OPINIONS NEEDED: ram box intake for a 351C
 

I'd appreciate some opinions from some of the 351C experts about the Bud Moore Ram Box manifolds that were made to fit the 351C's. Are these manifolds any good?? Would I have "hood clearance problems" with a 2x4bbl setup? Would the oval 427 type air cleaner fit on this setup?? THANKS for the information. I'm trying to learn as much as I can as fast as I can about the Ford engines.

> I'd appreciate some opinions from some of the 351C experts about the Bud Moore
> Ram Box manifolds that were made to fit the 351C's. Are these manifolds any
> good??

Bud Moore made a mini and maxi-plenum intake. The mini-plenum was a
Boss 302 part that was sometimes used with adapter plates on 351C's.
The maxi-plenum was a 351C intake. I used to have one of the maxi-plenums
and you can see pictures of it at:

http://www.panteraplace.com/Pantera%...take%20106.JPG
http://www.panteraplace.com/Pantera%...take%20107.JPG
http://www.panteraplace.com/Pantera%...take%20108.JPG

A variety of tops were made, allowing any type of carb (standard Holley,
Dominator Holley, 3x2 barrel, Autolite Inline 4 barrel, etc.) to be mounted.
Pictured with single Holley 4150/4160 4 barrel top and Dominator top. This was
the preferred intake for NASCAR and Trans Am use in the 1970's. It's difficult
to tell from the photo but the flow makes a right angle turn, across the shelf,
over to the adjacent side wall where the runner begins. Then it goes back
across the manifold to the opposite side port. In effect, the Box is a tunnel
ram, packaged neatly under a stock hood (and within NASCAR rules). I never
ran it but I know a guy who did and thought very highly of the intake, though
it took a big pump shot to start and then it would fire up with a bang. All
that wetted run length is what makes the big pump shot necessary and would
probably make it not so nice in a street application. In a race application
where you keep the RPM up, it supposedly worked great, giving a torque increase
due to the runner length. Always thought it would be a neat intake to convert
to EFI but they are probably to valuable to do that to. BTW, it is quite heavy
for an aluminum intake. Also, Steve Blackwell (Stevesheadshed.com), is a
former Bud Moore head guru. You might want to contact him for his opinion.

Dan Jones

THANKS, Dan!!! I'm gonna pass on the Bud Moore 2x4bbl intake that I WAS looking to buy. From what you've told me, I don't think that that manifold would be a wise choice for a street engine. Guess I'll just have to hope that one of the other 351C guys can find me a more conventional 2x4bbl manifold (or offer to make me one for some $$$s:o)

Jim:

Go to superhart's webpage; select the cobra build link and scroll down to the 2x4 Manifold build that was done by Hercules Machine Shop, Palmyra, NJ. I talked to the shop last year about building me one before I decided to swap out the C for a big block. He did a nice job on it and as I recall, I believe he's made more than one. It wasn't that big a deal.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/superhart/cobra.htm

Bernie

Based on your term for it, I'm thinking you were looking at this auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

I would say that this would not be the intake for you, if you're looking for a street intake; in addition to the big shot needed to get it started, it needs (a lot of) extra shot for any kind of acceleration event. But more power to you if you want to make it work for you.

As for the intake in the auction above, I've never seen a top like that one has on it. I have two tops, and while one of them has a 1" deep divider running down its center, the divider runs from front to back, and doesn't totally seal off the plenum into two separate sections like the one in the auction. I was wondering if anyone has any ideas as to what the thinking was on the auction intake? Better signal to the carbs? Why separate the intake into front and back sections instead of the more 'normal' side by side plenums? And totally sealed off plenums?

The top on that intake looks like it was originally a 1x4 top with a couple of spacer plates welded on and a too-small opening into the two halves of the plenum created for each carb.

Ideas as to why?

Sizzler: yep, that's the intake I was thinking about buying UNTIL I got the info about how it really wouldn't be a good "street" intake for my particular usage - AND THANKS to ALL of you fine gentlemen for preventing me from buying something that I ultimately wouldn't be happy with. Lord knows I've wasted enough money on buying things that I really didn't need or couldn't/didn't use once I got them:o) THANKS, guys!!!!