OT Helping a local kid out....Gen I intake on Vortec Heads???

Sorry this is OT - But I have a local buddy that has a rock truck and he wants to put a regular chevy intake on his engine that has vortec heads. I know people go the other way all the time. I haven't been over yet to eyeball it so I thought I'd see what people have done on here before I tried to help him.

He is trying to do it on a budget and scored the intake for 10 bucks. Can we make some spacers or washers for the center bolts? He explained those were vertical rather than perpendicular to the head?

Any ideas? Thanks in advance! J

 

I have seen in the past where guys have used a rat tail file or a die grinder to change the angle of the bolt holes. M ay have to do a little grinding with a dremel to get the bolt head a surface to sit on up top. It did not look great but I guess in the end it was on a budget and it was functional.

 

Like GREASER said. It does work OK, it is just not ideal.

 

That's good to hear - we can do some grinding etc. Looks won't matter I think this thing is UGLY but will climb 6 foot tall rocks. He is trying to covert it to run propane or something.

 

yes it can be done, but the last place you want to be running a jerry-rigged intake with two sources of fuel, and alot of spark is out in the woods...... JMO

 

Good point. I figure if the bolts have good purchase and we can make an angled spacer so the force pushes perpendicular to the manifold it will all be aesthetics. It is just sealing the center water p***age under the intake at this point. Not real rocket science.

I guess it actually is done fairly commonly, everyone wants to add the vortec heads and reuse the old intake.......I thought what he had was the opposite.

 

That is an exhaust p***age not a water p***age but. Guys used to modify the older manifolds quite a bit when those heads first came out but since there are manifolds readily available now it isn't usually done.

I'd still rather have the correct intake on it because of what he is trying to do with it.
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Half the aftermarket intakes sold for chevy's lately have elongated center holes and come with angled spacers or fillers.

 

Anyone know where I can get a set of those angled spacers? Or what manufacturer makes those intakes that will fit both?

Believe me, this will be the least rigged thing on this truck deal if what he has told me about it is true. He's been having lots of fun with it. It is a low budget deal.

der, that's an exhaust cross over? I couldn't imagine wanting to run hot exhaust gas under your carb! I guess I do remember a little black square on the old intake gaskets. My bad. That's why the aluminum intakes always block it off.

 

I did this swap a few years ago. My machinist had the angled pieces and it all worked out fine although it took a little silicone around the angled pieces to seal them. He also drilled/tapped manifold bolt holes in the late vortec heads to accomodate the early intake.
BTW, living in Georgia you probably won't need that exhaust crossover but where I live we leave the p***ageway open for those chilly nights. Backfires with a Holley carb don't mix well.

 

Oh yeah..my vortec heads had no provision for using the early water crossover and thermostat with housing....the heads are blanked out. I made a setup going to a Speedway thermostat housing. The photo is for reference...taken of a smallblock using LT-1 vortec heads out on the salt a few years ago.
I had my machinist open up the coolant holes at the front of the heads a big as possible [before running into a wall in the heads] and made water manifolds similar to the ones pictured.
Yeah, I realize the photo is of a Packard engine but the vortec chevy heads have a similar hole in the front..

 

He can get the right manifold from summit racing for $140 #sum-226018 be easier than fabing something up...

 

That's genius! Tap tap tap... Is this the hamb?

 

I ran into the same problem on my coupe when I put the Dart heads on it and wanted to use the Edelbrock Performer RPM manifold that I already had.

C9 (RIP) whipped up these 15 degree washers for me. They've been on there for six years with no problems.

 

I have the spacers you need. get me your addy before noon and i'll ship em today. no charge. i don't need em. and another hamber gave em to me.

 

I think Jeg's sells them. The intakes are Power+ & Crosswind not sure who actually makes them.

 

Thanks eveybody. Glendale you have PM. That rocks! Thank you.

C9 was the man! RIP.

Thanks for the heads up Mikeco.