1959 Speed Shop Part 1: Manifolds!

[Jive-Bomber]

Imagine if you could get any eclectic speed part you wanted for your old car without hitting a swap or searching the internet? Speedway Motors, Mooneyes, Edelbrock, H & H, and many more have re-popped some of the popular rare bits, especially for Fla...

To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

[CGkidd]

To cool wish the prices were still the same.

[JeffreyJames]

Intakes are one of those things that when I see them and they look fresh from the cast I want them even if I may not need them. Definitely the icing on the engine cake. Prices are definitely a bit different from the ones we see today.

[HEMI32]

I think I need one of those Weiand DRAG STAR 6-carb Log Manifolds for my 392ci Chrysler ... where do I send my $74.50? ... ah, what the heck, I'll splurge and go with the 8-carb model for $75.95

[-Brent-]

Makes me feel pretty good, actually, about the price I paid for my Weiand 3x2 for my 292. It was only a 200% increase in price after 50 years. Inflation is nuts...

[-Brent-]

Now my Weiand fuel log... I bet I overpaid for that!

[panheadguy]

Honest Charlie "Hisself" was my source in the 60's. Not many spped shops in WI....then or now.

[Jive-Bomber]

Originally Posted by panheadguy

Honest Charlie "Hisself" was my source in the 60's. Not many spped shops in WI....then or now.

That's who my Dad (KC, Mo) used to- Honest Charlie. He bought a McGurk 6X2 set up for his 283 Corvette from them...

[49ratfink]

those Almquist catalogs are pretty cool. I found one along with a Midwest Speed Catalog (?) .. Midwest something anyways in a pile of useless old crap magazines and catalogs at a swap not too long ago. $5 for both. made my whole day.

HEMI32 must be asleep at the wheel... didin't notice the Chrysler 300 on the Weiand page and give us all a full history of the car and driver.

[Hot Rods Ta Hell]

I recall quite a few years back there was an article in (IIRC) Street Rodder or Rod Action on Offenhauser; It stated that they were still stocking intakes, valve covers for many of the old, uncommon (Stde, Cad, etc)engines. There were photos in the article showing what was in stock. IIRC, they were running very short runs of a few dozen at a time to keep this stuff in stock.

Question is; If Edelbrock, Weiand, etc. still have the patterns for 8 x 2 Drag Star manifolds, etc. could/would they run small runs? Even if the manifolds were double or triple SBC prices, it would beat used swap meet prices!
Possibly someone like Speedway could contract with someone like Edelbrock to run an "exclusive run" of a couple hundred of a given manifold?
As an example, simalar exclusive runs of old model car kits have been done for independents by the model car co.'s. They run 5-10,000 of a kit that wouldn't sell mainstreeam, but is very sought after and well received by hardcore model builders because original issue's of the kits are very valuable and tough to find.

[skunx1964]

damn, offy valve covers for 30 bucks. wish i could find some for 300 now......

[eddie1]

If only we could pay that now! Who would not have a supercharged motor with 8 carbs? Intake, blower, & carb base for less than $250.00!

[HEMI32]

Originally Posted by 49ratfink

... HEMI32 must be asleep at the wheel... didn't notice the Chrysler 300 on the Weiand page and give us all a full history of the car and driver.

No ... I saw it:


click to enlarge

... I just didn't want to get teased (by a certain HAMBer with a '49 Chevy ) about my love of the HEMI-powered Chrysler 300 letter cars ... besides, I'm just not very familiar with Norm Thatcher's Bonneville record setting '58 Chrysler 300D ... perhaps StillOutThere (the HAMBs resident Chrysler 300C expert) will chime in here.

[seetz]

you know, they actually got cheaper. Chevy dual intake, then $38.50. that's $280 in today's dollars (I asked google and that's what she said). thing is, I can buy one for $245, now, from a good parts supplier.

[Bugsy]

Sometimes I wonder if my kids will someday say, "Damn...the old man only paid $300 for those offy's. Can't touch today for under 3 grand"!!!

[Paul]

I'll take the 4x2 three bolt carb adapter for the 4-71 blower #10-443 for $26.00 plus shipping please

[C-1-PW]

By comparison to today's engines, the engines of the 30's through the 60's were easier to hop up. Not only were the parts available, but kids didn't think twice about tearing into their engines. For the common guy, there isn't much you can do to a new engine exept add a fat muffler. . . .But why would anyone even do that when the factory systems are really quite good?

[OoltewahSpeedShop]

The 4X2 flathead intakes were less than $50...! They are Holy Grail now. I used to go to Honest Charlie's as a kid with my dad, total candy shop for Hot Rod guys.

Kevin
Ooltewah Speed Shop

[eugene vik]

i bought one of the weld on kits for a 6 cyl manifold see that they were $5. something, finally sold it to a bud after nam and welded it to a GMC truck intake and it worked good

back then mechanic wages were $1.45 a hr in 1965 for me

[von Dyck]

1959 dollars are not 2009 dollars. The only way to figure equivalency is to compare how many hours a carguy has to work at a paying job to be able to buy the part he wants.
1959 Crate Engines? Most guys had a machine shop do the precision machine work, took the parts home and assembled their own engines. Heck, even the local service station mechanic could grind valves and seats and 'clean up' a set of brake drums for you. Of course, some mechanics did better work than others. Nowadays this is all sent out to specialty shops or purchased brand new from a middle-man emporium half way between the west Pacific Rim and your doorstep.