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Hot Rods Man a Fre manifold

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Rick M. Louvers, Nov 18, 2025.

  1. My son, ( dual quad 55 ) here on the HAMB has a few Man-A-Fre fuel blocks hanging on the wall in his garage.
     
  2. Axle34
    Joined: Feb 12, 2007
    Posts: 66

    Axle34
    Member
    from Michigan

    Here's a YouTube video with a 283 Chevy engine running an early production Man-A-Fre intake with 4 Stromberg 97 Carburetors.

     
  3. GlassThamesDoug
    Joined: May 25, 2008
    Posts: 1,959

    GlassThamesDoug
    Member

    I still have 5x List 6425 Holleys 2bbls. They make nice set ups. 600cfm
    Tunnel Ram has Keith Dorton 500s. 4412
    Blower has 600cfms. 6425
     

    Attached Files:

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  4. GlassThamesDoug
    Joined: May 25, 2008
    Posts: 1,959

    GlassThamesDoug
    Member

    Had one of those Br***well carbs in Mesquite Texas. Crinkle black. It plugged guaged 500cfm, but was higher flow without a booster, Cheater carb on some dirt tracks. Sold it to Speed Shop in Mesquite.
     
    rod1 likes this.
  5. COCONUTS
    Joined: May 5, 2015
    Posts: 1,243

    COCONUTS

    When I was just starting out I wanted to obtain one of these manifolds so that I could mount 4 carbs on my small block. Called the company (or I think that I call the right company) and asked the person who answered the phone, "how much?". The guy who took my question told me that they are not making them anymore. I answer , "what do you mean, don't make them any more!, I just got started building my first hot rod".
     
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  6. scoob_daddy
    Joined: Jan 1, 2022
    Posts: 261

    scoob_daddy
    Member
    from Georgia

    No idea these were first produced in Atlanta, now I need one!
     
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  7. 40panel348
    Joined: Oct 8, 2005
    Posts: 280

    40panel348
    Member

    I have a Man-A-Fre on a 283 in the '40 Ford I'm building. I brought the manifold and about a dozen carbs to Tim Bowman who rebuilt the carbs and built the whole setup, including linkage, and provided an original fuel block. 20250608_172608.jpg 20250614_165350.jpg
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 27, 2025
    Toms Dogs, AHotRod, jaracer and 7 others like this.
  8. 59sedandelivery
    Joined: Sep 5, 2005
    Posts: 155

    59sedandelivery
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    WHO ELSE thinks MORIARITY's engine looks SO GOOD he should just leave the damn HOOD OFF!!!!!! Drive the PURIST's NUTZ!!!!!! LOL
     
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  9. Moriarity
    Joined: Apr 11, 2001
    Posts: 38,187

    Moriarity
    SUPER MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    haha, thanks. My car drives the purists nuts even with the hood closed... calendar2.JPG calendar3.JPG corvettestripes.jpeg
     
  10. So, the gist I'm getting is the Man-a-fre is a quasi-IR intake with most of that design's flaws engineered out. Originally designed specifically for the small block Chevy by taking advantage of its 'paired' intake port layout, which would explain why few other intakes were offered by the company as most V8s of the era used evenly-spaced ports, ***uming that the design wasn't as viable with that port layout. Although Man-a-fre apparently did one-offs, converting other intakes.

    The design was patented, but if the patent has expired maybe Ted Eaton should look into this for the Y-block....
     
    miker98038 likes this.
  11. Moriarity
    Joined: Apr 11, 2001
    Posts: 38,187

    Moriarity
    SUPER MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    here's one for a small block ford. I saw one of these run at the meltdown drags and it ran fantastic
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...small-block-ford-complete-fuel-ready.1028718/ manafreford.JPG manafreford2.JPG
     
  12. y'sguy
    Joined: Feb 25, 2008
    Posts: 811

    y'sguy
    Member
    from Tulsa, OK

    As I wrote before …I'd still like to know how one pronounces Man-A-Fre.
    Still waiting.
     
  13. Moriarity
    Joined: Apr 11, 2001
    Posts: 38,187

    Moriarity
    SUPER MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    Man like... "hey man"
    A is a short a... "uh"
    Fre is... "free"

    Man uh free
     
  14. Rick M. Louvers
    Joined: Dec 11, 2017
    Posts: 43

    Rick M. Louvers

    Thanks for the video
     
  15. Moriarity
    Joined: Apr 11, 2001
    Posts: 38,187

    Moriarity
    SUPER MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    Lets see some pictures of your set ups....
     
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  16. Rick M. Louvers
    Joined: Dec 11, 2017
    Posts: 43

    Rick M. Louvers

    20251229_172449.jpg
     
  17. Rick M. Louvers
    Joined: Dec 11, 2017
    Posts: 43

    Rick M. Louvers

  18. Moriarity
    Joined: Apr 11, 2001
    Posts: 38,187

    Moriarity
    SUPER MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    Man that stromberg setup has to be rare. I never knew those existed before this thread.... I think they are just sitting there but the carbs on the Rochester one are on backwards and it looks like there are several different varieties there. One of the original spec carbs for these were 1958 283 chev pickup carbs
     
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  19. Rick M. Louvers
    Joined: Dec 11, 2017
    Posts: 43

    Rick M. Louvers

    Yes the carbs are just sitting on the rochester system. My OCD didn't turn them around. Lol
     
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  20. 40panel348
    Joined: Oct 8, 2005
    Posts: 280

    40panel348
    Member

    I'm getting closer to firing my engine. 283, .060 over to 292, 097 Duntov cam, Mallory dual-point distributor, Fenton headers, and a Man-A-Fre with Badger air cleaners 20260118_165523(1)(1).jpg 20260118_165538(1).jpg .
     
  21. Andy
    Joined: Nov 17, 2002
    Posts: 5,396

    Andy
    Member

    IMG_3992.jpeg IMG_3993.jpeg Early Man a Free concept. Stu Hillborn in mid 40’s? 21 stud flathead and V8 60 axle.
    Stromburg for #1&2 cylinders. ? For 3, 4. One barrels for 5, & 6 and 7, & 8.
    1&2 fire consecutively so strong pulses. He needed a bigger carb due to uneven flow.
    I saw this set up on a car at some big show in the 70’s.
    1&2 cylinders on a flathead are 7&8 on a sbc.
     
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2026
    Toms Dogs, rod1, jaracer and 2 others like this.
  22. Fordors
    Joined: Sep 22, 2016
    Posts: 6,580

    Fordors
    Member

    No, that’s not Stu Hilborn, Stu was a young man when he ran the lakes. That’s his mentor Eddie Miller, the gentleman that engineered the 6 cylinder Pontiac flathead powered lakester for his son Eddie Jr.
     
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  23. Moriarity
    Joined: Apr 11, 2001
    Posts: 38,187

    Moriarity
    SUPER MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    that 4 carb Manifold is on this T roadster that I first saw at a Darryl Starbird show in the early 90's
    https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1923-ford-model-t-16/
    hilbornman.jpg
     
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  24. Andy
    Joined: Nov 17, 2002
    Posts: 5,396

    Andy
    Member

    I think I saw the T in the 80’s at the Oklahoma City Nats.
     
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2026
    Moriarity likes this.
  25. Andy
    Joined: Nov 17, 2002
    Posts: 5,396

    Andy
    Member

    I really don’t know who made the intake. I bow to better knowledge. I was going by Google. If you Google Stu Hilborn, you get some pictures of the intake. That’s all I know.
     
  26. Moriarity
    Joined: Apr 11, 2001
    Posts: 38,187

    Moriarity
    SUPER MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    I think it is true that that manifold was on a land speed streamliner that was owned by Mr Hilborn. at least that was what the guy with the green t roadster told me
     

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