I have been trying to get an original 1980 intake manifold for my vette, with the correct build date to match my car. There are bunch for sale with the right part casting number. Some sellers are able to give me the build date of the manifold, while others cant seem to find it. Its pretty easy to find if its there, so I'm assuming that some manifolds that have the correct part number depicting it as belonging to an 80, just dont have a build date.
Is it possible that some manifolds just dont have a build date, while others do? What would be the reason for that? Thanks.

 

Maybe they don't know where to look for it. Some intakes it's on the bottom and/or under a shield. Never seen a production intake without a date.

 

All 1980's use an aluminum intake manifold. Casting NUMBERS are on the top surface. Casting DATES are on the underside surface. Aluminum 80 intakes are dull silver.

Casting date consist of a letter (for the month) and one or two numbers for the day of the month, and a number for the year.

People may be looking at the casing date and not know what is is or how to read it.

All manifolds had the number and date cast into them.

 

Bottom Line: All you need to locate is an alum. intake manifold with casting number 14014432 on the top surface. The casting date will not be seen as it is on the underside.

 

Patrick73 "Bottom Line: All you need to locate is an alum. intake manifold with casting number 14014432 on the top surface. The casting date will not be seen as it is on the underside."

Storytime.........

I was in Knoxville at Corvette Expo about ten years ago with a load of parts to sell. I had a "RARE"(and I hate that word) 1965 Corvette/ Z-16 Chevelle 396 Rectangular Port Intake. It was really a nice piece. I had a gentleman pick it up and look it over asking how much and I told him. He was about to pay me for it when he turned it over and saw the date code on it. "Oh! I can't buy this!", he exclaimed, "It was made the same month as my Corvette was assembled and it must have a two month lead time in production to be correct." I asked him "Who in the heck will ever see the date code under the intake? He replied "It has to be correct!" I wonder if he ever found another intake and especially one as nice as the one I had.

I sold that the intake and Holley to a guy with a '65 Z-16 Chevelle for much more, much much more money than I asked this guy for them. It seems there were fewer Chevelles made with this engine option than their were Corvettes. I actuall found out that I had a Z-16 Intake and Carb. I had thought they were the same. They shared the intake but were not the same carb.

So don't bet on that statement being accepted with the numbers guys about a date that can't be seen. jim

 

Some of the NCRS types really make you scratch your head sometimes.