BB Chevy Engine Question

[Snake45]

I'm looking to build a '72 Chevelle as a street-fighting "sleeper" set in the late '70s--early '80s era, in other words, pre-Pro Street (not tubbed). What's the most badass induction of that era that will fit under the stock cowl induction hood? (Remember, it's a sleeper.) 

So, no blowers, and no tunnel-rams sticking through the hood. Did anyone ever make 2x4 low-riser manifolds for Big Block Chevy? If so, what kit would have it? If not, what was the hottest low(ish) rise single 4-bbl manifold of the day? And what kit might have that? 

I haven't ruled out fuel injection, if I can find a setup that looks good. A little radical/impractical for the street, but this guy wants to make some serious horsepower without it showing....

[George Bojaciuk]

The hot set up back then would have been a tri-power 3x2. Edelbrock did make low dual quad manifold, as well. I've toyed with that idea for my '55. Topped off with 2 Weiand Lynx air cleaners.  Do a Google image search.  Some nice pics to be seen!

Edited February 3, 2018 by George Bojaciuk

[Ace-Garageguy]

Though legions of "experts" will tell you otherwise, old-school Hilborn mechanical injection CAN be made streetable, without losing any high-end punch. It HAS been done.

It takes expertise and finesse, and the capability to develop a good part-throttle circuit, but it IS possible...just not for your basic bolt-on yahoo.

Hilborn and a magneto...it doesn't get any more "badass" than that.

[1972coronet]

Edelbrock TM2R 

Edelbrock  X-??

[Muncie]

The Revell 1967 Chevelle (apparently available now, again) has a dual quad intake manifold.  The hood has a scoop to accommodate extra tall carb stacks, but the manifold and carbs should fit under the hood with more reasonable air cleaners.  By 1972, the manifold technology for single four barrel manifolds provided more horsepower then the standard height (not a tunnel ram) dual four barrel manifolds - but they still look cool!  hope this helps

[Can-Con]

6 hours ago, Snake45 said:

I'm looking to build a '72 Chevelle as a street-fighting "sleeper" set in the late '70s--early '80s era, in other words, pre-Pro Street (not tubbed). What's the most badass induction of that era that will fit under the stock cowl induction hood? (Remember, it's a sleeper.) 

Well, those were the days of TURBO. 

Turbocharging was THE hot ticket in that era and there were a lot of different kits with different designs on the market in that time period. Fuel injection or intercoolers would have been very uncommon back then, just a 4bbl carb. 

This kinda thing.

Edited February 3, 2018 by Can-Con

[horsepower]

If you do a search for the Baldwin Motion Chevrolet Camaro, you'll find that they offered a two four setup as a streetable BUT extremely potent package. That should be sufficient to roast about any tire you can put on WITHOUT tubbing the thing.

[Snake45]

10 hours ago, George Bojaciuk said:

The hot set up back then would have been a tri-power 3x2. Edelbrock did make low dual quad manifold, as well. I've toyed with that idea for my '55. Topped off with 2 Weiand Lynx air cleaners.  Do a Google image search.  Some nice pics to be seen!

Interesting possibility. I think I have some of those in Corvette kits. I'll keep it in mind. 

[Snake45]

9 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Though legions of "experts" will tell you otherwise, old-school Hilborn mechanical injection CAN be made streetable, without losing any high-end punch. It HAS been done.

It takes expertise and finesse, and the capability to develop a good part-throttle circuit, but it IS possible...just not for your basic bolt-on yahoo.

Hilborn and a magneto...it doesn't get any more "badass" than that.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm liking it. Might be a good use for one of those Crower injectors in the old '69 Chevelle kits. 

[Snake45]

6 hours ago, 1972coronet said:

Edelbrock TM2R 

Edelbrock  X-??

Both very cool. Are either of these available in a kit? 

[Snake45]

4 hours ago, Muncie said:

The Revell 1967 Chevelle (apparently available now, again) has a dual quad intake manifold.  The hood has a scoop to accommodate extra tall carb stacks, but the manifold and carbs should fit under the hood with more reasonable air cleaners.  By 1972, the manifold technology for single four barrel manifolds provided more horsepower then the standard height (not a tunnel ram) dual four barrel manifolds - but they still look cool!  hope this helps

GREAT idea! I have a couple of those things in the Snakepit. Will have to see if that setup will fit under the stock hood. Thanks! 

[Snake45]

4 hours ago, Can-Con said:

Well, those were the days of TURBO. 

Turbocharging was THE hot ticket in that era and there were a lot of different kits with different designs on the market in that time period. Fuel injection or intercoolers would have been very uncommon back then, just a 4bbl carb. 

This kinda thing.

VERY interesting possibility. Is there anything period correct like this in a kit? I have no interest in scratching up such a setup, but if there's one in a kit I have...I think I have the old Revell Beretta, J2000 and Corvette Pro Streets around here somewhere. Would any of those had something suitable? Forgot to mention that this a glue bomb rebuild, so it's being done on the cheap. Probably not gonna BUY a kit just for this induction, but if there's something usable in a kit I already have, I'm golden! Thanks! 

[426 pack]

The revell 1967 Chevy chevelle pro street has a low profile 2x4 intake.

the tall parts are just the air cleaner and they are separate from the intake. 

[iBorg]

Late 70's could have been a single or a dual quad set-up or possibly a turbo. There were a few folks who tried blowers for the street. Great for show, but no go. For a street racer, I'd do either the carb set-up. A single carb was a lot easier to tune.

Turbos were cool but a better option for a bit extra would be duals with nitrous. Turbos had a spool problem. Lots of top end but they were slow off the line.

 

 

[1972coronet]

3 hours ago, Snake45 said:

Both very cool. Are either of these available in a kit? 

I *believe* that the Baldwin-Motion Phase III 1970 Chevelle (Revell , et al.) has the single-four intake ; not sure about that crossram intake (use the intake from the Revell 1969 Z-28 as a base for modifying ?) .

The Edelbrock Tarantula was a common intake . though I'm not sure if it was around in c.1972 ...

[espo]

Another consideration would be something like the old Paxton Super  Charger. Pro Charger would be a more current Blower setup but shares most of the technology  of the Paxton. These are Blow Thru setups with nothing more than a "Hat" on top of the Carb., for Hood clearance, belt driven and the Blower is self mounts much like a big air conditioning pump.

[Can-Con]

10 hours ago, Snake45 said:

VERY interesting possibility. Is there anything period correct like this in a kit? I have no interest in scratching up such a setup, but if there's one in a kit I have...I think I have the old Revell Beretta, J2000 and Corvette Pro Streets around here somewhere. Would any of those had something suitable? Forgot to mention that this a glue bomb rebuild, so it's being done on the cheap. Probably not gonna BUY a kit just for this induction, but if there's something usable in a kit I already have, I'm golden! Thanks! 

A couple I can think of off the top of my head are the MPC 3rd gen Firebirds. IIRC, all issues except the Turbo Pace Car version had this as an option. [even the Kniight Rider version.]

Both are the "flow through" design instead of the "blow through" design in the 1/1 pic.

And the old Monogram '56 Chevy from the late '70s with the blue car on the box. Being in 1/24, it might fit a 1/25 big block better than the MPC parts. 

Either way , you'll have to either modify the exhaust manifolds for the big block spacing.

[Snake45]

6 hours ago, 1972coronet said:

I *believe* that the Baldwin-Motion Phase III 1970 Chevelle (Revell , et al.) has the single-four intake ; not sure about that crossram intake (use the intake from the Revell 1969 Z-28 as a base for modifying ?) .

The Edelbrock Tarantula was a common intake . though I'm not sure if it was around in c.1972 ...

I don't believe the Revell B-M '70 Chevelle had a different intake from the regular SS454 kit, but if it did, it would be 1/24 anyway and probably not fit a 1/25 engine. But you've given me the idea to see what intake's in the AMT '70 B-M Camaro. 

The car I'm building is a '72, but the timeframe I'm building for is late '70s/early '80s (and it will be showing a bit of wear and tear*), so the Tarantula would work if I can find one. 

*Think along the lines of the Farm Truck on Street Outlaws--not a beater but far from pristine. 

[Snake45]

2 minutes ago, Can-Con said:

A couple I can think of off the top of my head are the MPC 3rd gen Firebirds. IIRC, all issues except the Turbo Pace Car version had this as an option. [even the Kniight Rider version.]

Both are the "flow through" design instead of the "blow through" design in the 1/1 pic.

And the old Monogram '56 Chevy from the late '70s with the blue car on the box. Being in 1/24, it might fit a 1/25 big block better than the MPC parts. 

Either way , you'll have to either modify the exhaust manifolds for the big block spacing.

Very interesting, thanks for the details. I appreciate the time you put into this. 

[Can-Con]

Snake, some of the AMT modified stockers from the '70s had a BBC with a Tarantula manifold. 

I had a Gremlin like pictured below with one, I bet some of the others also had the same engine.

[Exotics_Builder]

1 hour ago, Snake45 said:

Very interesting, thanks for the details. I appreciate the time you put into this. 

Just double check the plumbing if you have one of these.  You will see the carburetor is atop the airbox, not receiving the denser air. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, Snake45 said:

Very interesting, thanks for the details. I appreciate the time you put into this. 

The illustration on the right appears to me to be plumbed incorrectly. 

The compressor sections appear to have air filters on the inlet side, and the outlet side blows into a box under the carb.

If this is actually made the way it appears, it is idiocy.

[Greg Myers]

I'm seeing a lot of small blocks in here as well

[Can-Con]

6 minutes ago, Greg Myers said:

I'm seeing a lot of small blocks in here as well

That's because I can't find any good pics of turbo'd big blocks. Would they work any different Greg?

 

[Can-Con]

52 minutes ago, Exotics_Builder said:

Just double check the plumbing if you have one of these.  You will see the carburetor is atop the airbox, not receiving the denser air. 

 

51 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

The illustration on the right appears to me to be plumbed incorrectly. 

The compressor sections appear to have air filters on the inlet side, and the outlet side blows into a box under the carb.

If this is actually made the way it appears, it is idiocy.

What? you guys never heard of a "draw thru" turbo setup? But, yea, the Monogram setup is missing the extra pipe that should go form the compressor [where those air cleaners are in the ends] to the manifold.

http://www.dailyturismo.com/2013/04/05k-new-old-stock-martin-turbo-systems.html

Edited February 4, 2018 by Can-Con