The plan for my Acadian is to make it pretty much stock appearing under the hood. 327, original style camel hump heads, stock 327 valve covers, and was going to be cast iron intake with the 300 horse Carter 4 barrel, which I already have.
A couple of weeks ago, a fine young man from Regina on another forum I frequent, Steve's Nova Site, (A Canadian site as well, I might add) pointed me to an add in Regina for a 69 Z28 stock aluminum intake. I got it yesterday.
Now I have a dilema:
Stock cast iron on it, or this?
__________________
1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
And besides, you were sleeping at the tree! I already got a PM ahead of you posting this, asking me if I wanted to sell it!!! Better work at that reaction time some more, Carl...
__________________
1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
I think the part that concerns me is that I want the engine to look stock. I love that restored look. The problem is, I also love the look of the factory intakes. Plus it likely makes a couple of extra ponies too.
Maybe I need to build two engines...
__________________
1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
The same intake is going on my car, it is a 3959594. I love the winters "snowflake". I'm going to build either a 327, or 350 and badge it as a 283/220hp.
I think that if you paint it orange, and put the oil fill tube on it, not many would notice it's not an L-79(except for the thermistat location).
Mine came on my 85 GM truck, someone had stuck it on the 305 trying to extract more power out of it. I thought it looked 80's vintage when I first bought the truck(Monte maybe?). When I bought my car(64) and learned of the L-79 intakes, I recognized the winters "snowflake", ran the numbers and was shocked at what it was.
I have no doubt that you could sell it for $$$$$$$, just look on e-bay. I sure that this instant there are 100+- people restoring second gen Z-28's looking for a dated manifold.
That was the next dilema. If I use it, do I spray it, or leave it natural aluminum. I agree, stealth is cool as well with the Winters snowflake being the giveaway.
I will be pushing an oil tube into it, because I want to use the stock 327 covers.
__________________
1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
No, what it means is it is now accepted to have aftermarket parts on a musclecar. A few years ago if a guy who had a rare musclecar like a Yenko or a Hemi put aftermarket parts on (wheels, intake etc) he was frowned upon. Now they call them "day two cars" meaning this is what most guys back then did the day after buying it! Everyone is happy! It's just like clones. Remember a guy with a clone a few years ago would be kicked out of a show (or auction). Now they call them "Tributes"! So, what I was saying Carl is enjoy the car and put whatever intake you want on it. No one will criticize you for not being stock.
Our '69 396 Chevelle has the Hurst shifter, Stewart-Warner tach and gauges that were installed by the original owner. It has headers and we added the Cragar SS mags as well. I can't imagine doing the car any other way. After all it is a muscle car and is to be driven. Make the car the way YOU want it.
Yup, I have been thinking of it over the summer and that is how it will be. Not likely with headers as they are a pain on Acadians with manual trans but otherwise the Z28 intake and a Holley.
__________________
1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
Good price on the L79 intake. I would gladly have traded this one for one of those. When I got this intake I had my heart set on an L79 unit until I saw what they have been selling for.
This one will do just fine if I don't find an L79 piece that is affordable.
Winter's coming, soon I "may" have some time to continue this project!
__________________
1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
Carl use that intake it is a good choice and add a 600-650cfm Carb, a pair of Corvette fuelie ram horns, the good ones @ 2 1/2" outlets and run 2 1/2 exhaust right through. You will pick up some extra HP! Paint the pipes with Black rattle can BBQ paint and they won't rust. That is what I have on my Acadian, I also added a pair of QTP 2 1/2" electric cutouts for a little bit of noise when you feel the need! ARCADIAN
I'm trying to remember the bolt patterns of the Holley vs Carter AFB carbs. If I recall, the Holley bolt pattern is narrower than the Carter AFB bolt pattern (or is the other way around) that's why many aftermarket intakes had 2 sets of holes. I'd presume the aluminum Z intake you bought has the Holley bolt pattern.
re carb bolt patterns, I just talked to someone whose memory was better than mine. Holley & Carter AFB used the wider bolt pattern. Carter WCFB & Rochester 4 Jet (not Quadrajet) used the narrower bolt pattern. As Carl says, the Z manifold would be for the Holley bolt pattern.
I think what goofed me up was some Carter AFB's were drilled for both sets of holes.