I am considering options for an upcoming engine swap. I want to add dual exhaust to a 235 Chevy I6. I like the look of a split manifold, but I'm concerned it won't flow well enough. I also don't have the ability to weld cast iron so I'd have to find a shop to do it. Of course, I could bolt on Fenton headers and be done with it. but what would be the fun in that? What do you think?
Can't seem to grab the picture but check out this flange. I bought one last year but not sure if I am going to use it since I just picked up the original set of Fentons. Nicely finished piece.
Fenton's will need spacers welded to the cross brace tab or they won't tighten properly. Langdon sells William's and the must have Mini HEI. Also you are going to need to heat the intake somehow. I have a couple old manifolds that I am more then willing to give you if you want to knock yourself out. In fact I have a truckload of old 235 stuff headed for scrap This week . 6 or 700 pounds worth . 50 bucks and you can take what you want and scrap the rest.
Fenton's will need spacers welded to the cross brace tab or they won't tighten properly. Langdon sells William's and the must have Mini HEI. Also you are going to need to heat the intake somehow. I have a couple old manifolds that I am more then willing to give you if you want to knock yourself out. In fact I have a truckload of old 235 stuff headed for scrap This week . 6 or 700 pounds worth . 50 bucks and you can take what you want and scrap the rest.
That sounds like a great deal to me. I already have a couple things on my watch list. Thanks for the offer.
One of the reasons I like the split manifold is that it bolts to the intake and negates the need to plumb water or exhaust lines for heat. A nicely split manifold has an aesthetic that can't be topped by headers IMO. It might be worth trying to split a scrap manifold. If it doesn't work out I can always buy headers.
I agree with TMJ, for the amount of work taking the manifold on and off every time you find a split in the weld,it's well worth the money to buy a set of Fentons!
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Buying selling and trading garage toys and big kid stuff.
I thought I'd give an update on my manifold situation. I picked up some 235 parts including a couple scrap manifolds from Slim this summer. I finally got around to splitting the manifold today. My friend, who is a licensed welder, did the welding. He used high nickel rods that I bought at Praxair. The job took the better part of day. Most of the time was spent waiting on the manifold to cool in a wheel barrel full of sand. We sand casted some boat parts out of aluminium while we waited. I still have lots of work to do to it, but I'm pretty happy with the results. Thanks again for the parts, Slim.
I also got the new motor in the car this week. The motor is a 1954 235 bored .030" over with an Isky cam, solid lifters, hardened seats and a shaved head. I bought it from a guy who's project fell through. It's not much of a hot rod, but she's mine.
54 is a transition year your water pump is good watch for tooth count on the flywheel also the distributor drive gear .early 54 used a forged cam with a narrow drive gear distributer gear will be hardened(hard to mark with a file) late 54 cast cam with wide drive .... cast gear (easily marked) not sure what the Isky is. ..... looking good
Thanks for the kind words. I used the clutch and distributor from a 1960 235. I converted to 12V when I got the car so used the flywheel from the 1960 in my 1951 bell housing and with a 1956 starter. Everything seems to match well. The motor came with a newer style HEI, which I'm sure is better than the distributor and Pertronix that I'm using, but I couldn't take the look of it. The distributor gear appeared to be the same. Both are bigger than the 216 gear.
HI WAYNE : " Back -in-the-Day " , we used to take a thermostat housing ( 216 / 235 ) , turn it upside down and weld it to the side of the cast manifold , exactly where your's is welded . My current 250 runs headers . I had a split-six in 1958/1959 in Woodstock , Ont ---- Holy Crap , Am I THAT OLD !!---- LATER -- DON / Fleet 51
It's funny you say that, Don. I considered using a spare thermostat housing when I noticed how much it looked like my exhaust flange. If I ever do it again I'll try it with the housing.
I grew up in Sydenham. I used to pass through Portland all the time when we were teenagers with nothing to do except drive around. That was 25 years ago.