here's the deal. I took a 327 out of my 67 chevelle and put a 454 back in. bought new bb motor mounts ( engine and frame) from ausley's. rpm air gap intake, 750 edelbrock carb. now the carb sits about 1 inch below the hood no room for any kind of air cleaner. i've read on here about other people using a drop base cleaner and the same intake so what am i missing?

so what am i missing?

A fiberglass hood with a 4" cowl ;)

I'm using the small block frame mounts and solid engine mounts. I'm using dropped air cleaner and a RPM Air Gap intake. I can close the hood but it's so damn close I have to use a plain nut on the air cleaner and not a fancy one. I had to take the insulation out of the center of the hood. The ads for the RPM Air Gap say it will NOT fit under the hood of a '67. I just took my chances. You can probably run a Edlebrock triangle shaped foam air cleaner.

Check out this thread.

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105446

John

You need the hood clearance, one way or another. A "drop-base" air cleaner will locate the air cleaner lid so close to the top of the carb, that it itself will be a MASSIVE restriction. In fact, I'd bet that with the combo you have and an air cleaner that only clears the carb air horn by 1", your car would actually be slower than if you put a stock "Vette" (upside-down) intake on it and a stock Q-Jet.

Sounds to me like you need either a hood, or a different intake, or a different car, or something; but NOT a drop-base air cleaner.

The Edelbrock "death triangle" is even worse. Not only is it a restriction and a fire hazard even in an ideal installation; but also, it draws (or fails to draw) air in from the top rather than around the edge. Meaning, in a tight hood situation, it turns the hood into the restriction by making it literally smother the air inlet, instead of the air cleaner itself being the restriction. The only good thing about that is, that with as little flow as it will support, at least it won't suck the foam into the carb like usually happens with those. It still might catch fire though.

One of those enigmas, some work , some don't. I had an RPM fit just fine. Sounds like you better get a lower intake I'm afraid. RPM or Winter 163.

I found that Moroso has about the deepest drop base out there.

I went through pretty much the same thing when I used an Air-Gap on my 65 which I think has even less hood clearance than the 66-67's. I am running a 850DP with the air horn milled off so this helps not restrict the air flow into the carb as much. I also used a 2-5/16" tall K&N element.

I'm right at the 1" clearance that RB69SS396Conv mentions but I don't think I seeing a MASSIVE restriction either. My car picks up 24 mph in the last 1/8 mi. which falls in pretty well with the norm for a good running combo. I don't believe I'm giving up much due to restriction of air flow but I do plan on trying a pass next year without the air cleaner... we'll see!

:thumbsup:

I am running a 468 Big Block, and the Performer RPM Air-Gap intake. I have a 870 Holley Avenger carb, an aluminum drop base bottom (from the circle track guys, Smiley's), a 3" cotton gauze filter element and a K&N extreme filter lid. This all fits under the stock SS hood. The key is the filter base! It has to be low. Don't worry about the restriction mentioned above if you use the extreme lid. Check out pics of my car on my website:

http://www.c-dperformance.com/67Chevelle468.jpg

Good Luck!!! :cool:

"One of those enigmas, some work , some don't. I had an RPM fit just fine."

Engine bolts to frame via mounts and stands. Hood bolts to body, which bolts to frame using rubber cushions. Over time, the rubber cushions rot out, so the body sits closer to the frame. Which means the hood is now closer to the top of the engine.

What do your body bushings look like? All original, rotted 'n' split?

I have a GEN V 454, energy suspension mounts, an AirGap, 800 Performer carb, and an Edelbrock drop base air cleaner. I can tell it is close to the hood as I have a little wear point going thru the insulation right above the air cleaner stud. Nothing hits and I have never measured the clearance between the carb and lid.

I can pos the E/S motor mount part numbers if you want and I can also take that measurement from the lid to the carb.

I had a guy call me after the Dream Cruise in 2004 asking how I got my AirGap to clear. He had also read they dont fit..all I can say is mine did...

Mike

A friend on here Stacey Honn has a 67 and has had no issues with his Airgap intake. My 66 has a cowl hood so no issues.

You could mill the intake down just a bit if you just really had to keep it.
I would swap out, The restriction it's causing is not going to show the performance you bought it for. Also on hot days and steady driving the air gap gets just as warm as the old style intake. I've got one on my 71 with a 468 and I think the price is way over kill.

RandyB

Shurkey has a good point, deteriorated body mount bushings, especially at the core support, would definitely affect the hood clearance. It sounds like a miniscule amount, but a 1/4" is often exactly what you need to shut the hood. I bucked this same problem for 24 years, most of which with a Weiand single plane and nitrous plate. For 7 months I had an Air Gap (without plate), 850DP Holley then BG Mighty Demon and a 14" K&N drop base with 3" element.

For the record, the Air Gap fit fine using Moroso 62500 mounts on small block (Malibu) frame stands. You should also be able to use the 62530 (???check #) for big block stands. The nearest point of contact was the outer most rear of the air cleaner to the hood's inner structural support, on each side of the rear tip of the triangle shaped opening.

On a 500hp, regularly street driven, occasional drag car, operating under 6500rpm, I definitely recommend the Air Gap. Try using a K&N Extreme filter top, it would probably work well on this application. The manifold is listed as having a 4.5" front and 6" rear carb height, This downward angle exposes topside intake area, despite the stated zero clearance.

Just my thoughts and experiences, hope they help.