Well my biggest fear rebuilding the 440 was realized when I went to shut the hood. 72 challenger with a shaker. For the rebuild I went with Edelbrock 60925 cylinder heads. Edelbrock performer rpm intake. With a Holley Sniper on top. Somewhere in the design I screwed up in my measurements. So I’m left with a bad ass 512 stroker motor and a shaker hood that won’t close around the actual shaker. Curious if anyone has encountered a similar issue and has any suggestions on ways to remedy this. I really don’t want to eliminate the shaker or buy a new hood if at all possible.
Shaker Hood won’t close
- Thread starter Tech85
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1972 AAR Cuda
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How close are you from closing? Obviously the carb needs to go down or the shaker needs to go up, which means you would have to change the intake (or possibly carb) or modify the shaker.
If you measure the height of the gasket surface from the shaker itself (maybe valve cover) with the hood open, then remove the shaker and close the hood to measure to the bottom of the gasket surface to the valve cover, it will give you an idea how far off you are.
If you measure the height of the gasket surface from the shaker itself (maybe valve cover) with the hood open, then remove the shaker and close the hood to measure to the bottom of the gasket surface to the valve cover, it will give you an idea how far off you are.
Chryco Psycho
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Accufab makes a 1200 CFM T body that is under 2" rtall
I’m 1.25” off. Originally the car had a 750 Holley with a 1/2” riser. The performer intake was the shortest I could find only a 1” taller than a stock manifold. My dumbass thinking was that I could remove the 1/2” riser and there was just enough clearance to make up the difference. Evidently not. I really like the Holley Sniper on it. It’s running great. It’s a very expensive system and I really don’t like the idea of converting back to a carburetor. It seems modifying the shaker baseplate or putting the stock intake manifold back on may be the best solution.
6PKRTSE
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Anything can be modified and made to fit with some work. I made my Shaker fit on a high rise dual 1050 Dominator tunnel ram intake with two Nitrous fogger systems. I had to stretch the hood opening 3" longer, the base and bubble 3" longer, raise the scoop 4-1/2" taller and opened up the nostrils 2-1/2" taller. Most don't like it. Saying it is too much. I love how it turned out.
Steve340
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For the Shaker to work as intended the intake manifold must be close to stock height and carb location.
The Performer RPM is probably the main culprit.
The Performer RPM is probably the main culprit.
My apologies my intake is the Performer intake not the Performer RPM. I agree that’s probably the culprit. Do you know of a aftermarket intake that is stock height? I still have the original intake but I’m scared it will choke the motor down.
Steve340
Well-Known Member
That 1 inch up is going to mean you may have to come up with a way to modify the Shaker base to "drop" down.
The stock manifold will choke the engine. No I do not think you will find a performance manifold that is low enough. The way the manufacturer makes it a "performance" manifold is to raise the carb mounting flange.
On my car with the 340 motor I leave the rubber hood sealing gasket off. Does that help????
From playing around with my car I realised you cannot lift that Shaker much before it starts to interfere with the hood.
The stock manifold will choke the engine. No I do not think you will find a performance manifold that is low enough. The way the manufacturer makes it a "performance" manifold is to raise the carb mounting flange.
On my car with the 340 motor I leave the rubber hood sealing gasket off. Does that help????
From playing around with my car I realised you cannot lift that Shaker much before it starts to interfere with the hood.
Nice work! That looks pretty mean.
mopar jack
Active Member
Not hard to modify the base plate if you have one to sacrifice. I cut the center out of this 383 base plate and tacked in a 440 center plate to lower it for a 440 install. I have this one listed for sale on this site.
Thanks all,
After measuring it up I was closer than I thought. A angle grinder and a cutting wheel and the hood will close. I took the base plate out. Drove out the studs, cut the bottom lip off trimmed the edges and mounted it from the top instead of the bottom.
After measuring it up I was closer than I thought. A angle grinder and a cutting wheel and the hood will close. I took the base plate out. Drove out the studs, cut the bottom lip off trimmed the edges and mounted it from the top instead of the bottom.
6PKRTSE
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Looks good.
rklein71
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Having it tighter to the hood actually looks better. The factory fit was pretty bad in my opinion.
pschlosser
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I did some research, and the Holley Sniper (a 4160 variety) and the factory Carter AVS carburetor are nearly the same height, flange to air horn. I measure maybe a 1/8-inch difference.
If you're set on keeping the intake (again, presuming it's the source of the height problem) then modify a four barrel shaker base plate to fit. Use the one you got, unless its an OEM one, I'd keep that one, and mod a repop.
If you're set on keeping the intake (again, presuming it's the source of the height problem) then modify a four barrel shaker base plate to fit. Use the one you got, unless its an OEM one, I'd keep that one, and mod a repop.
Xcudame
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The Holley Street Dominator intake is very close to stock height and actually works well for an old design single plane.
Steve340
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If the Shaker is to close to the hood it may touch when you get on the gas and the engines torques over.
Xcudame
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Good point Steve340! Definitely want to run a torque strap (limiter) on the driver's side engine mount!
Torque strap installed. After modifying the base plate I have about 3/4” before touching the hood.
MoparCarGuy
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The easiest and least expensive method is to modify a repro single-4BBL baseplate by adding a drop-base aircleaner baseplate to it.
Many have done this before. My Cuda has a 500 Big-Block with Sniper Stealth EFI and a Performer RPM intake. A pleated 14" air cleaner lid will aid airflow as well.
The bolts with the large, very-flat heads around the drop-base are called "elevator bolts". Lowe's has a selection of these in their bolt/fastener aisle.
More info here: Details on Drop-Base Shaker Modifications
Many have done this before. My Cuda has a 500 Big-Block with Sniper Stealth EFI and a Performer RPM intake. A pleated 14" air cleaner lid will aid airflow as well.
The bolts with the large, very-flat heads around the drop-base are called "elevator bolts". Lowe's has a selection of these in their bolt/fastener aisle.
More info here: Details on Drop-Base Shaker Modifications
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