I sometimes see intake manifolds listed for Small Block Chevy motors and they seem to list they fit from 283 to 400. Did you simply leave out the 265s due to the fact that they are so uncommon or is there something with the stock lifter valley, like oil baffles or oil fills or bolt patterns, brackets for accessories, small port design etc that differ and would need to be modified to fit say a Weiand WCV327 or an Edelbrock C 26. I know a good deal about SBC engines, but am not a know it all and do not have any experience with a 265. I appreciate the insight. Regards, Tim
I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that 1955-1986 sbc's will take the same intake manifold. In other words, I've never seen a 265 only manifold, other than someone saying it came off a 265 for restoration purposes.
1955 Chevrolet had a mechanical temperature guage.The V-8 intake manifold made provisions for the caplllary tube on the left rear side of the manifold.
that is what I have always figured, known, assumed it to be - all sbc are the same, until 87 when the bolt pattern changed on the four center bolts of intake where they meet the heads - I did see in a google search some people say they are different due to port size issues, possible vacuum leaks due to head ports being much smaller than say the intake ports of a WCV327, a C4B or other vintage intake, perhaps this is a fable, it is news to me if this is the case thanks for posting!
Yeah, I could see some constriction issues especially with 265 heads. But I think it will work. I also just remembered a story my grandpa tells: back in 59-60 He saved up money to buy a 283 for his 37 chevy. He worked for a dealer and was able to get a 2x4 and FI unit that were on 283's. The motor he bought ended up being a 265, but he interchanged the dual 4's and the fuelie to make it a screamer. He says 90mph in second gear @ 7k rpm... Anyway, if those 283 intakes will bolt on a 265, probably good to go up to 86.
I love hearing stories like that, I wish I was there to have experienced some of them! Yeah I am betting with correct gaskets, later intakes should go on and work without a problem.
265s ( as well as a lot of 283s) had small ports compaired to say a high performance 350. So your problem with a lot of aftermarket intakes is that the runners will be larger then the ports. I can see that as a draw back to a modern intake.
There's enough 265 and 283 manifolds laying around that you don't need to use some large port manifold that the size difference would only hurt performance on a motor with 265 small port head anyway
I had an intake for sale, which is what prompted me to post, I think they wanted it for looks more than sheer performance, that is when I got wondering about port configuration, great posts by everyone, good info
The 265's used a road draft tube for crankcase ventilation with a baffle can on the bottom of the intake manifold in the lifter valley. If you use a later intake you have to use a PCV valve and plug the draft tube hole in the block behind the intake manifold. Easy to do.
yeah I remember seeing those, I am betting that is maybe why sometimes the 265s get left out in manifold listings, little quirks that make it so it isn't a 'direct fit'
Some early Chevy intakes have the oil fill tube slanted to the passenger side instead of drivers that would interfere with a 55s oil filter.
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