Thought I'd share my new intake.

Parts list:

2x 90 degree polished aluminum mandrel bends, I got mine at http://www.automotosports.com/diy_tubing.asp
1x 9"x6" k&n Cone filter, don’t suggest this BIG
1x 3 1/4 or 3 1/2" hole saw (I'll sell mine for $10 )
2x 3" to 3" rubber connecter for PVC tubing at your local hardware store
1x 4" to 3" same as above
2x 3" clamps, two extra clamps OR you could get one more 3" to 3" connector
1x 2" long peice of steal or pvc tubing

By the time I had the stuff shipped and all the little odds and ends I have close to $150 in this, and I could still spend easily another $60 in nice silicon connectors/reducer. It should flows better than the stock intake, and it won't be pulling in air at underhood temps.

The 4x3" reducer is WAY too big for the TB, I had to tighten mine done close to a 1/2 in diameter just to get it snug on the TB. I had to cut off 3/4” to 1” off the first mandrel bend going into the TB, but the others I didn’t have to mess with. I cut one 3” to 3” connector in half to make two connectors so it wouldn’t look quite as dorky with a 4” long chunk of rubber between each joint. I used the ones cut in half on the MAF and the whole one below to connect the second mandrel bend to 3” long piece of 3” steal tubing that the air filter is connected to.

I used a 3 1/4" hole saw to drill out a hole for tubing to go through, a 3 1/2" would've fit better i think. Looking back I wish I would’ve placed it differently, but there’s no way I’m going to screw up my car more with a second 3” hole in the sheet metal even if its under the hood.

I wouldn’t suggest buying a 9” long k&n either, I had to cut out one of the fender braces and even then it’s a TIGHT fit between the bottom of the ground effects and bottom of the charcoal can/stock airbox tray. Formula guys wouldn’t have this problem I think.

Sorry a little long winded and vague. Oh and did I mention the bends are awesome quality. This is after a quick clean up with some blue magic polish.

 

That came out looking very nice.......

 

Can I ask why you didn't just use the stock bellows connector at the throttle body?

 

looks sharp man

 

Very Nice!!!!! :hail: :yourock:

 

If I would've had one laying around from a camaro I probably would have. However bellows from the camaros have been known to collapse and restrict flow badly when you get on the gas.

If your talking about one from a bird, yes I could have used one, but with the lt1 intake sits further forward and lower down, making the stock firebird peice get crimped with maybe a 2" center radious on the curve which isn't good for flow.

I was also tempted to move my alternator, reroute my serpt. belt and run a trickflow or vortech lt1 elbow, but it didn't seem to be worth the extra work, not to mention I couldn't see a way to route the belts with the alternator in the AIR pumps spot.

 

Very, very nice!

I need to do basically the same thing but I need it to be a bit larger - like 3.5" or 4"......

Anybody know a good source for mandrel steel/aluminum bends like his but in larger sizes?

TIA

 

Matt87GTA I kept my eyes open for larger bends while I was searching for these bends, but I didn't see anything larger than 3". If you find something let me know, I'll eventually convert to speed density and a larger intake size, but i doubt I will until I build the 407+ ci engine after I get out of college. I'm tempted to do it just for the looks you'd get with a huge 4" intake.


I think a pair of track 1's would look nice ontop of the 400

 

Awesome intake!! i wanna make a custom CAI similar to your setup but im not sure where to drill the hole for the air filter. if you could post a pic or two i would greatly appreciate it. Thanks

 

Wow, I really like that a lot!

Question, I went to the site you posted to find the bends, I could only find polished ones in 2.5", Maybe I'm just blind (been really thinking I am blind lately) but I didn't see them. [EDIT] Yes I am blind... I found them after I looked at it again... DUH!! [/EDIT]

I was planning something just like that, only I had the crazy idea of using PVC for the whole thing, just grinding the elbows as smooth as I could and painting it all black, but I like the aluminum tubing a lot better. I hope to do about the same thing on my car very soon... or atleast as soon as I figure out my current problem.

 

Yeah, I've heard people mention that, but I've never had any trouble with it. As a sugestion you could go to a junk yard and get a few to play with (If you really don't like the fit of your solution) If you worry about the camaro bellows collapsing try making some oval hoops from 3/32" music wire that will fit snugly in the corrigations of the bellows, they won't allow it to collapse. Kind of like the spring GM put in the lower radiator hose to prevent it from collapsing.

 

Here's where I got mine...http://shop.airflowonline.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv

4" aluminized pipe....

 

Oooohhh... very cool! THANKS! They should have what I need from the looks of it .

 

I used to have an open element on mine but I found that the stock air cleaner and a cai made more of a difference. So I used fireproof dryer hose and a modified heater vent for a scoop that forces air right into the engine

 

Pretty nice ingenuity there, 305q_ta86.

The snorkel of the stock air cleaner is somewhat small, though. I bet an L69 air cleaner with that setup would flow an impressive amount of air into the engine if routed correctly. And it would still have functional THERMACs as well.

 

Nate86,
Actually the thermac is the only reason I didnt just get a whole new air cleaner. But that's a good idea, to get an l69. I'll start rummaging. Thanks for the tip.

 

Roostmeyer:
Did you modify the bends at all? The website says they have 12" legs, is that what you used?

 

so nice not having that sensor there....

 

Woah the thread that will not die. I had to cut 3/4" to 1" off of one side of each bend, I can't quite remember which side on the second bend, but the first one was the side going into the throttle body.

:hail: Kandied Z is that 3.5" mandrel bent, cut, welded and coated? If i can't figure out my running problems by this winter I'll change to speed density and see if that helps, but then I'll want to redo this intake Did you use steal bends or aluminum? And is that chromed, coated, or polished aluminum?


Also anyone seen or make an polished aluminum or chrome upper radiator support? It looks easy enough to make and buff out, but I don't have access to a TIG.

Here's a pic of the intake going through the battery tray. I hate to do this stuff... but if the car would ever be restored this would be covered perfectly by the stock intake plate.

 

4", what i had left over from my exhaust, a few bends and straight pipe using a similar connector of your own setup from a hardware store to the tb. just smoothed down the welds so it looked like one piece.