jbeech Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 Folks, I have a slight problem (admittedly it's one everybody should have). For my 25th wedding anniversary, my wife (for the second time) has gifted me with a set of Weber carbs and an intake. The first time it was a pair of DCOE 40 carbs and an intake for my 124 Spider. It was just before we married and basically was her wedding gift to me. This time around it's a set of 48 IDA carbs and associated accoutrements for my SBC-powered GTO. What's the problem? Well, it appears they're gonna stick above the hoodline. A recent post about a fellow's car over on e-Bay (which is equipped with a pro-stock tunnel ram and a 750 double pumper) exposed many of my own feelings about the tunnel-ram style hood-scoops, i.e. I typically don't care for them . . . especially on Z-cars - and much less my beloved GTO conversion, but what should I do instead? These are the Webers in question mounted on an Inglese chrome intake. The K&N filters are mounted on custom CNC-machined billet-aluminum air cleaner assemblies - and as you can see are fairly tall . . . Here's a shot of them without the filters, i.e. with just the velocity stacks installed - of course running without air filters is detrimental to both engine life and assorted small animal life, i.e. low flying birds . . . When Enzo (and his crew) faced a similar problem, this is what they resorted to doing . . . But, I don't want a forward facnig scoop if I can help it (note the curved shield in front of the forwardmost velocity stack which diverts air up and over to reduce turbulence). So everyone, I'm wide open to ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 Those carbs are to pretty to cover with a hood, Leave it off! Just how much will they stick out of the wood, er hood. Freudian slip? You could always sell them to me. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 Does your wife have a sister lol.... Can you lower the entire engine? Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 John, No matter what you have to do, MAKE THEM WORK! Your wife would likely have her feelings a bit tweeked if you didn't, I know mine would . AND they LOOK beautiful... Make them work... End of story... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 I can't even get mine to cook at home any more (she's better than the day I met her though) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 I heard that there are major problems with those, if I were you I wouldn't use them. You can send them to me at.......... Just kidding, not...sorry yes just kidding... What Mike said if you don't use them you will hurt the little lady's feelings! Make them work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 I can't even get mine to cook at home any more (she's better than the day I met her though) I'm glad my wife doesn't cook at home any more (hope she never decides to lurk on this board) :malebitchslap: Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1 Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 Take some serious advice here. If you wife will buy you something like that for your car, PUT IT ON THE CAR, I DON'T GIVE A #@#$$%&* IF IT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU WOULD BUY FOR THE CAR OR NOT. Buy a spare hood, cut a hole in it for the carbs, get it painted, and act like it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Remember that you've probably made a lot of compromises on the car about other things. My wife is very tolerant of my crack-like car and gun habits, but not to that extent. I constantly hear friends talk about their wife's complaints "too much money on the car", "too much time on the car", "you love the car more than you do me", etc. You are a lucky man. Buy her some roses, take her out to a nice dinner, and PUT THE CARBS ON THE CAR. Besides, I think they would look great. No scoop, show 'em off. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 theres hundreds of choices, all can be made to work if they fit over the carbs with at least a couple inches over the carbs, post pictures of your first top three choices and well talk! these I like http://www.up22.com/scoopw1.htm http://www.up22.com/scoopw2.htm http://www.up22.com/scoopw3.htm http://www.kenlowe.com.au/raceglass1.htm http://www.usbodysource.com/new%20cover.htm hey your in luck they have a big sale going last time I checked this downdraft was $2999 and the horizontal weber set up was about $5500 look INGLESE CHEVROLET V8 SYSTEMS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part No. System Description Price IA1114H S/B, IDF, 44mm Carbs $2,995.00 IA1118H S/B, IDF, 48mm Carbs $3,395.00 IA1018H S/B, IDA, 48mm Carbs $4,495.00 IA1245H S/B, DCOE,45mm Carbs. "Moon" Crossram $4,450.00 Includes: 4 x 44 IDF Carbs Stainless steel braided Fuel Lines Adjustable linkage Intake Manifold 2 1/2 Stacks Comes Assembled $1995.95 http://www.injector.net/Weber/wildv8.asp this has got to be a huge hp improvement over a cfi setup .they normally have a 20hp advantage over a well set up 4 barrel carb at peak and more torque and throttle responce at all rpm ranges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 John, you are a lucky, lucky man! I also like the "under the hood, stock" look. But if I had that setup handed to me, I'd find a way to make it "work" for me. That clear scoop idea is pretty cool. That beautiful setup deserves to be seen! Of course, it will now be one of those cars you don't want to park and take your eyes off of. That is a beautiful setup! Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denny411 Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 Would it hurt her feelings if you swapped the intake itself for one that would keep the carbs underhood? Like the ones in the later posts? You would still be using the carbs and various other parts. My wife wouldn`t care if I sold something she gave me, as long as I got more out of it than she spent for it. She knows better than to buy car parts though since I change my ideas almost as often as i change underwear. I usually get gift cards to Advance Auto or Sears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaparral2f Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 My Gawd, those are beautiful. If my wife gave me a set of webers, I'd find some way to raise my engine. and throw away the hood so that everybody could see them!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest thepenguin99 Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 Forget a hood. Like others have said, that setup is to pretty to cover up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted April 9, 2003 Share Posted April 9, 2003 I would see if I could get a place to make a plexiglas cowl induction unit for the hood. It would be clear so you wouldn't 'see' it so much, and it would show off the gorgeous induction system. I echo the sentiments to MAKE IT WORK even if you have to buy another hood and cut a hole in it. Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Shasteen Posted April 9, 2003 Share Posted April 9, 2003 JB, If your wife cares so much that she went to the xtra effort to get you something for your car, which she assumed would compliment your car: then perhaps it would please her more to know that you had certain expectations of how your car would look once finished...low profile hood. Your scenario reminds me of the Xmas story about the long haired wife who cut off her hair to buy her husband a nice watchband. Meanwhile, her husband sold his nice watch to buy her a beautiful bow for her hair. If she really wants you to be pleased-then she will/should understand the importance of not cutting a hole in the hood. I dont know her-but something that nice means she does care: I would not put it passed her in that she wants you to be pleased w/the final outcome. I would think she would be hurt if she thought you suffered as a result of thinking you would hurt her feelings and using something that in the long run was opposite to your car's finished project. Also, one last point: did she pick this out on her own? Is she so knowledgeable on car/engine combo's that she was capable of knowing exactly what you needed or did someone help her pick out what they thougth you wanted? If not-then certainly she would want you to have the correct proper set up for your car/engine. I think she would undestand-but then again I'm not married to her-you are, and we are dealing w/the female spirit here...any of us here proclaim to actually understand the female mind? Just my .02c's worth. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted April 9, 2003 Share Posted April 9, 2003 Kevin, I proclaim to understand that they are SOOOO unpredictable that I would absolutely put them on and shut my mouth... For a little while anyway... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbeech Posted April 9, 2003 Author Share Posted April 9, 2003 Whoa folks, of course I'm guilty of guiding the purchase - naturally. You see, when I mentioned wanting a new intake for my GTO . . . . . . because I was wanting to spice up the performance and the engine compartment . . . . . . Lynn asked what I had in mind. So I mentioned lusting after the look of Speed Racer's engine compartment (by the by, he helped guide me to one of the last sets of those valve covers and if you are interested, it turns out the guy has one more set - $400). Anyway, last weekend I set off for Charlotte's Lowes Motor Speeday (for the Spring swap meet and car show). To say it was an awe inspiring event would be an understatement - so would calling it a zoo! For example, in the GM pavilion I saw the original two-tone Manta Ray and a gull-wing door mid-engine Corvette concept car. I looked at loads of variations on the theme of Cobras - including the very tasty Daytona. There also were so many neat street rods as to promote a numbness of the mind and sensory overload. Everywhere you looked there was something to draw the eye, i.e. an all alluminum, quad-cam twin-turbo work of art in a late Mustang . . . but I digress. I went to Charlotte thinking to find a modestly priced twin 4-barrel manifold, but hoped to maybe find a carb set up alá Speed Racer's 3-carb set up. I found a 6-pack, but it was for Chrysler. I even came across a Hilborn-style mechanical fuel injector setup, but for a Ford. Yet seceretly, in my heart of hearts, I was hoping to find a set of Webers. I knew the market price for Webers because I had perused the Inglese and TWM Induction web sites, and despite what you may think, the quoted prices of these systems often lack accessories and accoutrements. I.e. the final price tag soars above what you think upon first looking. I speak of linkages (choices and price points include ball bearning, or not), air and fuel filters (and of course the assemblies to hold same), a PCV setup, power brake vacuum source (hidden is more of course), chrome, paint, etc. Trust me, there are expenses well beyond what those that appear at first blush. Anyway, I desired the upright carb look of the original Ferrari engine compartment so sidedraft Webers weren't a first choice (had I been gifted with a surplus of choices, but I wasn't really). That said, the truth is the inordinate expense for a Weber setup meant I was perfectly willing to settle for a dual 4-barrel setup. I soon (within 30 miuntes of arrival) came across a low-rise dual carb manifold with a pair of Edelbrock 390 cfm 4-barrels (but no linkages) for $350 bucks. The price was right, but hey, we'd just gotten there. What's more, they were dirty and ratty looking. I made a note of where the guy was and we kept looking. 6-hours later, somewhat wet and tired (it was raining when Keith and I first showed up) I was realizing the magnitude of the task. We'd been there half a day, our feet hurt, and we hadn't seen 10% of what there was to see. Also, because of the rain, many folks had the goodies under plastic and hence I might be walking right past the deal of the century. Plus there were those who had packed up and left - the show opened Thursday and when we showed up Saturday morning it looked like it could rain for 40 days and nights! Anyway, by now it was Saturday mid-afternoon and time was short. We POR (press on regardless) but meanwhile, my feet were killing me (I'm a somewhat portly fellow - some would unkindly say a fat porker though I'm on a diet - lost 30 pounds so far, but I digress). I was thinking to perhaps see if the twin Edelbrocks were still around (and what they could really be had for). I was thinking they might be ratty as hell, but would likely clean up nicely, and would pep things up while spicing up the engine compartment when Keith nudged me and whispered, "John, 11 o'clock, behind the skinny dude with the cowboy hat and shit kickers!" I peered around and my heart went thump 'cuz there they were. The owner was negotiating for them with a guy from Texas (as it turned out). Anyway, I surreptitiously eavesdropped. The haggling was intense and they were 200 bucks apart when, finally, cowboy-hat had enough. He made a comment about checking back at the end of the day to see if the owner had changed his mind, and left. We wandered past them (about 75 feet down down the isle) and turned around to come back to them. That let a sufficient amount of time pass as I not only didn't want the owner to suspect I had a woodie for them, but I didn't want cowboy-hat to look back and see me already panting for them. Nothing like fear of loss to close a 200 buck gap, eh? So I siddled up for a gander despite an astronomical price capable of causing nosebleed, i.e. they were a bit more money than I wanted to contemplate. Weber 48 IDA (the high performance variation) carbs are a show stopper and I wanted a chance to fondle them. They had all the goodies too, I thought to myself, chrome manifold ($1000 extra at Inglese), billet aluminum fuel blocks, Earl's lines and fittings, hidden PCV, chrome linkages, custom billet aluminum polished air filter assembly with ball end detail work, K&N air filters, black powder coat bodies (I live near the coast so corrosion is a constant problem), chrome fuel pressure regulator, guage, etc. Sadly, after noting where we were, we kept going as they were waaaay out of my price league (Inglese wants close to $7500 bucks for this same setup). We soon came across another set of Webers, but these were 42 DCOE sidedrafts mounted on top of a supercharger, and the whole look was not only reaching for the sky, but bulky. I briefly considered them, but the tunnel ram look was too much for me. Later still we came across another set of downdraft Webers, but no linkages, velocity stacks, air cleaner, or PCV - and they were the lower-end 44 IDF carbs. While sporting a lower profile than IDA carbs, IDFs are somewhat more prone to trouble because of diaphragms and such. Also I didn't really want to step up to the plate for them as not only was he really proud of them, but the difference in price wasn't that far from the first set up I saw (in relative terms). Meanwhile Lynn calls to ask how things were going. I tell what I've seen, and mention thinking of checking on the dual Edelbrock setup when she casually says, "Remember the set of Webers we got you as your wedding present? It's been a good 25 years (our anniversary was two weeks ago), go see if they've sold the ones you really want." That's all it took and I was off like a flash. Next thing you know, we're haggling for the carbs and we're 200 bucks apart (I was gonna buy them regardless, but pride made me try for the deal cowboy-hat tried to get) when Keith again nudges me and nods to cowboy-hat purposely making his way down the isle (my pal Keith has spent time in Afghanistan and keeps his head on a swivel) . Anyway, I spy cowboy-hat yacking on his cell phone and striding our way and quickly decide enough is enough and up my offer 100 bucks while simultaneously thinking I should have just agreed to the 200 bucks. Before I can get the words out of my mouth and make the deal, cowboy-hat strides up ending his phone conversation and flipping closed his cell phone. Without so much as a by your leave, he interupts and says, "Thought it over yet, I'm getting ready to leave for Midland." I feel my stomach sink as I think, "Damn, I don't want to get into a bidding war!" . . . but smiling broadly, the owner says (with obvious relish and a sly wink at me), "Yup, I thought it over but this fellow just bought them so you're too late!" and holds his hand out to shake on the deal. Mama raised no fools, and while my brain may occasionally be slow, there's nothing wrong with my hand so I fervently grasped his and proceed to pump it up and down for all it was worth all the while wearing a big shit eating grin :>) Anyway, later, the guy confided (or so he thought) how negociations had gone with cowboy-hat and how he figured it was worth a hundred bucks to blow cowboy-hat off (for my part, I figured discretion dictated I better keep to myself the fact I'd listened in on his earlier negotiations with cowboy-hat). So I ended up getting them for 100 bucks less than he wanted and 100 bucks more than cowboy-hat had offered - though of course I would have paid the guy's price if I could have gotten the words out of my mouth before cowboy-hat strode up) Anyway, that's the story . . . which does nothing to resolve how I'm gonna handle them sticking through the hood. I just hoped to maybe get some ideas from you guys. Right now, the plexiglass is winning - especially since my pal TrickZ (who flew wingman with me on our foray to California to buy the GTO in the first place and then helped me drive it cross country to the east coast) says he can draw it for me if I carve the mold - he's one of America's premier prosthologists, i.e. he makes ultra high tech carbon fiber and titanium arms and legs for amputees, so it'll be a doodle for him. So I'm with all of you in thinking they're gonna get installed and they're too pretty to cover up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1 Posted April 9, 2003 Share Posted April 9, 2003 John: 1. VERY nice car. 2. Great story. 3. Put the carbs on, get out the sawzall, then SHOW US SOME MORE PICS! 4. I love it! John (T) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest thepenguin99 Posted April 9, 2003 Share Posted April 9, 2003 Dude those carbs....that car....plexiglass hood.....champagne shall rain from the heavens and all that jazz =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted April 10, 2003 Share Posted April 10, 2003 John, One day we've got to meet... I think We'd have a LOT in common! Great story and good to hear you're keeping them... What about swapping the intake? Maybe go for the angled intake setup for a lower hood clearance? Knowing what that front clip costs, I certainly understand your concern over cutting it up! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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