I have access to a machine shop. I've converted old '86 style intakes to fit to '87-later heads by drilling out the center holes and making 18* wedges out of aluminum for the bolts to fit against.

I haven't seen Vortec heads up close...but if you set an '87-later style intake down on a set of Vortec heads, would the bolt holes line up?

I want to get a set of used Vortec heads but I think that the price of a Vortec carb intake is rediculous...so with my machining skills I figure I could make some 45* wedges so the bolts sit flat.

 

Astro, if you look real close at a picture of a vortec intake you can see the eight bolt holes which are aranged with two bolts on each corner. As far as the intake ports go, they don't line up either. The top of the port can be seen above the top of a stock type intake, even if you could get the ports to seal you would have a very miss aligned setup. I know this isn't the best explanation but I'm tyred, sorry.

Steve

 

the vortec ports are taller than normal. If the intake already has big ports, you might make it work. Like if it was a Performer RPM, but a small port intake like a Performer might give you big problems. I've heard of some intakes being so much shorter than the tall vortec port that if you tried to bolt it on you would see the top of the Vortec port from the outside.

 

V8ASTRO.........

We're thinking alike here.......I was thinking of tigging a fitted plate of alum on top of the ports like the Vortec intake come with and adding the blocks on the 8 bolt hole spots and tigging them on and then drilling them to fit. I would like to try the GM tbi Vortec intake but not for what they want. Can you say bullshet!

Any way with the block of alum welded on top you could make the ports match as you wish.

 

Well, while my example isn't TBI, I think it might help

I have a TPI setup I bought, along with a set of Vortec heads. It came with a base that was machined to fit later 87+heads, but was then also worked on to fit Vortec ports. It has added material on the ports to make them match better. It however doesn't have the bolt holes to match Vortecs. I think the best bet is to have the Vortecs machined for regular manifold bolts (paceparts sells them that way already)

Well, I figure this pic might help alittle. It is alittle blurry, but it's the only one I have right now.

 

I have heard that the modified vortecs made for earlier intakes rob a serious ammount of power. Way too much power to sacrifice for a few $ and doing things the right way. I could understand w/ tpi untill they recently came up with a vortec lower.
Do it right, get the vortec specific intakes

 

Ok. That's what I wanted to know. Thanks for the replies