I would love to use a factory tripower on my 496 project. My heads are oval port 781's, with 2.19/1.88 valves and a mild cleanup job. I found a 69 oval port tripower manifold for sale at a Corvette dealer on the internet for $1,400. I know the oval port manifolds are more rare than the rectangle units, but that price is still pretty high, right? I'm thinking I should keep looking, but if anybody has input on current market pricing I would love to hear it.

It's the other way around. Rect (400 hp) is rarer than the oval (435hp) intake.

I just sold a 67 tripower rectangle intake for 1500. It had no carbs, and the casting numbers were ground out, and one of the mounting ears was cracked....I've seen 69 intakes with carbs on ebay going for about 1200. Hope this helps.

Yenko, the 435 hp version was rectangular port.

Mike, the TriPower setup was not that popular as an over the counter upgrade, so not many more than the original installations were made. TriPowers have taken on a life of their own - if you were to add up all the currently TriPower equipped Corvettes you would likely come close to the original number of installations, even though a substatial number started life as something more humble.

If the setup you are looking at is clean, ready to go, and includes all linkage, plumbing, aircleaner, then $1,400 is not unreasonable. Many *auctions* have brought more money for incomplete units needing total resto.

Thomas

I think thats quite high for a 69 low rise manifold, unless you meant its the whole setup. For the mani only, the 67 HI RISE fetch that kind of money. 69 manifolds, in either configuration ( o or r) had the highest production, and therefore have the lowest prices. $650 for a rect, and $850 for an oval are good prices.

I think Yenko has it backwards, but I can only say that 2 of 3 manis you'll see for sale are rectangle.

Holley custom shop will set you up with a custom mechanical 3X2 setup for $777.

Originally posted by 427L88:
Holley custom shop will set you up with a custom mechanical 3X2 setup for $777. You're saying if I provide the manifold, Holley can provide three good carbs for $777? That's not too bad. Do the end carbs have metering blocks on the Holley custom setup?

My understanding on the rectangle vs oval thing is that the oval port tripowers were hydraulic cam engines with 400hp, and the rectangle port tripowers were solid lifter engines with 435hp. I'm pretty sure the 400hp oval port units are more rare and thus a little more pricey, as Gene says.

I bought 3 new Holley 3x2 carbs from Summit for right around $1000. These are the stock vacuum secondary stuff. I also got a rectangular intake from Ebay for $400 in good shape, but it had the casting number ground off so it has no real collector value. if you're interested, the new tripower 540 is here: http://silvervette.com:81/68/merlin_540.htm

Last year, I sold a '68 tripower oval port intake with '68 dated carbs and air cleaner for $1700, but it needed a full cosmetic restoration. $1400 for just the manifold is about double the normal price.

Mike, you're right about the 400 hp being the oval port tri-power. It was identical to the 390 hp 427 in '69 Vettes, except for the induction setup. The 390 hp had a Qjet on a low rise alum oval port intake. I had a '69 Vette 427, 390 hp that I converted to the 400 hp version. The 390 hp 427 was very similar to a 350-360 hp 396 and the '70 LS-5 454. Same basic cam, heads, carb, compression ratio, etc.

Originally posted by Bomber '67:
Yenko, the 435 hp version was rectangular port.


Thomas You are right, I had a brain fart there for a minute. It was the only thing on my mind there for 2 weeks and I finally got rid of it and forgot. Whoops. But yeah, you were right. I'd pay up to 1750 or so for a 69 setup that was COMPLETE. From the chrome air cleaner lid all the way down to the oil on the cover plate on the bottom ;)

I'd pay up to 1750 or so for a 69 setup that was COMPLETE. From the chrome air cleaner lid all the way down to the oil on the cover plate on the botom The exact amount I got for my complete 69 oval setup with new replacement carbs and filter element off ebay. (minus the oil on the cover plate)

Production numbers for the L68 (400HP oval port) were: 1967 - 2101, 1968 - 1932, and 1969 - 2072. For the L71 (435HP rect. port): 1967 - 3754, 1968 - 2898, and 1969 - 2722.

As you can see, the higher rise 1967's had the highest single year production numbers for both oval and rectangular port setups. 1968 had the lowest oval port and 1969 had the lowest rectangular port. All this being said, 1967 oval port units still bring the most money by almost two to one over 1968/1969 units.

Originally posted by Georgia69:
You're saying if I provide the manifold, Holley can provide three good carbs for $777? That's not too bad. Do the end carbs have metering blocks on the Holley custom setup?

[/QB]Mike, they're not the orignal carbs. Custom 2300s, full metering block, idle cicuits and shooters on all three - mechanical linkage. Not something you put on a numbers Corvette, unless you wanted the more exact operation of a mechanical system. It works mint btw, with no idocyncratic opening rates. All there when you nail it. Shipped to my door, using reman 2300s it was $777. Not quite ready to bolt on. I put PV plugs in the secondary carbs and rejetted them to 78s. Also requested that one of the carbs had the smaller PV orifice and that one went in the center. ( I don;t know why the smaller PV orifice is better there, just followed a blueprint.)

Thanks Gene. Right now, I am planning my 496 to work at 6,000RPM or less, and an automatic tranny with 2400 or so stall, so I am thinking the vacuum set-up might work better for my application. I sure am impressed with your results though, so I would definitely consider the mechanical linkage as well. Guess I'll have to see how the whole thing pans out. I'm not gonna pay over market price for the intake though, otherwise I guess I'll be doing a boring single 4bbl smile.gif

If anybody knows of a nice oval intake for sale, shoot me an email. I don't think the taller 67 version will fit under a Chevelle hood anyways, so I'm shooting for the cheaper 68 or 69 unit. I prefer manifold only, but will consider a complete setup for a fair price.

I've always wanted one of these deals. A buddy way back when had a 55 Nomad with a 390 HP tri-power. 4-spd, whar a killer car that was. it was eventually stolen and never seen again. I'd turn my car into a big-block if I could find one of those O-port setups cheap. I passed on one back in about 93 or so for $500. Just plain dumb.

Tom

Mike, fwiw, I run the low rise, 1/2" phenolic spacer and another 3/8" worth of gaskets. A 3.125" aircleaner fit under the stock hood, a 3.5" doesnt. A high rise would require a 2.75", which wouldnt flow enough to support my little motor at 6800 rpm.