Can anyone tell me if the stock air filter housing from an 86 305 TPI is capable of supporting 400 hp?
My reason for asking is because the Edelbrock PRM Air Gap on my 350 combined with a dropped base 3 inch open element air filter is too tall and my hood won't close. Rather than buy or modify a hood with a cowl induction scoop, I'd like to adapt the stock twin element air filter housing to the open element base and lid. The 14" by 3" filter could be substituted for a slightly lower filler piece of aluminum ( 1/8" thick ) and a transition piece could be fabricated from the stock flexible hose to the filler.
I don't want to go to this trouble if the stock housing itself is too restrictive. I want too supply the engine with cool air and retain the stock hood.

 

Doesn't look like anyone has any experience with the TPI air filter intake. I'd think that somebody has a 'stock style' induction system that makes some power. That would tell me more or less if the modification makes any sense.
If there's no one with that kind of info, how about a cowl induction hood? I'd like to see something along the lines of a 1st or 2nd gen setup with a seal around the air cleaner base and cold air drawn in from the rear of the hood. I've already got a flat hood with a hole cut in it. It was initially installed so I could get the car on the road. Right now I'm using a factory fibreglass hood from an 82 Z. It offers a little more room underneath. There's minimal contact with the filter housing.
Any help would be appreciated.
Kevin

 

the twin filter housing should work well as long as you can remove some of the baffling but still keep it from sucking water. The only problem I would think about is the 3" opening for the top that attaches to it. I think that would be a bit of a bottleneck.

 

Vincent Z28 just dyno'd 370RWHP with the stock intake but modified at the bottleneck as described above. It was opened up to 3". That works out to 435 crank horsepower.

 

Are there photos available for Vincent Z28's modifications? He is certainly producing the kind of power I am looking for.
I'm hoping with a decent cold air package, a 2800 stall and long tube headers, I could get my car into the mid 13's.

 

I don't know if there are any photos available or not. Anyways he has since gone a 12.41 ET at 112.24 MPH. This is with all the California smog equipment on board and smog legal as he just had his car recertified.

From his latest dyno session power is up to 373RWHP and 411RWTQ.

 

That's certainly impressive. I suppose that answers my question about whether you can make real power with a modified factory air filter housing. I know you said that there a no pictures, however, if there is a chance that a picture becomes available or at least a thorough description of the work involved, it would be appreciated.
In the meantime, I'm going to start the process of combining my open element air filter housing with the factory piece. Then it's back to the track.
Thanks a lot for your help so far.
Kevin
PS I'd like to see the results of the long tube header install. I hear that it can be a real pain. And I've never seen a clean job with catalytics.

 

Hi there. I know it's been a while but I'm still looking for a picture of Vincent Z28 TPI filter housing.
I'm going for a modified housing to allow for the stock hood or it'll be cowl induction.
Thanks