I've got a ZZ4 in an '85 Firebird with the stock hood. I'm doing the hot cam kit and was trying to decide on a different intake. Thinking of going with the performer air gap but not shure if it will fit. I just cant seem to find the specs for the stock ZZ4 intake to check clearances.
Anyone out there running an air gap under a stock hood? If so is it the Performer or RPM version.
Thanks.

 

A while back a member posted pictures of the ZZ4 intake beside an Edelbrock Performer intake. Being in denial, I tried to find differences between them ("That step in the plenum looks different on the Performer"), but the truth is, the ZZ4 is made by Edelbrock for Chevy, it just has a bowtie cast into it instead of "Edelbrock Performer". It's a Performer intake.

The Air Gap is a Performer intake with space between the runners and the oil in the lifter valley. If you look on Edelbrock's website, they give the height dimensions for the various manifolds. As installed, the carb on a Performer Air Gap will be in the exact same place as it is on your current manifold. The Air Gap doesn't have EGR or crossover passages, so you'll give up that function (if you need it) and the slight cold-operating benefit of the early fuel evap system.

Now, if you really want to upgrade the intake to match the Hot Cam, move up to a Performer RPM. You don't indicate what carb you're running, I'll assume it's the stock q-jet. In which case, you'll want the spreadbore version of the Performer RPM, which doesn't have EGR and isn't available in an Air Gap version. But, it will be a better match for the Hot Cam than either the ZZ4 intake you're running now, or the Performer Air Gap you indicated you are considering.

 

I kind of thought the Edelbrock Performer was basically the same height as the stock ZZ4 one but I just haven't been able to find anywhere it actually tells the specs on the intake?? I even tried calling Summit and their tech couldn't find any info on the GMPP intake. Edelbrocks website does tell the specs for theirs though.
Performer: A=front, B=back
A- 3.5", B- 4.6"
Performer Air Gap
A-3.72", B- 4.92"
RPM Air Gap
A-4.2", B-5.25"
I was actually leaning toward the RPM Air Gap I just dont want to chnge the hood and I dont think it will clear the stocker. Is anyone running an RPM Air Gap unerder their stock hood?
As for the emisions-none. So no need for EGR stuff.
Carb is a Barry Grant Speed Demon, Its got a choke but living in Florida and not really driving the car all that much I just dont use it, so the negs. of the cold weather aren't really an issue. Oh yea, I'm running a K&N dropbase 14x3 aircleaner.

 

Many members are running an RPM intake (note it doesn't matter if Air Gap or not, they're the same height at the carb base) with Holley or Demon carb and a drop base air cleaner with a stock hood.

Again, ZZ4 (GMPP spreadbore) intake is a Performer.