Fuel System: Lionel Stone Intake Manifold

[64studeavanti]

I have a Lionel Stone aluminum intake manifold that almost, but not quite fits. The best lineup of the bolt holes leaves the passenger side about .070 high at the rear tapering to flush at the front when the driver's side is flush. Can I have a machine shop re plane the passenger side, leaving the rear as it is and taper to the front with the front being about .070 lower? I'm not a machinist so I don't know if this will foul up the driver's side. I posted on the racing Studebaker site as well, so hopefully, some one will be able to help. I found a link to deepnhock polishing one.

[Alan]

Check with Jeff Rice, he is close to you. It will have to be welded and re flycut.

[candbstudebakers]

What gasket are you using? also do you have one of the new Alum. Valley covers ? if so the bottom of the manifold might be hitting it and holding it up a tad, if so grind the valley fin down some it will not show either. been there do that.

[pdrnec]

What Bob said - you can't use the metal intake gaskets with the aluminum manifolds AFAIK - I tried, with an original Stude one, and it leaked like a sieve. Used a composition gasket set, no more problem.

[64studeavanti]

The valley cover is off. I was just placing the manifold directly on the heads to check for fit. The stock manifold fits perfectly, of course.
this problem is virtually identical to the one Nate posted about in 2005. Nate, did you ever get this resolved?

Alan,

the problem that I have with this manifold is that apparently two different jigs were used for the various machining operations, and they are apparently out of sync with each other. The bolt holes are drilled correctly WRT the ports, but if you bolt it down there's gaps at opposite corners of the mating surfaces. I can set it down square on the engine, but then the bolt holes don't line up. I'm sure someone with a milling machine and a handy Stude engine to mock it up on could fix it easily, but I don't have a milling machine :/

Alternately I could just slot the bolt holes and bolt it down, but I'm worried that then there would be a "step" in the wrong direction in the intake ports; the ports of the intake are actually fairly close to gasket matched.

nate

--
55 Commander Starlight
62 Daytona hardtop

http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

[kmac530]

Just to clarify with Alan's comment, he mentioned Jeff Rice, that is "Deepnhock" on this site. The one, and the same.

[Alan]

The first L Stone manifolds were done by a guy named Wally that worked with me at Garrett in the tooling dept. He built the jig that they still use to this day to machine the manifolds. He ran a trade school and had students that did all the work. If they did not blow all the chips out of the fixture, the next manifold would come out caty-wompus. I welded up a number of manifolds for Stone that were rejected by customers.

[64studeavanti]

Thanks for responding. Does that mean it can be fixed by simple machining or it is a lost cause?

[Alan]

It can be fixed. But at what cost? Without the manifold in front of me I can not say if a simple machine operation will do it or not. Shipping it to me in Calif. and back will cost more than what I would charge to weld it up for you, if it needs building up. Best to get with Jeff and see what he says. If he can't do it check back with me.