM 2/4/2003]

 

RATT has it right- Torker 2 is the only single plane that will fit under your stock hood. When I was researching that as a possibility the Edelbrock tech said it would outperform the stock low rise on the top end but would likely result in idle & off-idle throttle response/tuning issues. He felt that the RPM Air Gap would be a much better choice. Of course, it doesn't fit under the stock hood. I ended up getting the L-88 hood & the Air Gap- much better than the stock lowrise. I think it'll be worth the $$$ for you to go that route, given the other good parts that you're throwing at your motor. :cheers:

 

Thanks for the advice, Les. I'm becoming resigned to the fact that you are right. Don't get me wrong...I really like the look of the L88 hood. I just believe it will be very hard to get a good match on the Monza Red paint (not original, and in good shape, but still...) and the car looks great right now.

Not to mention the $550+ hood and then the paint work. :cry

Which hood did you go with? I do not want the long-style hood and I want the thing to bolt right up. I will pay the $$ for a properly fitting hood that all I have to do is have painted and then put it on there. Any other accessories I need with this hood? I hear something about an airbox for it?

Thanks, man. I wasn't planning to do _anything_ til probably Nov. of this year...but I try to do my research way, way ahead of time. :)

 

Hey, I hear ya! I sorta planned it out to paint the whole car before I bought the hood, so paint match wasn't gonna be a problem. Hopefully you have a good paintshop that can do it right. I went w/ the short style hood. You can buy hoods that are basically open- no airbox. Or you can buy them w/ the airbox attached, which I recommend. That way you get the cold air directed to the carb instead of just under the hood.

When you shop for it beware- I ordered a hood through a local shop which the owner said was the L-88 hood but when it arrived the back end was sealed off(crappy craftsmanship on top of that). So, I had a hood w/ no cold air induction which also wasn't even close to fitting due to being about an inch too long to even close down. I took it back & got a refund. The hood I now have was much better but still required some added material on the front to close the gap w/ the nosepiece. I'd create a post asking for recommendations from the guys here because I've seen some of the guys who had very good fits on their new L-88 hoods. I think you can expect at least slight work to be needed to get the edge gaps right, since our cars have slight variances by nature.

The catalogs have L-88 kits that have the foam ring, the air filter base, & all the parts you'll need to secure the air filter base to the carb. They include the smaller filter that surrounds the carb, which sits on top of the base & secures it to the carb.

I actually used my stock base & had my neighbor make a thin curved metal rod that holds it down to the carb, so I don't have the small filter at all. I use a K&N filter in the hood airbox & used weather stripping w/ adhesive on one side(glued to top & bottom of the element), which I trimmed to the right height to seal with the airbox. This would be a pain if you use a paper element type filter because you'd have to re-do the weather stripping everytime you changed the element. I hope this all makes sense to you. If you want to save the $$$ you'd spend on the kit, let me know & I'll send pics of my setup if you want.

I understand doing your research ahead of time- I do the same thing & enjoy that part almost as much as the project itself. I print out my info & have it ready when it's kickoff time. Hit me up if you need anything. :cheers:

 

If you go the L-88 route, here's a pic on the air cleaner assembly that Les was talking about. Presently on my SB.

Here's a pic of the air chamber(~$100) before it's attached to the hood. You can use the L-88 hood without the air chamber though.



and here's a shot of the underside of the L-88 hood with the airchamber bonded to the hood.

 

I would go with the original Torquer and stay away from the Torquer II. Port and match it and depending on your cam you will really enjoy its top end. I have a very mild cam in my 383 stroker (I know not a bb) but @ 490 hp this thing just flies over 3500 rpm and doesn't stop pulling through 7000. I may change the cam next year to put me into the low to mid 500's and move the torque curve down the rpm range some but I love this single intake and so do a few others that MountainMotor recommended for them. jmho :cheers: also look into the Weiand single plane

 

Is this the finished product? I dont see where the air would enter :confused:

 

Yes. The air enters at the base of the windshield. The opening of one duct is visible in that pic.

 

Darn, another stock bodied big block bites the dust... :sad:

I spent lots of time looking into different hood options just like you Wes, and the L-88 hood with all the extras was running around $800 for parts, and then paint on top of that, so I didn't do it. I decided that the $800 was better spent on a custom intake that would fit under the stock hood, but that's not really an option with your carb setup.

Honestly, I think your 454 will make PLENTY of power with the LS-6 intake and a decent cam. I would only consider the big hood and intake if I specifically wanted them, not just to get the extra few ponies. On the flip side, my 540 will make WAY more power than I'll ever be able to use in the '68, but I don't care. I want to build and own a monster big block, and I'm doing it, so I can completely relate to putting that stuff on just to have it (even if you don't really need it.)

It wasn't long ago that you only wanted an extra 50hp! What changed? L-88 hood, high-rise intake, high compression, new heads, bigger cam.... :cheers: Sounds more like 200hp!


[Modified by Flareside, 1:23 PM 2/5/2003]

 

A Weiand Excellerator manifold might work. It's a single plane manifold, but also has notches cut for a divider plate in the center of the plenum....