Engine Appearance Question/Poll

[NJSPEEDER]

hey gang,
i have been working on my car a lot and it is time to make a decision about the underhood appearance of the car. i have a good combination worked out and whatever carb set up sits on top of it will make the power, so i am thinking along the lines of visual appeal when the hood is opened.

since it is a small block chevy, i can easily get a variety of single 4brl, dual 4brl, and triple 2brl set ups. which do you think will look best and why?

to give you an idea of what the rest of the motor and surroundings will look like, 76 camaro, firewall smoothed, engine bay painted high gloss black, block andheads painted hugger orange, intake will be painted/coated cast silver(to lok liek clean aluminum), and the valve covers and air cleaner will be black possibly with hugger orange graffics on them.

so lets hear it, single 4, double 4, or triple 2's. what do you think?

the rest of the engine combo is being kept a secret, so don't bother asking. :p

[WildBillyT]

Single quad. Dual quads and tri power look cool, but IMO only on a big block. As far as making power... I haven't been impressed with street dual quad and tri power manifolds...

[Fast92RS]

Im thinking single 4bl is a classic look.

[unstable bob gable]

Single 4 bbl FTW!

[ar0ck]

Single 4 for the classic and unsuspecting look.

[j0n]

id go with the tri-power just to be unique

[chevylover5]

id say 4bbl, the 2 and 3 carb set ups are unique and look cool, but they are a bitch so syncronize. my dads was a pain in the ass with his 2 2bbl setup.

[98tadriver]

STAND ALONE EFI lol

[1QWIKBIRD]

Is this being built for racing or some sort or more for show?

Racing, single 4bbl is the way to fly. No need to reinvent the wheel.

For show, put the new barry grant inline 4bbl thing....now that would raise eyebrows...

chris




Chris

[Firebird67dude]

Well, do you know anyone tyhat can truely set the tri power up the right way? Cuz if you do then I'd say do that. I can look at a tri power motor for hours and not look at one thing twice. Just so much going on its just so damn cool.

[IROCdan330]

to be quite honest Tim it is very suprising that you want the underhood to look pretty. now im curious about the rest of the car...

anyways, for ease of tunability, performance, and maintenance, id say single quad.

[NJSPEEDER]

i just realize a bit more everyday how little time i have to go racing. the car will be fast, i have worked with multi carb set ups before and i know the ins and outs of tuning them.
i want to have a car that is complete, not some slap together that looks ok and runs ok. i want to have a car that people look at that is very quick for a streeter.
it is a long process, but i think the end result will be worth it. pretty much done all the major layout planning, so it is the little things like this that i am still thinnking about. the rest of the engine combo is done.

and don't worry, it will still be under 3000lbs at the line :D

p.s. that inline 4brl set up looks retarded and the one that i saw ran like crap.

[BonzoHansen]

For show, put the new barry grant inline 4bbl thing....now that would raise eyebrows...That is what I was thining...get the checkbook out.

http://www.barrygrant.com/news/articles/products/images/22_02.jpg

http://www.barrygrant.com/news/articles/products/product_022.aspx

[1QWIKBIRD]

That is what I was thining...get the checkbook out.

http://www.barrygrant.com/news/articles/products/images/22_02.jpg

http://www.barrygrant.com/news/articles/products/product_022.aspx

or run a set of dual quads....but use predator carbs.....:rofl:

[SteveR]

A single four is better and easier for racing, but everyone has it. if you want unique, run a multi carb. Will you be doing a lot of driving with it? mileage importance? Do you care about a big scoop? Lots of power? Solid engine build? For a single and big power, go with a set of Pontiac aluminum 047 heads and a sheet metal intake form Wilson. For a dual, maybe try and find a rare Weiand low rise tunnel ram. I had one on one of my '79's and it looked real mean; (pics are from initial engine moch up)

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b148/scheol/79T-A4-6-052.jpg

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b148/scheol/79T-A4-6-054.jpg

I forget the model number, but I think it was Weiand/Holley that made a few rare dual cross ram manifolds for a sbc for SCCA racing in the '60's. I saw one once and it looked really sharp. The flow numbers were pretty much that of a tall tunnel ram, but it fit under the hood. You can also get a carbed centrifugal blower for a sbc as well. Lot's of options.

[79CamaroDiva]

mmmm... 3 deuces..... :drool:

[SteveR]

Almost forgot. If you happen to go with a roots blower, like a small B&M 256/Holley 250 that'll fit under a cowl, you can get the Don Garlits ALS scoops;

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b148/scheol/sc500-250-256-large4.jpg


http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b148/scheol/sc500-250-256-large1.jpg


They look like mechanical injection setups, but the carb mounts inside the plate and hat.

http://www.alsblowers.com/indexgpp.html

[NJSPEEDER]

my engine will fit under the hood. no big ricer scoop needed to get the job done. :)
i don't care about mileage and it will make the power with whatever top end i put on it. so all that really matters is appearances at this point.

[SteveR]

heres what the M/T cross ram looks like. Its a bit taller than the Holley, but I like a lot of the older racing stuff personally.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/M-T-Alum-2X4-Cross-Ram-Intake-for-SBC-with-Linkage_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ36474QQihZ017QQ itemZ270091172666QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

or you can go with an EFI converted mech injection setup like the Kinsler;

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b148/scheol/manifoldsford_clip_image004.jpg

or if you want to get real exotic, try an Inglese system :D

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b148/scheol/web19030_015.jpg

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b148/scheol/INGLESECover.gif

[NJSPEEDER]

or i could put a single 4brl, dual quads, or a 6pack on it like i asked in the poll.
i don't have any intention of spending a ton of loot converting to EFI. for my purposes there si no point and having a bunch of stacks poking up through the hood with how nice the rest fo the car is will just look stupid.
it is a 76 camaro, not some old school gasser

[Pampered-Z]

Tim,

Don't you have the tunnel ram?

Use it or sell it to me!

[BonzoHansen]

Tim,

Don't you have the tunnel ram?

Use it or sell it to me!

You know, a tunnel ram with dual TBI setups (like the holley ones) might make a TR a whole lot more driveable. Or drill it for fuel rails and put 2 TB on top. :wink:

But I guess you'd need a hole in the hood.

[Tru2Chevy]

Yea, Timmy doesn't want any part in cutting a hole in the hood. I'm pretty sure that the tunnel ram wouldn't fit under the stock hood....

- Justin

[BonzoHansen]

Hood? Who needs stinkin’ hood! A hood is just extra weight.

[IROCdan330]

i dont know if its been mentioned or not but a cross-ram style intake w/ dual quads like that on the older 302 z28s could look pretty badass...it would breathe similar to a tunnel ram and fit under the hood.

[WayFast84]

What about using a big ass cowl hood?

[NJSPEEDER]

how about my intention is not to make the car look retarded.

the poll includes the options that i am considering. stick to that information or keep it to yourself.

[V]

i like the twin 4bbl cross ram style

[NJSPEEDER]

i have one of those and i was considering it, but it is too tall for any of the hoods i would be willing to use. keeping the cowl to 2.5-3inches limits some options.
i wouldn't mind an offy low ram or the edelbrock two piece(both winter foundry style) but those set ups are expensive enough to not be a realistic option.

[BonzoHansen]

i like the twin 4bbl cross ram style

Go CFI!!!!

[Bandit]

If you want to race it and min tune issues then a single 4bbl carb, a six pack is nice for show and run, 2 on normal throttle and all 6 @ WOT. PITA to keep tuned though.

dual 4 bbl if you would like to keep the gas companies in business..

[NJSPEEDER]

i learned my lesson with 6pack set ups a long time ago. get the middle one into medium/qll weather tune and drive on it. only mess with the front and back carbs for performance because that is the only time they are open anyway, then it is jsut like tuning a 4brl. if you spend time messing with all 3 at once, you will never get it or keep it right for long.

[WildBillyT]

i learned my lesson with 6pack set ups a long time ago. get the middle one into medium/qll weather tune and drive on it. only mess with the front and back carbs for performance because that is the only time they are open anyway, then it is jsut like tuning a 4brl. if you spend time messing with all 3 at once, you will never get it or keep it right for long.

And use mechanical linkage to actuate the outboard carbs. Ditch the vacuum.

[Pampered-Z]

i have one of those and i was considering it, but it is too tall for any of the hoods i would be willing to use. keeping the cowl to 2.5-3inches limits some options.
i wouldn't mind an offy low ram or the edelbrock two piece(both winter foundry style) but those set ups are expensive enough to not be a realistic option.


Well I think you answered your own poll this time! Go with a single carb, and use the leftover money for other go fast parts.

It may not have the same eye candy as duals or trips, but there are other ways you can make it stand out, and I'm not thinking about neon hoses and such.

Just make your engine compartment clean. Unlike my car you don't have a million wires and hoses running everywhere! Just by filling any open holes and such in the fender wells and firewall, reroute/hide what electric + vacuum hoses you do have will draw attenion to the engine itself without any nasty (#*^&*!@ all over the place. If you do want to step up the bling a bit we can polish some of the aluminum parts as well.

[NJSPEEDER]

i think i am going to stick with a single 4brl for now and save up for the barry grant 6shooter set up for the next street motor i build.

[jims69camaro]

what about barry grant's new inline four barrel? looks pretty neat, IMHO. imagine the wow power when the hood opens and people see something they've never seen before...