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$1500 for an engine decoration?

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Old December 3rd, 2020, 09:16 AM
  #1  
Stock cars are too boring
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$1500 for an engine decoration?

I'll start off that I think this is cool as ***** even if it's 100% just for show. But can anyone justify spending $1500 for essentially an air filter cover? If it were $500, I could totally see myself getting it.

http://www.alsblowers.com/streetinduction.html

I'm thinking of trying to make one myself/help of a machine shop for significantly cheaper. If I'm successful, would anyone be interested?

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Old December 3rd, 2020, 09:47 AM
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Right up there with the fake 6-71s that fit over the carb. The term "poser" comes to mind...
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Old December 3rd, 2020, 10:00 AM
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Velocity stacks?
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Old December 3rd, 2020, 10:02 AM
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Originally Posted by Olds64
Velocity stacks?
http://www.alsblowers.com/streetinduction.html
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Old December 3rd, 2020, 10:10 AM
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Originally Posted by joe_padavano
Right up there with the fake 6-71s that fit over the carb. The term "poser" comes to mind...
Havent found a fake one that does that. If it's cheap, I don't mind -different strokes kinda thing. I just can't see spending that much when it's almost the same price for FI.
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Old December 3rd, 2020, 10:15 AM
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Originally Posted by Coastie
Havent found a fake one that does that. If it's cheap, I don't mind -different strokes kinda thing. I just can't see spending that much when it's almost the same price for FI.
These were popular in the 1970s. Skim through any of the Car Craft Street Freaks issues from that period. At the time, it involved taking a real 6-71 housing, machining out the inside for sufficient volume, and adapting it over a carb intake with a fake drive belt. Alternately, there were versions where the empty 6-71 housing had tubes put into it like a tunnel ram and the carb went on top.
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Old December 3rd, 2020, 11:29 AM
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I agree - POSER
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Old December 3rd, 2020, 12:19 PM
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What if I made it into a functioning air breather with velocity stacks? Suck the air in through the pipes, through a filter, and then down into the carb?
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Old December 3rd, 2020, 12:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Coastie
What if I made it into a functioning air breather with velocity stacks? Suck the air in through the pipes, through a filter, and then down into the carb?
To do what? The whole point of using stacks like that is that they are tuned to the proper length to maximize volumetric efficiency at the desired RPM range. That only works if the entire inlet tract (from stack opening to the intake valve) is considered in the tuning. Simply running tubes into the air horn of a carb is worthless - possibly even less than worthless if flow disruptions cause the carb to meter incorrectly.
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Old December 3rd, 2020, 12:42 PM
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Originally Posted by joe_padavano
To do what? The whole point of using stacks like that is that they are tuned to the proper length to maximize volumetric efficiency at the desired RPM range. That only works if the entire inlet tract (from stack opening to the intake valve) is considered in the tuning. Simply running tubes into the air horn of a carb is worthless - possibly even less than worthless if flow disruptions cause the carb to meter incorrectly.
Would it not be similar to just having a somewhat functioning air scoop? You're drawing in cooler air from outside the engine bay down into the carb. Not saying it would be as efficient as a proper velocity stack setup like it's trying to imitate, but surely it would draw in more air than say a stock style air box.
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Old December 3rd, 2020, 12:54 PM
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The turbulence that comes from that setup will outweigh any performance benefit of a cold air intake. And let's be honest here. The center of the hood is a LOW pressure area. You actually hurt flow by having the inlet there. There's a reason why Olds used scoops under the front bumper or at the very front of the hood. Most musclecar-era scoops are also less than worthless. You're grasping at straws here to justify a really bogus piece. The only people it will impress are the ones who weren't worth the effort in the first place. What I can't believe is that Don Garlits put his name on it.
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Old December 3rd, 2020, 01:01 PM
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It is pretty impressive looking, not so out-of-line pricewise when you consider other bolt ons like custom rims, air bags, hydraulic kits.
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Old December 3rd, 2020, 01:02 PM
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Originally Posted by joe_padavano
The turbulence that comes from that setup will outweigh any performance benefit of a cold air intake. And let's be honest here. The center of the hood is a LOW pressure area. You actually hurt flow by having the inlet there. There's a reason why Olds used scoops under the front bumper or at the very front of the hood. Most musclecar-era scoops are also less than worthless. You're grasping at straws here to justify a really bogus piece. The only people it will impress are the ones who weren't worth the effort in the first place. What I can't believe is that Don Garlits put his name on it.
Not not really grasping at straws here, just thinking about making an interesting dress-up piece for significantly cheaper.
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Old December 3rd, 2020, 01:13 PM
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This idea has been around for a while. It hasn't gotten any less bogus.






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Old December 3rd, 2020, 01:17 PM
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Old December 4th, 2020, 04:55 AM
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LoL.
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Old December 4th, 2020, 05:27 AM
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Originally Posted by cherokeepeople
Joe is the guy on the far left...
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Old December 4th, 2020, 05:28 AM
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Originally Posted by oldcutlass
Joe is the guy on the far left...
That's right. It's called a management position.
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Old December 4th, 2020, 07:52 AM
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Coastie, if you like the look go for it! We all have differing tastes and ideas. It kinda goes along with the old style gasser look!
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Old December 4th, 2020, 07:58 AM
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Originally Posted by 67OAI
Coastie, if you like the look go for it! We all have differing tastes and ideas. It kinda goes along with the old style gasser look!
Oh I plan on it lol. Joe actually saved me a lot of time and effort with those pics be sent. Unfortunately the ones with the vertical stacks are pretty much discontinued, but I was able to get dimensions and a good idea of the design from the maker.
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Old December 4th, 2020, 01:44 PM
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I love it when Joe hates something this much. This was an entertaining thread.
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Old December 4th, 2020, 01:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Weezer
I love it when Joe hates something this much. This was an entertaining thread.
While you're at it, add W36 stripes to the car.
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Old December 4th, 2020, 02:00 PM
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Originally Posted by joe_padavano
While you're at it, add W36 stripes to the car.
Well, it is Friday, I didn't want to be the guy that completely ruined your weekend by mentioning the stripes.
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Old December 4th, 2020, 05:44 PM
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Originally Posted by joe_padavano
While you're at it, add W36 stripes to the car.
How about the 442 stripe?

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Old December 4th, 2020, 07:22 PM
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Follow your heart, invest the dollars into what brings YOU joy!! (And save the timeless good stuff for us lame, purists!!)😁
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Old December 10th, 2020, 01:47 PM
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UPDATE: I found one (pic) for sale on facebook for $200! Which is a major save because the manufacturer only has 2 left with super short stacks for $450. Especially after I spent a week working with a machine shop designing a less fancy one and getting quoted $1300!
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Old December 10th, 2020, 01:58 PM
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I saw that on facebook the other day.
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Old December 10th, 2020, 10:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Weezer
...This was an entertaining thread.
Was? Are you implying that the fun stops here?
hy not go all the way and get a phony supercharger. I had to live through the days when girls in junior high would wear falsies and Disco Ducks would hit the dance floor, wearing fake sausages in their shorts

https://dragfx.blogspot.com/2013/04/...ood-scoop.html

This is the ultimate app that will transform your ordinary 4 cylinder car in to a Bigblock V8, Drag FX is a real time RPM gauge that also plays music & your V8 Sound...




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Old December 12th, 2020, 11:39 PM
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That would be a great gag worth buying, just for the sound effects. Not installing the decorative hood ornament, speakers could get mounted somewhere in the fenderwells, where spectators couldn't see where the sound's coming from. Installing one in some tiny Rice-Burner would turn heads in town, from urban stoplights. Catch it all on video, you could get Youtube to pay for the gadget, just in royalties.
What you don't want is to choose a Toyota Prius or any other vehicle using a CVT transmission, though
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