I got this from a freind, He has had it for years. He said he was told it is a protype from the Mickey thompson folks. Any info would be great
It's neat manifold, but what makes it a prototype? I had one for a 289 Ford that was the same cross-ram design, also an M/T that someone took to the aluminum recycling place. A freind who hates Fords got it from the recycling place just to save it and I traded a Mustang rear for it. Never did put it on anything tho...
Nothing special unless you can document it's prototype status. Looks like someone modified a stock M/T manifold for some reason. Kinda sounds like someone is getting ready to make their retirement fund grow via Ebay. Frank
Well, it's obvious that someone used 2 manifolds to create that one. Interesting piece, but without some old photograph or documentation to back up the expiremental claim, it's nothing more than a hacked cross ram. If you could locate an old photo with Mickey himself leaning over it, then it would be signifigant and quite valuable.
Looks like it has HUGE runners. You would have to have a healthy small block to diserve that manifold. As far as value? Maybe a collector would want it. May not work as good as the final design, and likly dosn't. So a buyer would be taking a chance buying it to bolt on an engine. Hell it may not even fit.
saw one similar about 30yrs ago on a guy i used to knows 70ss nova.by the way it also had a roller cam,4spd and some big gears and all other related parts.he launched it with me in the passenger seat.it made me grimmace and my butt cheeks flap.man what a ride.it wasnt for the faint of heart.....................dave
Just looked in a Nov. 1965 HOT ROD, I didn't see an add for a M/T manifold but Offenhauser, Weiand, and Edelbrock all had their versions of this type manifold, get this prices were $179 in 1965.
Looks like the maniflod was cast as a crossram. It was likly they cut the ends off to do portwork. It looks like they may have added to the ends to increase the plenum volume while they were at it. It's a neat peice, no doubt. What do you suppose the rpm range would be on a manifold like that?
That must be the manifold they use when you hear stories where the guy says "I reved it to OMG rpm and side steped the clutch"
It looks as stated already that someone modified a standard M/T crossram. These intakes were the predecessor to the more modern/popular tunnel rams. The major problem with these was flow balance, there was very little. Many of these intakes were modified like this one with hopes that the larger pleneum area would balance the airflow and make them perform better....well not the case. The best way to modify these was to join the pleneums. These were not that great of an rpm intake either....they are actually just not that great from a performance standpoint. On the smaller cubed motors you could get them to work in the upper rpm range, but still compared to a tunnel ram.....they were nothing close. What is amazing to me is the fact that they must have cut up another M/T intake to mod this one...why not just use some aluminum stock? Cool wall hanger!!!
hi in the 60,s we had a sieries called trans am and all the big boy played there in the auto industry and it wood ether be a drag manifold or trans am manifold sincerly ranfor
A true protype would not likely have an logo on it, and the castings usually aren't as good as they usually use more temp. molds and tooling until a final design is established. As stated by many, this is a modified production unit. Now, it could be that someone was experimenting with new ideas at M/T, but I even question that. My guess is some dude was trying to get more out of his set up by trying new things. Drag racers have a long history of that type of thing.
Might have been a dyno test mule or R and D, Some strange mods there. Also looks like there was a plenum made, these are a super bitch to tune due to a lack of plenum. But without any documentation it is just a basterdized intake.
There are two plates on the inside that can be opened or closed right now one side has a plate on it and the other is open. The guy i got it from said he thought the prototype thing was bullshit. I really appreciate all the info provided. I am going to give it try just to see if i can make it work.
This is a butchered MT crossram. Neat manifolds and collectable if in undamaged condition. Not sure what that one is worth if anything. I had one on a 13:1 327 chevy roller motor 28 years ago. Ran 11:90 with a full steel 56 chevy and 6.14 gears. Yes, 8500 rpm shifts.
Might be plausible to think of someone or team that had kinda deep pockets to cut up another M/T manifold to mod this one? Trans Am maybe? Love an old rodder/racer mystery!
Make some, get normal linkage odds and ends and figure it out, i dont think anyone makes a kit for that Or just send it to me and i'll send a regular 4bbl intake to you
anouther interesting note is the carbs appear to be redrilled to go on sideways, which to me, means if they were running holleys they wanted to corner with 4160's or launch with 4150's
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