Performer RPM won't clear a/c bracket

[FinallyGot1]

Dunno if any of you have run into this before so thought I'd share.

So I decided to do a carb & manifold swap on my 383. The car has a/c and I'd like to keep it all intact. I decided to put on an Edelbrock Performer RPM I had lying around. It's a tall dual plane that I've heard good things about and I figured it'd be better down low than the Holley Street Dominator single plane that was on there before. Test data found here: http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/engine/hrdp-0712-mopar-intake-manifold-comparo/

Anyway, I got the manifold set in place, finger-started one bolt on each side to hold it, and tried to set the a/c compressor and bracket in place. That's when I ran into the snag. The a/c bracket (big heavy cast iron thing that bolts on top of both sides of the intake manifold for those of you that don't have it) won't clear the reinforcing webs at the front of the manifold. (Dammit) SO, I can cut & grind my way to success. Then I had a thought (a dangerous pastime, I know): What if I just turn the manifold around and set it down backwards? It fits but the carb pad is tilted the wrong way. Dunno if that'll cause any hood clearance issues or not but it fits. Dunno if this will make it not work as it should either....but it fits.

Now I haven't snugged everything down yet so it's not a done deal. Just thought I'd share what I discovered.
Also, anyone have any suggestions as to which way to go with this?
1) Leave Performer RPM backwards and see what happens.
2) Remove Performer RPM, modify as needed, and reinstall as it was intended to be.
3) Forget it and reinstall the Street Dominator but this time add the TD Swirl Torque spacer I have so the carb will work better and MAYBE improve bottom end output over the same manifold without the spacer.

So there you have it.

 

[Badvert65]

I ran a TM7 'backwards' for a while. It's been so long, I can't remember why. As you see, they fit either way and the engine doesn't really care. You'll only have small issues with the carb (float levels) to contend with. If all you need to do is grind off some webbing, I would just do that. It isn't exactly a 'high stress' part. As long as you don't compromise the port runners, you shouldn't have any issues.

 

[FinallyGot1]

I ran a TM7 'backwards' for a while. It's been so long, I can't remember why. As you see, they fit either way and the engine doesn't really care. You'll only have small issues with the carb (float levels) to contend with. If all you need to do is grind off some webbing, I would just do that. It isn't exactly a 'high stress' part. As long as you don't compromise the port runners, you shouldn't have any issues.

Right on. Thanks for that. A friend has a SawzAll I can use for the cutting. I have an assortment of carbide bits for my Dremel I can use to do some blending so the hack job doesn't look QUITE so amateur-ish when it's all done.
That said, the only real advantage the Street Dominator has at this point is I KNOW it fits as it was on the engine when I bought the car and I could be driving today if I decide to use it. RPM will have to wait until the rain stops later this week as I have no indoor workspace. The engine felt really "soft" down low with the Holley manifold on it. Dunno if my spacer will take care of that or not. Engine just doesn't have enough cam to really use it anyway.

 

[1978 NYB]

I had to grind a little off the intake to make clear the bracket on my 1978 NYB ....no problem.

 

[stubs300]

Been a long while since I did mine. Cut, grind, do whatever? I did with mine till the bracket fit, was kind of a PITA but got it. I don't know about running the manifold backwards but I guess it might work. Good Luck

 

[has2bmopar]

I'm confused..... The what won't fit because of what?

 

[LocuMob]

I'm confused..... The what won't fit because of what?

View attachment 59806

View attachment 59807

He has a B block, and you have an RB block. Not sure of the bracket dimensions of either, but yours clear. Differences in castings between B/RB intakes?

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Modify the intake and the brackets to work. My headers did not play nice with my column shift linkage in my Challenger because its about 1 of about 5 left in the world with the column shift still in place so I made a new(bent it to clear header and T bar), anything to make it work.

 

[has2bmopar]

He has a B block, and you have an RB block. Not sure of the bracket dimensions of either, but yours clear. Differences in castings between B/RB intakes?

This one clears because I cut the web on the intake.

 

[LocuMob]

This one clears because I cut the web on the intake.

Well, there you go.