BritishV8 Forum

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:



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