rover 3.5 single plane intake??

[David]

Hello all,  I  took a look on this site and found willpower and wildcat intake manifolds, but wasnt able to find where to get them.  Does anybody have a webpage or phone #.  Or know where to look for a used single plane carby manifold for the early rover V8.  I was told by a friend of mine that torque power might make those??  I looked on their site and found nothing. Waiting for e-mail back from them.   Any help would be greatly appreciated.     Sincerely,   David             67wickens@sbcglobal.net   213 792-6270

[castlesid]

David,

The manifold you mention was originally made by Huffaker and was effectively copied by Harcourt in Australia and as far as I know they are only available from Wildcat and JE Developments in the UK. but you could try Faxing Harcourt to see if they still actually make them.

Be interested to hear of another source as they are not cheap at £360.00 but obviously cast in small numbers.

Link showing the Harcourt and Wildcat versions.

http://www.btinternet.com/~jon.wolfe/carbs_and_manifolds.htm

kevin.

[hoffbug]

They aint cheap!!!!


Maxwedge performance
10 Jaffa Rd
Dural, New South Wales 2158
Australia
Phone : ‎011 61 2 96513550

ask for Bill Laney...  Remember they are 17 hours ahead of you.. so if you call from LA at 7pm it will be noon the next day where he is at..... you will need to do an International wire transfer from your bank into his....

[castlesid]

Tony,

Maxwedge are apparently the manufacturer of the Willpower intake and a web search came up with a price of $650.00 AUS so not much difference in price although oyu exchange rate might be more helpful.

Of the three manifolds, Wildcat, Harcourt or Willpower I don't think there is a lot of difference as they are all based on the original Huffaker as far as I can find out.

Kevin.

[NixVegaGT]

Keep an eye out in Australia. I got mine from Triumph Rover Spares in Adelaide:

http://www.triumphroverspares.com.au/

They just so happened to have one laying around. I got it for $150 but it took $100 to get it to the USA. In hindsight though it was worth it. I stayed up late at night to call them after emailing a couple times. I just saw a pic of it in their part specials section. They could come across them now and again though. Mine had been modified for a spread bore carb. It's a Hardcourt BTW.

Good luck man! Also peep the AU ebay...

[Dan Jones]

> Of the three manifolds, Wildcat, Harcourt or Willpower I don't think
> there is a lot of difference as they are all based on the original
> Huffaker as far as I can find out.

I don't believe that is the case.  I have both a Willpower and a
Huffaker here.  They are different intakes and performed differently
in my flow bench testing.  The Huffaker has Buick 300 sized ports
and requires an external thermostat.  The Willpower has ports
slightly larger than a Rover/Buick 215 and has an integral thermostat.
The Willpower can also be ordered with injector bungs.   The Willpower
is apparently the same as the Wildcat intake, though.

Here's a previous post I made after testing the Huffaker and Willpower
intakes:

After the heads were ported, I spent a little time evaluating a couple of
Rover V8 single plane intake manifolds on Dave McLain's flow bench in Cuba,
Missouri.  I wanted to know which of the intakes would flow best when bolted
to the ported 1964 Buick 300 aluminum heads.  The two intakes tested were a
Huffaker:

 http://www.bacomatic.org/gallery2/v/hidden/dan/dan-cars/album10/album13/Huffaker_front.jpg.html
 http://www.bacomatic.org/gallery2/v/hidden/dan/dan-cars/album10/album13/Huffaker_side.jpg.html
 http://www.bacomatic.org/gallery2/v/hidden/dan/dan-cars/album10/album13/Huffaker_bottom_side.jpg.html

and a Willpower:

 http://www.bacomatic.org/gallery2/v/hidden/dan/dan-cars/album10/album13/Willpower_1.jpg.html
 http://www.bacomatic.org/gallery2/v/hidden/dan/dan-cars/album10/album13/Willpower_2.jpg.html

Note the Willpower intake pictured is not the actual intake tested.  I've
not yet taken pitures of the intake we tested but it differs from the one
pictured in that it has EFI injectors bungs in each port but the injectors
were not installed for these tests.  The Huffaker has larger ports which
better match the Buick 300 heads:

 http://www.bacomatic.org/gallery2/v/hidden/dan/dan-cars/album10/album12/Buick_300_Huffaker_ports.jpg.html

The Willpower has smaller Rover-sized ports but has a better radius on
the end runners than the Huffaker.  An end port and a center port of the
head were first flowed without an intake attached to get a baseline, then
flowed with the intake bolted in place.  Also, a Holley 780 carb body
with the throttle plates at full open was bolted to the intake to
represent the pressure drop across a carb or fuel injection throttle body.
I'll be using an EFI throttle body later but have not purchased it yet.
When the heads were ported, they were tested on a Superflow bench at a
28" H2O pressure drop.  The head had a clayed intake radius but no exhaust
pipe stub was used on the exhaust.  Those numbers are shown in the 2nd and
3rd columns.  The 4th and 5th columns are the same head flowed on Dave's
bench which has a 10" H2O pressure drop.  The numbers were converted
mathematically to 28" to be on a consistent basis.  Note the numbers are
somewhat lower than those of the 28" bench.  We're not sure if this due
in part to the conversion or is simply bench-to-bench variation.  In any
case, it doesn't influence the results of the intake manifold tests.
On both single plane intakes, the center runners are short and straight
while the end runners are long and curved, so one center port and one end
port were tested.  The Huffaker was bolted to the head and tested first,
followed by the Willpower.  The results are shown below and are best
viewed in a non-proportional font like courier:

 Valve  Buick 300      Ported Buick 300   Same head with     Same head with
 Lift   1964           head on McLain's   Huffaker intake    Willpower intake
 (inch) aluminum       flow bench         center runner      center runner
        ported         10" numbers
        Int    Exh     converted to 28"   CFM    % of        CFM    % of
        1.775" 1.5"    Int     Exh               bare               bare
                       1.775"  1.5"              head               head
                       Int     Exh
                       center
                       port

 0.050   --    --       26.3   22.6        26.1   99.2        27.6  104.9
 0.100   66    47       56.3   51.6        55.1   97.9        56.4  100.2
 0.150   99    82       86.8   75.0        87.8  101.1        89.0  102.5
 0.200  129   104      115.1   98.4       117.2  101.8       119.1  103.5
 0.250  155   119      140.4  114.1       141.4  100.7       142.8  101.7
 0.300  174   130      158.1  125.4       160.6  101.5       160.0  101.2
 0.350  187   139      171.7  134.4       169.9   98.9       167.9   98.0
 0.400  191   146      179.8  140.2       170.5   94.8       172.2   95.8
 0.450  194   150      181.3  143.2       172.6   95.2       174.3   96.1
 0.500  196   152      182.1  144.3       173.9   95.5       175.3   96.2

 Valve  Buick 300      Ported Buick 300   Same head with     Same head with
 Lift   1964           head on McLain's   Huffaker intake    Willpower intake
 (inch) aluminum       flow bench         end runner         end runner
        ported         10" numbers
        Int    Exh     converted to 28"   CFM    % of        CFM    % of
        1.775" 1.5"    1.775"  1.5"              bare               bare
                       end                       head               head
                       port

 0.050   --    --       25.5   22.6        26.8  105.9        26.9  105.5
 0.100   66    47       55.0   51.6        56.6  102.9        55.4  100.7
 0.150   99    82       87.0   75.0        88.2  101.4        88.6  101.8
 0.200  129   104      116.9   98.4       114.1   97.6       119.8  102.5
 0.250  155   119      143.4  114.1       132.5   92.4       144.6  100.8
 0.300  174   130      157.8  125.4       146.5   92.8       164.8  104.4
 0.350  187   139      171.6  134.4       155.6   90.7       173.3  101.0
 0.400  191   146      178.3  140.2       156.9   88.0       175.0   98.1
 0.450  194   150      180.8  143.2       156.6   86.6       176.0   97.3
 0.500  196   152      182.9  144.3       157.6   86.2       175.3   95.8

Despite the smaller runners, the Willpower is the better flowing manifold.
The center ports on both intakes are quite close to the head flow but
the Huffaker end ports are not as good.  I think it would be worthwhile to
port just the ends of the Huffaker intake end runners with a better radius
to see if the flow loss could be recovered.  There's a slight drop off in
flow as lift increases on the Willpower intake that may be due to the small
port size.  The Willpower could be ported to a larger size but given how
close the intake is to the bare head flow, it's probably not worth the
trouble.  The worst flows are at 96%.  As a point of comparison, we've
recently flow tested a couple of (non-Rover) dual plane intake manifolds
and they were in the mid seventy % flow range (unported).

The exhaust-to-intake flow ratio on these heads is excellent.  Dave thought
a bit larger itake valve, at the expense of exhaust valve size, might make
more power if it were practical.  During our tests, a 4" diameter tube was
used to simulate the effects of the cylinder wall.  To see if shrouding
might be a problem, the tube was moved around (closer to the valve) but
little effect was noted.

Dan Jones

[hoffbug]

Maxwedge is the manufacturer of the Willpower intake as well as the Wildcat version for the stock rover heads...
The Harcourt and Huffaker are both different manifolds as well and neither are being manufactured anymore.

[Moderator]

(for Dan Jones and others)


Want to insert a table into your message? I set up this message board to allow some HTML tricks.

Here's a big hint what the proper syntax for a table would look like...

With a little cutting, pasting, and some very minor editing, this:

&#60table border="3"&#62
&#60tr&#62 &#60td&#62&#60/td&#62 &#60td&#62column 1&#60/td&#62 &#60td&#62column 2&#60/td&#62 &#60td&#62column 3&#60/td&#62 &#60/tr&#62
&#60tr&#62 &#60td&#62row1&#60/td&#62 &#60td&#62A&#60/td&#62 &#60td&#62B&#60/td&#62 &#60td&#62C&#60/td&#62 &#60/tr&#62
&#60tr&#62 &#60td&#62row2&#60/td&#62 &#60td&#62D&#60/td&#62 &#60td&#62E&#60/td&#62 &#60td&#62F&#60/td&#62 &#60/tr&#62
&#60tr&#62 &#60td&#62row3&#60/td&#62 &#60td&#62G&#60/td&#62 &#60td&#62H&#60/td&#62 &#60td&#62I&#60/td&#62 &#60/tr&#62
&#60/table&#62

...will create a table that look like this:

<table border="3">
<tr><td> </td><td>column 1</td><td>column 2</td><td>column 3</td></tr>
<tr><td>row 1</td><td>A</td><td>B</td><td>C</td></tr>
<tr><td>row 2</td><td>D</td><td>E</td><td>F</td></tr>
<tr><td>row 3</td><td>G</td><td>H</td><td>I</td></tr>
</table>

Other HTML commands can be used to change alignment of data within the table cells, etc.

[David]

does anybody know max-wedge performance e-mail address??? Also curious,,   These manifolds(Willpower etc) do fit the 215 and the 300 or is there a difference???      Thanks,     David

[hoffbug]

The willpower manifolds do fit the 215.. and a 215 block with 1964 Buick 30 heads..
 it will not fit a Buick 300 without adapter plates... They are too wide.

You can try to contact Bill ...williaml@hotkey.net.au

[roverman]

Wow, Almost exciting, got my "Wildcat" 4bbl. manifold today."No charge" for machining debree" left in manifold. I figure because they were soo rushed to fill my order...over 4 months. All 24, "top hat liners" also arrived. Problem there is,all must be bored aleast 3.75" to clean-up. Best I can hope for is a, "very warm place will freeze over", before I re-order. Anyone want a new , manifold they don't have to wait 4+ months for? I'm beginning to see why we declared independence so long ago.LOL.-almost.      roverman.

[castlesid]

Art,

Was the manifold direct from Wildcat, does not sound like the sort of service you would expect from Ian Richardson?

kevin.

[NixVegaGT]

Art, You got 24 liners? I like the 3.75" bore though, even if you have to do it. It makes a true 300 then!... Ok I've got issues.

[Greg55_99]

Can you post a pic of the Wildcat intake?  

Greg

[hoffbug]

Got my Willpower intake from maxwedge performance in Australia in just a couple weeks... Good casting. no machine shavings..



Water neck not included..

[roverman]

Kevin, Yes Ian. Not the type of service I was expecting. Nic, you've got issues? I've got 24 "oversize" liners and I'm not even a super-senior! Pic for manifold-not easy-I'm ninethumbs. Looks just like manifolds posted in forum, except for 'debris and age-spots". Has thermostat cross-over but no injector bungs. I will install sleeves with, "Loctite Sleeve Retainer"-anerobic. Most of my blocks are "pink", so , bore-out old sleeves and definately visual and sonic test. Block filler on"killer"motor. Happy HP. roverman.

[David]

Tony,  Thanks for the contact info.   Dave

[David]

Roverman,  Did u say u r selling the manifold??     Dave

[v8fangio]

Bill Laney [Max Wedge] in Sydney OZ makes Willpower manifolds which is same manifold sold in U.K. by Ian Ricardson under his company name of Wildcat. Bill Laney also makes a V- shaped cast adaptor  similar to factory BGTV8 but better flowing, to take 2 S.U carbs; manifold can come with  cast lugs on inlets to be drilled out for injectors;and adaptor plate is available for putting on a blower. There is also wider version of Willpower manifold to go on Aussie Leyland P76 4.4. v8 , saves adding spacer plates to Rover or Hardcourt manifolds, not sure if this will fit Buick 300.[ i have a Huffaker on my BGTV8 and Willpower on my Leyland P76 4.4 v8.]

[hoffbug]

Steve.. I had forgotten about the P76 intake!... I wonder if it would be a direct swap onto a Buick 300?

I found these pictures on the web. from a site in the Netherlands....http://www.roversd1.nl/sd1web/index.html




left to right: Buick 215, 64 Buick 300, 73 Leyland P76, 67 Buick 340




left to right: 3 Intakes, P76, Buick 300, Buick 215

Hard to tell but from the pictures the P76 manifold it looks just a little wider than the Buick 300 manifold?
Anyone know for sure?

[BlownMGB-V8]

It would be a little wider. The P76 has about a 17mm taller deck (~.675") and the 300 has about a 9/16" taller deck. (exact figures are available if you do a search) The 340 is ~1-3/16" taller.

Jim

[v8fangio]

The wider Willpower manifold for a P76V8 could be machined by a good engineering shop, i'll ask Bill Laney and report back.

[hoffbug]

I got a response from Bill myself..

Hi Tony

P76 manifold valley width is 8 ¼"

Buick valley is 7 ½"

Rover V8 valley is 7"

I can make the Rover manifold wider by casting extra metal  on manifold flange to suit Buick 300.

This means there will be no spacer plate required.

Valley plate will be cast and added to seal valley to block.

It will be purpose built to suit Buick 300 motor.

 

I will e-mail pic when I cast in approx. 4 weeks.

 

Regards

Bill

[BlownMGB-V8]

That was quick. You know, once he does the 300 intake it's a very small step from there to the 340 intake. Nobody makes one of those at all, and it shouldn't be hard to make it suitable for use with the new TA heads. Think of that, a light weight 340/350 cu.in. motor with performance alloy heads and a single plane intake that is a straight swap for the 300. I know they will be getting several sets of those new heads in Australia within the next few months. Tony, would you care to suggest that to him? There is an active Buick performance group who would probably jump right on that, in fact I have heard some of the 350 guys say they would build a 340 if they could get an intake.

Jim

[hoffbug]

JIm.. I think the manifold port sizes would work OK on a 300.. the problem with just widening that manifold is that the port sizing would probably be too small for a 340... Even the Iron 300 heads are larger than the Aluminum 300 heads.. The problem with this type of custom stuff is that the average enthusiast just wants to buy a bolt on item from a T/A or a Poston... and at Small block Chevy pricing to boot..

 Its too bad a Poston or T/A couldnt buy a dozen or so in either size ( Buick /Rover 215 and Buick 300) From Bill and offer them up on a trial basis... Only these guys would know if there is enough of a market to justify casting up a larger port manifold..