I don't know if I'am going to open a can of worms, concerns and questions but here it goes. I was searching online for a Ford manifold , inline 6 flathead 226, 2x1 Carburetor set up. So then I ran into a ebay listing of a homemade one that had ended. I need some insight (feedback) on this, will it actually worked out in regards its homemade and not Edmunds? by the way It looks like it was not sold, listed price at $99. Description detail on items: "You are bidding on a homemade dual carburetor intake manifold for 1941-51 Ford 226 and 254 cubic inch inline 6 cylinder engines. The manifold has had two cast iron risers added to it, and an aluminum blockoff plate covers the original carb mount. It's not an Edmunds, but then it's not $600.00, either. Happy bidding!" this is the link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/HOT-ROD-FOR...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
Two things come to mind, both quotes: Fred: " That things rougher than a night in jail" Pop: " That welding looks like somebody smeared it on there with a pine top and a bucket of shit".
Looks like somebody did the best they could with what they had...either that or Stevie Wonder did it, in that case not bad.. Should have been preheated and welded with nickel rods.
They were sold as a kit from places like Honest Chuck, Almquist, and JC Whitney. The best ones were done by making the holes in the manifold just slightly undersized and the flange/tube pressed in. The first manifold I ever had was done like this for my 270 GMC my dad helped me put in a 49 Chev pickup in HS. He had a machine shop and did the first hole on the mill while I watched, then he let me do the second one. We did not block off the center. We arched the bottom of the tubes to match the manifold so they flowed better. He had me go to the local ice company to get dry ice to freeze the bought tubes before we pressed them in. I don't think we ever tacked or welded them and they never leaked. I lost him when I was 19 before I got a chance to learn what he knew, but what I did is still with me today...
Speaking of Ford 6s. Our roadster started hot rod life about 1950. Pat Ganahl sent me these photos. Any one know the make of the intake and exhaust?
No reason that wont work. Just clean around the welds carefully and check for air leaks,repair as needed.If it was me I would use 3 carbs.
Seen the same thing with the 216-261 AND 194-292 families of Chevrolet six cylinder engines. Nothing that looked that "bad" however. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
If he had left it rusty and dirty, and said he'd found it in an old barn, he could have asked $1,000 and called it "Ol' Skool".
The way some of the weld beads extend out pretty far at random makes me think the "welder" was chasing cracks. So grinding for beautification might uncover some problems.
If your going to use "Black Iron " pipe fittings why not use drill and tap the manifold screw steel pipe fitting into the manifold , reducer screwed onto nipple and weld flange onto upper nipple and screw it together ? Just my 2cents on the view
If you blow up the pics and look where the steel flange is welded to the steel pipes, the welding is just as bad and in excess. I don't think it's anymore than what a friend of mine always says , "if you can't weld good, weld lots".
A friend wanted to do a similar thing to his 235 Chevy 6. Black pipe was whet we used, welded to flanges I cut on the band saw. Bored 2 holes in the manifold, ground the pipes to snug fit, and used machinists' aluminum epoxy to seal them. (intake just gets hot enough to 'prolong a mild cure' of the epoxy) Looked every bit as sanitary as a Crower U-Fab kit! (remember those?) Also did similar on a '31 Plymouth P-A 4 banger, plugged the center and ran 2 Ford '6' singles with the glass bowls. Looked and 'acted' real cool...
I have one for a chevy six, and it looks every bit as rough...maybe worse. I just bought it for the carbs.