Is there anyone left making an aluminum single plane intake?
Ran across a company called ACR in England who claims to be making a re-tooled version of the Widcat cylinder head.. also hinted they can supply intake manifolds.. No answer via e-mail. Last website update was early 2017.
Tried to contact Maxwedge Performance in Australia.. No response from e-mail to Bills old address.. One web search says the business is closed.. another says his son Anthony may be doing some things on a special order basis.
Does anyone have any updates on these 2 businesses?
I bought my Wilcat heads from ACR last fall and they are definitely in business.
My intake came from MaxWedge but that was yeras and years ago. No idea about current status.
OK..
ACR got back to me today.. They still make Raised port intakes for the Wildcat heads, and have them in stock. They no longer carry or have access to the patterns for the Rover Version of the single 4bbl intake.
Offy still has their low, single plane in (2) 2bbl and (1) 4 bbl. They will easily port to 300 alum. head size. art.
I am sad to report that Bill Laney has passed away... I am currently attempting to contact his son Anthony.
> They no longer carry or have access to the patterns for the Rover Version of the single 4bbl intake.
Woody at the Wedge Shop still shows the Harcourt single plane as available for the Rover V8.
> They still make Raised port intakes for the Wildcat heads, and have them in stock
Woody purchased a set of the Wildcat heads for his TR8. It appears he got only the heads and not the intake. He currently runs a Harcourt intake so I assume he plans to use it on the Wildcat heads. I wonder what it will take to get it to match those heads?
> Offy still has their low, single plane in (2) 2bbl and (1) 4 bbl. They will easily port to 300 alum. head size.
That's not a very good intake manifold. It's more of just a plenum. I dyno tested more than a dozen intakes on another V8 (Ford 351C) and the Offy 360 Equa Flow was the worst intake tested.
> I am currently attempting to contact his son Anthony.
Let us know if he still makes the Rover version of the intake. Mine was a good fit for the TA Performance Rover heads.
Dan Jones
Dan.
I've seen that Woody has the Harcourt for sale on the Wedgeshop page. I never considered that it was new and still available. I always though it was a used spare.
Can you tell me more about the fitment of the Willpower intake with the TA heads. What lines up and what needed help with porting or modifications?
> Can you tell me more about the fitment of the Willpower intake with the TA heads. What lines up and what needed help with porting or modifications?
They are a close match out of the box. Only a minor amount of material was removed from the heads to match the ports to the Willpower single. I had some pictures at photobucket that appear to still be there. This one shows the before and after matching ports:
(http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/l621/danielcjones2/Buick%20Olds%20Rover%20Aluminum%20V8/TA_Rover_heads_intake_port_50percent_zpspm8wmkzg.jpg)
Dan
Thanks Dan
I'm a bit surprised that the as cast openings on the Willpower intake were larger than the as cast intake port on the TA heads.
(My Willpower intake matched up pretty well with my Oldsmobile heads. )
were you able to run a stock Rover composite Valley cover/ intake gasket without modification ?
> were you able to run a stock Rover composite Valley cover/ intake gasket without modification ?
No. The TA Performance heads require a separate valley cover.
Dan Jones
Thanks Dan.. Would the stock composite intake / Valley cover work with the aluminum 64 Buick 300 heads? Any Port size or alignment issues?
> Would the stock composite intake / Valley cover work with the aluminum 64 Buick 300 heads?
Yes. You can use a dremel tool to trim the valley pan gasket to the larger Buick 300 port size. Huffaker single plane is a perfect port match to the Buick 300 intake ports.
> Any Port size or alignment issues?
No issues. The Buick 300 heads have the ports in the same location.
Dan Jones
Thanks Dan
I did get an Initial response from Anthony Laney. He said he still has the patterns to make all of the products that Bill made and he will be doing another run soon.. I am awaiting a return e-mail with pricing and shipping. .If in line... I am considering ordering another intake just in case I ever assemble the stroker engine.
You might want to look here-
https://www.edelbrock.com/perfomer-rover-215-intake-manifold-2198.html
They may make other manifolds that will fit and suit your needs, as well.
FiTech now makes both 2bbl and 4bbl self contained throttle body injection systems that have all the brain, etc inside the throttle body, except for the O2 sensors - an easy and cost effective way to have a self-learnig FI setup for many applications - bolts on in place of a carburetor. Holley also makes a 4bbl unit that functions in a similar manner.
Thanks Doug.
I already have the FAST EZ-EFI version 1.. A lot of people crap on it But I guess I'm comitted to trying it since I already have it..
The Edelbrock manifold is probably really good for a street driven can with a carburetor. But ts a dual plane, and everything I'm reading says a single plane performs far better with a throttle body FI system.
Im on the list for the next run of Willpower manifolds Anthony is making. So I'll have a spare to port if I ever put the stroker engine together.
Tony, Did Anthony give you a price on the intake? I wonder if he can make one for the 300 Buick?
Jim
The quote I got for the Rover manifold was 700 AUD.
This is just my opinion/observation on a 300 manifold...
I think in order for Anthony to make a commercially viable one for a 300 Buick it would have to be an entirely new pattern. When I had talked to Bill about it he was simply going to take the existing pattern and add some material onto each side. But like Dan had mentioned earlier the ports would be small. The Buick 300 is such a small Market. And then you would be splitting it amongst people that wanted small ports and larger for the iron and TA or Wildcat heads.
While it would be nice to have a dedicated manifold I don't see it happening. Spacers, while not ideal, would give you a range of options on the existing manifolds to better match the port and Intended use.
But that is just my take..Money talks. But I think it would have to be a pretty big carrot to dangle in front of someone to invest in making an entirely new pattern.
Is there a list we can get on? It is $700aud for the willpower single plane? I am thinking I might want one.
Roger..Yes $700 AUD for the Rover single plane. I emailed Anthony and asked him if I could post his contact information publicly or give it out privately since I stumbled on it through old contacts I don't want to give it out without his express permission.
He gave me the OK..
anthony.laney3550@gmail.com
I have a cad file around here somewhere for the spacers and they come out pretty nice. You also need a lifter valley cover. I've made those from 1/4" thick aluminum before, then I think with the gaskets top, bottom and sandwiched between the cover and the spacer they would have to be about 1/2" thick but then you'd want to calculate that exactly yourself.
But then I suspect the height might become an issue. Anthony is right, the real solution would be a separate pattern.
Jim
Just to be clear. .Anthony didnt suggest another pattern ....that was my assumption as to what worked best.
He did tell me he could make anything Bill had a pattern for.. leyland P-76 and Rover were it for the little aluminum V-8s.. they also made some MOPAR stuff including some blower manifolds.
Today's exchange rate would be a little under $500 and not include shipping costs. I wonder if Anthony could find a bulk buyer/distributor in the US. T/A comes to mind. If the price was around $400 in the US they would sell like hotcakes. Would be very popular for the Fitech /Holley Sniper TBI.
Yes, the 300 has a following. It is physically smaller and lighter than the 340 and 350, can be stroked to the same displacement and still maintain a good rod ratio, tolerates high hp levels, and can use the TA Rover heads. But there is no good intake available other than the factory ones. These engines were durable and there are many of them still out there. They have especially found favor in applications with small engine bays, and as a small V8 with good power, torque and reliability. It was an economy option with mid 60's Buicks, many of which are still around and being restored by the retro generation, who think of 5 liters as being a big engine.
Jim
A year or so ago, I imported an Ford 351C intake from the manufacturer in Australia. The seller required a bank transfer and I got hit with fees on both ends. Add in the shipping cost and I think it added something like $200 to the cost. It might be worthwhile to organize a group buy with shipping to the United States. I'd be in for one with EFI bungs (and EFI rails if he still offers those).
> Would be very popular for the Fitech /Holley Sniper TBI.
You can also get it with injector bungs to run port injection rather than throttle body.
Dan Jones
It's like anything else I guess ... Money Talks.
If some wealthy Buick Rover enthusiast wanted to cover the costs associated with creating a new pattern or a facilitate a bulk purchase I bet something could be worked out.
I have gone through this with some vintage snowmobile stuff that I am into. The particular model I collect had one last manufacturer making belts for it. When no one had ordered any belts for a while they cleaned house and destroyed a number of molds ...one of which was the last existing mold for this belt.
Once it was found out no one could get new ones , everybody wanted one. Right up until the point that Gates gave a quote of $10,000 to create a new mold. To date no one has stepped up with the money. But rather have found workarounds.
I also spent time research and money to send two different water pumps no longer being manufactured for these snowmobiles out to figure out how to get them rebuilt. Had a guy rebuild both types and figure out a way to do that and give a solid price . To date no one has taken them up on it.
We will see how some of this plays out with ta performance now producing aluminum cylinder heads for the Buick 350 and intakes for the Buick 350. It's easy to say online everybody wants one but it becomes a different story when people have to Pony up and actually buy it. Hats off to Mike for following through.
The aluminum 350 heads are a reality and will be here in due time. Seems to me the intakes are available but I could be wrong about that. None of that stuff works for us though because the 350 is too big to be a comfortable fit in the MG (the 455 goes in just as easily).
But the 300 is a different matter entirely. It is a drop-in swap for the later cars and almost as easy for the early ones. Plus they made half a million of them.
Anyway, making a new mold for an intake doesn't cost ten grand. The thing is made of wood fer crissake. Offenhauser used to crank 'em out by the dozen. It's how Edelbrock got their start. Anybody with decent woodworking skills could make one.
Jim
To be honest I know very little about casting other than some sand mold stuff I did in high school. I think it would be a lot of fun if someone had the time space and wherewithal.
Here is another idea instead of spacers. This is a Mopar SB intake but you get the idea. Cut the top off a 300 intake and tig the Wildcat intake to that for a prototype for casting for a 300. Dan says the ports match pretty good to the T/A heads.
494999-1385422973-d8623a0e33e873b6c38e5a5fd7f575d5.jpg
Thanks to this discussion I spent two hours watching casting and Foundry videos yesterday.lol
I had always wondered how the the cores were made .All we did in High school "Hot metals" class was a flat pattern plate. Lots of interesting processes.
Tony, "visualize" a bottomless intake RV8 manifold = No cores/core box. Loose box casting, pattern is simple to make,(home grown). runners are cast without a bottom ! Heat treat and rough machine head mating surfaces= + .010" ? Port match and weld alum. sheet on bottom. Finish machine head mating surfaces, (warped at welding ?). Good Luck. Art.
Intake arrived today.
While it is a little more complicated than just buying something from Summit. They are still being made and they can be bought.
20190408_152515_resized_2.jpg
Tony, Cool!
Leylandmanifold.jpg
I recently bought three leyland V8's and was wondering what sort of manifold was on one them ,now I know! This particular engine is in a car,a VW.
These look like the Edelbrock Tarantula from 40 plus years ago.
Regarding the twin 4 Bbl manifold,I have owned a couple of engines in the past with that type of set up. not much good for performance,One was 327 Chev with a pair of WCFB's. They only worked on the street if there was a progressive linkage ,the other was a very rare magnesium twin WCFB set I had on a 354 Chrysler hemi, again,great for looks but not much of an improvement over a single 4Bbl.
Welding a small block Mopar single plane to a SBB base is an interesting possibility. It'd be some fun doing the center walls but as long as the fit was tight and the flange was thick enough to hold up to milling, assembly and use I can't see why it wouldn't work. Chances are you could get bigger runners that way. Might be really good for a stroker 300. Jim, are those bosses big enough for port injectors?
Jim
I received my manifold from Anthony. He was great to deal with.
Nice!
Jim B, The 215,300,340 and Rover V8 intake port configuration is unique. The 350 Buick is the same as the SB Mopar and Chevy. The picture above is for a 350 Buick. My idea was to gut a 300 2 barrel aluminum manifold and use that bottom on the Wildcat single plane.The Caddy guys use new flanges but use the Mopar top too. Pic of 331/.390 Cadillac using cheap offshore air gap dual plane top with new flanges:
caddymopar.jpg
Oh, right you are. Wasn't really thinking about it, there's no 300 intake that looks anything like that base. Certainly no Rover or 215.
Wonder why they did the ports different from everybody else? Must have been Nailhead heritage carried over. Just a guess, they might have given the more common port layout a test drive with the Big Block (first one was the 400 wasn't it?) and when they decided they liked it, switched the Small Block over with the 350. That would sort of explain the chronology. Apparently that layout allows a little better port flow, at least that was always the explanation for the 350 but really, was it that or the bean counters?
So the Nailhead intake looks like a possible candidate if you found the right one. Unfortunately, single plane manifolds were developed in the early 70's, late 60's at the earliest (Edelbrock made a big splash but that doesn't necessarily mean they were the first) and by then the Nailhead was obsolete. So finding a good single plane might not even be possible.
Jim
This is what I did last December for Wildcat heads. I fabricated a pair of intake runners from 3 mm and 10 mm sheet of aluminium. The injector bungs need to be fitted and final machining needs to be done as well. The upper plenum is a bit open question. The heads are now at machine shop for deck machining. Once I get them I can fit themon a block and start thinking about the plenum.
Intake_1.jpg
Intake_2.jpg
Jukka, Sheet metal intake is another possibility. Jim B. that intake base is the SB Mopar. The pic is just an example showing the top cut off.
Another option is to use square tubing for the runners.
Jim
I have made sheet metal manifolds in the past .Nothing easy about it if you want the manifold to work properly.Most runners change shape along their length and straight runners dont flow very well at all.
so which of the intake manifolds is better suited for a 300 engine with stock heads and with TA Rover heads? the Wildcat or the Harcourt? obviously there are spacer and valley pan issues with either but other than that....
If the "brainy bunch" could agree,( not likely), on a single plane design, I could cast with no bottom= simple.
How about a blower intake Art?
Jim
I used Offy single plane. Cheap, easy to port to 300/TA int. ports. I used Bill Dyer 6V71 base. Welded on to machined top of Offy. Fit perfect. Art.