61-63 Bullet Bird Recommendation: intakes

[DannyInNJ]

I have a friend who has access to a LOT of parts. We were going to do a test of the effects of different intake manifolds. The cast iron, 75 pound beast Ford bolted on screams to be replaced! While planning this out we were discussing the TBird's limiting factors: hood clearance (on hi-rise for us) being the big one. Then I reminded him that in the FE's, the push rods go THROUGH holes in the intake manifold so that during the swap not only were we swapping the carb, we had to pull the rockers arms and push rods.
BOTTOM LINE: we canned the project. Too bad: we had two Edlebrocks, (Performer 390 and RPM) a Blue Thunder, a Trick Flow and the original Ford. Almost found a Dove but no go. We weren't pulling the motor for a dyno or anything but using a floor dyno he has access to.
ANYWAY -
Has anyone done any real testing on intake manifolds for a typical "top end improved" (carb, bolt on heads, electric ignition, etc) stock 390? Would love to hear stories / opinions / etc. I'm looking at a pretty '62 (factory dual exhaust is on my bucket list, my ''63 didn't have it) that has great engine compression so I doubt I'm opening it up past the splash guard. Thoughts?

 

[74 Harley]

I don't mean to rain on your parade, but the bullet birds have the engine mounted at 0 degrees. Unlike the rest of the Ford family where they are at 2.5 degrees. The intake manifolds are bird only. A 2.5 degree manifold won't let you close the hood. There are a few old after market manifolds out there, but they're hard to find. Good luck. Pulling the rockers is easy, just make sure you put the bolts back in the proper holes. There's one special bolt on each side, it goes in the hole with the oil port.

 

[DannyInNJ]

Hey I've done two so far. No real problem. While the carb will be slightly canted, it's far below the uphill/downhill slope tolerance of modern carbs. Trick is to remove the Ford's thick carb plate between the intake & carb and connect the ends of the coolant tubes with a splice. If you worry about gas percolating in the carb bowl use an insulator - Edlebrock makes a good one that's made of fiber less than half an inch thick that I used both times with a standard Performer RPM. I've seen phenolic ones that I'm told work great too. As I recall the difference in the slope of that cast iron beast Ford used and the RPM was .75" but can look up the specs if you need it.

 

[DannyInNJ]

This kinda looks like it but I thought the one I used had a fully open bore, no divider. Any square bore insulator should work. Amazon links are the Moderator's favorite:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00062YBPM/?tag=thunderbirdforum-20
And when I checked my notes I was wrong; one had been a Blue Thunder and the other WAS a RPM. Quick math shows the slope difference in the RPM was 3/4 inch and the Blue Thunder was exactly the same. In both cases pulling the coolant circulating pad easily fixed clearance, plus in both cases since we weren't going for "stocK' we used much thinner air cleaners (the ones with filter tops work especially great with the TBird scoop).
Blue thunder 4v:
Front height - 4.875"
Rear height - 6.75"
Carb setback - 8"

Performer RPM:
Front height - 4.875"
Rear height - 6"
Carb setback - 8.5"

Ford cast iron c4:
Front height - 3.125"
Rear height - 5.0"
Carb setback - 7.875"

 

[mistfr]

Perhaps this is common knowledge but there's a whole book written about FE intakes and their performance, "The great FE intake comparo".

Can be ordered here: http://www.fepower.net/GFEIC.html

I've been thinking of getting it myself but since I'm not planning an intake swap in the near future i can't justify the cost. Though i think it would be an interesting read...

 

[DannyInNJ]

I've seen that too. Seems pricey, and honestly the Trick Flow is the one I'm really curious about. I don't think it's in there; too new. The book does look like a great read though.