Carbed intake height - Edelbrock Performer vs Victor Jr

[PaxtonShelby]

For a 302 - Can anyone tell me the height of a carbed Edelbrock Performer intake manifold compared to a Victor Jr carbed intake manifold? I am considering switching to a Victor Jr but first I need to make sure it will clear my hood with my Paxton supercharger bonnet.

I think I'm seeing a 4.12" carb height measurement on the Edelbrock website for the Performer 289 ( my current intake ) and 5.50" carb height for the Victor Jr intake. Does that seem right? Is there really a 1.4" difference between these 2 manifolds?

If anyone has a Victor Jr lying around and could measure the height from the floor to the carb mount surface that would be great. I also might be interested in buying a 302 Victor Jr if anyone has one available?

[PaxtonShelby]

Anyone? I thought a bunch of folks were running these intakes.

[Dan B.]

Anyone? I thought a bunch of folks were running these intakes.

Willing to bet that most on here don't know what a carb intake is!!

[TooFast98Cobra]

Ron , our 65 fastback I put a Vic jr on it and it also has a 3" filter on top . Still clears stock hood . I have a super Vic for sale but it is almost an 1" taller .Also this is on a 8.2 deck

[PaxtonShelby]

Thanks for the info Bill. So you're saying the Super is 1" taller than the regular Vic Jr?. Can you do me a favor and measure the Super from the bottom to the carb mounting surface? I should have my Performer 289 off tomorrow and I plan to measure it and see if the height matches the 4.12" as stated on the Edelbrock website.

I love the old school look of the Paxton carb enclosure - but it does take up a fair amount of vertical real estate under the hood.

[TooFast98Cobra]

Will do. The super is also shorter then a funnel Webb.

[PaxtonShelby]

I'm such an intake newb. I've had the Performer on my motor since 1999. Is that Super a higher-rpm intake than a regular Jr?

[Hawkeye]

3500-8000 for the jr and the super says 4000-8500

[PaxtonShelby]

I won't be seeing 8k, but the 5500 limit of the Performer isn't enough. Do you guys know of an intake for the 2500-7000 range?

[Hawkeye]

ford 260-289-302 v8
torker ii 302 (2500-6500 rpm)

[Hawkeye]

http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive/mc/manifolds/ford/

[PaxtonShelby]

Thanks Hawkeye - I need to do some homework.

[TooFast98Cobra]

Just shoot me a text Ron . I've had all the above intakes at one point . I can lead you the right way

[PaxtonShelby]

You da man Bill! I will buzz you once I do a little homework. My biggest concern is the hood clearance with the Paxton Bonnet.

[Mark Aubele]

Don't use the Torker II. Although I think I would be using a single plane with a blow thru, Victor Jr. would be my choice. Ron, I can go out and measure my Performer 351 compared to my RPM Air Gap, but I can tell you just by looking at them it is a farily substantial difference. Do not have a Victor Jr sitting here.

[TooFast98Cobra]

I agree a dual plane is no good for BT setup

[PaxtonShelby]

Ok - I pulled the rad and the grille tonight and was able to get a really good look at how much clearance I have between the Paxton carb bonnet and the underside of the hood...and let me tell you it isn't much! Maybe a hair over 1/2". So I'm thinking there is no way in hell I'm squeezing a Vic Jr intake in there. I might just be stuck with my Performer 289.

The car already sits crazy low, so I can't use lower motor mounts or my oil pan will be in harm's way. My LT headers are really low also - I will probably replace them with something that doesn't hang quite so low. Maybe a nice set of Tri-Y's or who knows what. Choices seem limited for these early cars. Whatever I choose will have to clear the blow proof bell that will be going in.

At least I'm making some progress. Slow going though...

[Mark Aubele]

Ron, I have my Performer and Performer RPM Air Gap sitting beside each other and the difference in height is massive. Can't imagine the Victor Jr. being much lower if not higher. Although that pile Torker II may be, not sure.

[PaxtonShelby]

Haha - I hear ya Mark. I had a Torker that came with my 1985 donor car, but I sold it 20 years ago. If the Performer is going to cost me a ton of power vs a Vic Jr, maybe I need to consider a blow-thru setup with a carb hat, which might give me a bunch more headroom. That would suck though, as I love the look of the big aluminum Paxton enclosure I have now.

[PaxtonShelby]

Ron, I have my Performer and Performer RPM Air Gap sitting beside each other and the difference in height is massive. Can't imagine the Victor Jr. being much lower if not higher. Although that pile Torker II may be, not sure.

Mark - can you do me a favor and measure the difference between the heights of the carb mounting surface on the Performer and the Performer RPM Air Gap? After reviewing the Edelbrock intakes, if seems the RPM Air Gap might be a good compromise with the 1500-6500 powerband....IF it will clear my hood.

Also - I discovered that I had a 1/2" spacer under my carb...so I can fit an intake that is about 1" taller than my Performer 289. It is going to be close if it does fit....

[gpfarrell]

Ron, I have an ordinary Performer on my car and it pulls hard well beyond 5500 rpms. By 7,000 it's leveling off, but that could be any number of factors... like those pesky catalytic converters. I imagine boost might change the equation a bit, but I think the Performer is good for more RPMs than Edelbrock tells us. Probably not as good as a dedicated high-rpm intake, but it's not like its done at 5700 rpms either.

[PaxtonShelby]

Definitely a good point Greg. My performer 289 did pull past 5500. My concern is with some boost and now with 10% more cubes to feed, maybe the Performer is maxed out. Plus, this motor - while not a race motor - will be more comfortable at 6000 rpms than my old motor. I might like the fact that the Air Gap powerband starts at 1500 rather than off idle - might make it a little easier to hook up instead of blowing the tires off all the time? Decisions decisions...time to order a hydraulic roller cam!!

[gpfarrell]

Oh, I forgot yours is bigger.

[Mark Aubele]

Ron, I have an ordinary Performer on my car and it pulls hard well beyond 5500 rpms. By 7,000 it's leveling off, but that could be any number of factors... like those pesky catalytic converters. I imagine boost might change the equation a bit, but I think the Performer is good for more RPMs than Edelbrock tells us. Probably not as good as a dedicated high-rpm intake, but it's not like its done at 5700 rpms either.

Do you have a dyno sheet to prove that it still makes power to 7000 or does the car just happen to still rev to 7000? Huge difference.

[gpfarrell]

No Dyno Mark, I'm just using my butt.