I've been on a quest for the correct driver's side exhaust manifold that won't get in the way of the oil dipstick on my 283 SBC in my 50 Styleline (original front driving equipment). I've tried just about every one I can find and the local yards. Does anyone make a 1/2" spacer that will allow me to push the manifold away from the block enough to slip the dip stick tube behind it? I know that places like Speedway include a steel gasket that's about 1/8" thick, but I would need at least 1/4"-1/2" for my purposes. Figure some obscure parts guru out there might know. Thanks
Could you perhaps buy a fab-your-own header flange and use that for a spacer? Dammit prewar! you got it first. Lol. Great minds think alike.
COOL....do you happen to know off the top of your head what the port size is on those? I know it's either 1 5/8 or 1 3/4.... Nevermind.....got it....1 3/4 THANKS FOR THE INFO!!!!
GM never used a spacer on the exhaust to fit a dipstick tube in a SBC... What's going on with your engine????
I think I would look at dipstick choices before changing the manifolds to a spacer with added potential leaks. There are plenty of early dipsticks that wrap outside the manifold - like 70 Corvette for instance.
Yah, I went out and measured the existing port size on my current aluminum gaskets to get the dimension. I just picked some up off of Speedway that are 5/16" thick. That with the gaskets will be MORE than enough. The issue isn't what GM did for a particular year, but rather what motor I'm using coupled with the year body/frame. The problem with putting a SBC in a 49-52 Chevy is clearing the steering gear on the driver's side. You can use pretty much any manifold on the passenger side, in this case, I'm using the original ram horn that came with it. However, on the driver's side you can use rear dumps from a 70s-80s car with a 305, but you have to cut the front firewall supports @ the frame. I ended up using Walton Fabrication motor mounts, which work GREAT, but I think they put the engine a little further back than the ones from other places or ones that are scratch built. Either way, couldn't find a rear dump that didn't cause a cascade of cut/weld issues. The other, more popular option is to use a manifold that dumps between the last two cylinders. I think 55-57 Chevy cars had logs that were very similar, but I'm using ones from a late 70s truck. MOST guys have no problem with this, because the 350s that they're using have the dipstick on the passenger side or they swapped out to a Mustang II front end. On this 283, it's on the driver's side. The exhaust port hugs so tight to the block and dumps out right in front of the dip stick hole on the block. I tried 6 ways to Sunday to bend a tube that would go around it...to no avail. After trying a number of manifold options, I don't know why I didn't think of this before. The only other options are to go with Sanderson's, which are pretty costly....especially when I picked up these manifold's for $25 a piece at the yard, and spend another 30 bucks for the header flange and gaskets. That's at least $200 that I can spend elsewhere.
Good lord dude......I did, and carefully. To clear the bottom of the manifold, it bends at such a sharp angle that the stick itself doesn't want to clear the bend. The tube isn't even folded.
If you are interested I have a 4000 w laser and I am always cutting header flanges in both stainless and mild steel . I can cut 1/2" mild steel spacers with no prob . PM Me if interested also you can see my ad in the The H.A.M.B. O'Dex section
Yup...thats one of the fun aspects of swapping certain exhaust manifolds on the SBC that often isn't considered! You can usually get them to work without a spacer though. Guess you got the manifold from hell! LoL I wonder why they changed the dipsticks around anyway...
REALLY? Wow...cool! I'll see how these 5/16" ones work, but I may have to take you up on that. In regards to other parts, what file type do you need to do your cutting? I do CAD related work, not sure if you can use those types of files for cutting or if it's based on it's own software. I'm using some of these "hot rod" gas pedals that are flimsy as hell and I'm none too happy about it. Tearing out CAD models of a sturdy one is easy sleazy, but I didn't know anyone that had the gear to do it. Everything I build is printed on 3d printers that are resin based. I have no idea why they changed it around, maybe they wanted the passenger side to have some love, as the driver's side tends to get crowded? On my particular block casting, seems like someone didn't grind down all the parting lines. There's virtually *no* room between the manifold and the headers/block going up behind the exhaust manifold. With the spacer, I'll be able to run it vertical the way it was meant to be. I figure once I get it on the road, I'm going to update my blog with every aspect of my build, little problems that are rarely or never mentioned on here, specifically for the newb builder like me.....except they won't have to hassle everyone with newb questions at the rate of 2 or 3 a day. And yes, that's after using the "search" function!
Just a dumb thought, but what about using a modern style dipstick thats flexible and custom bending a new tube around the manifold. I've once used part of an old speedo cable - add 3 quarts - notch it for low, add the 4th quart - notch it full. Just another 2 cents !!!
I may still have to do that after I put the spacer in, so that's definitely a good thought. My problem when I bent the last one was that in spite of bending it with no kinks, the only way I *could* bend it was too sharp for the flexible dipstick to easily make it around the corner You wouldn't believe how little space, wiggle room, or options were available in this particular situation. I was wondering, does Lokar even make the flexible dipstick tubes anymore? Good 2 cents!
Some of the imports used a "dipstick" that was a cable-like material with a bullet shaped dingus on the end marked for full-OK-low. Maybe something like that would work when getting through the tough corners? -Bigchief.
Not in this case....I'm not that dumb. A gasket only provides a seal, and is 1/8" thick at best. It's job is to be malleable so that it makes that seal. I needed something of greater thickness to leave enough gap between the manifold and the block so I can get the dip stick in between them.
This will probably make me sound like a wise ass but you are not the first one to do this and nobody has made a spacer like you seek so I'd have to think that there is no demand for it. You have not found the manifold that does work with your chassis. I'm sure the 265 manifolds will work but you won't find them in a junk yard anymore. You will probably need an old manifold from the 50s-60s when this was a pretty common engine transplant. I'm surprised that no one has spoken up to tell you what year manifolds work but you didn't ask. You can probably find the manifold that works cheaper than a custom made spacer that will look funny to most guys.
I made mine out of 1/2" aluminum. I bought stainless headers for $135 that didn't quite fit my 383 Mopar. Used a router to shape them. Aluminum machines very easy with a router
Is the attached the manifold you are using? If it is, a dipstick from an early 70's p-car (drivers side dipstick, same manifold) should do the trick.ie: '73 nova. which will fit. You might have the dipstick tube that is used with those awful over-the-sparkplug manifolds. Alex.
That's the most recent one that I tried, unfortunately. It would be fine if it weren't for the steering gear that is about 1/2" too tall and prevents you from mounting it to the engine...Murphy's law. I ordered the flanges from Speedway, they'll be here next week so I'll try it then. Over the weekend, I'm taking a previous poster's advice and might try making my own out of tubing that's thinner than the "prescribed" one I picked up at the parts store.
I've used tubing benders (like for brake lines) to bend dipstick tubes and had great results with really odd shapes.
Mid to late 70's MonteCarlos used a pan that had the dipstick tube coming out of the side of it. The dipstick tube wrapped around the manafold and was held on by a sheetmetal bracket. The block deck had a solid plug inserted into the deck where the normal location would be. Finding a pan might be cheaper than buying different manafolds. I've run one with the swept back style of manafold (77 truck style) with no issues, although I believe they were originally on the ones that mounted high up and very tight against the block. If you have ramhorns it shouldn't be an issue. Good Luck.
Great thread.... even if I am 7 years late LOL. Currently working out this same exact problem on my '54 Chevy with 350 swap and stock steering setup. Settled on a driver's side manifold from an early 80's Camaro/Monte/etc. (wraps above the plugs and dumps between last 2 cylinders) because there's no room for the others to clear the steering/pitman arm, and ramhorns/block huggers are center dump below the plugs, which is right where the steering box is in relation the motor. Looking at trying the "spacers" also with the only other option being a different pan and plugging the dipstick hole. If Poboy had the same issue, there's about 1/8" to 1/4" of space between the dipstick hole and manifold dump, barely enough to get a pinky finger in and in my opinion WAY too tight for a standard dipstick tube without binding things up unnecessarily. Would really appreciate part numbers for those pans if anyone has them, just in case I go that route.
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