Ebay link

Drew was looking for one of these. Has anyone tried to cast one of these?

Why would someone want to cast one? I see almost as many of these exhaust manifolds for sale as I see USED Fenton header sets for sale.
I know a fellow who has built several Corvettes from that era and he never used the stock exhaust manifolds because he could buy two sets of Fenton headers for the cost of a Corvette exhaust manifold. The Fenton cast iron headers do a better much job of moving the exhaust out of the head then a Corvette exhaust manifold.
Just as a side note, he would also put 261's in his built Corvettes to get a few more extra cubic inches.
I guess the thought was that every little bit helps.
Joe

Hey Joe:

May I ask who this Corvette guy is? Does he have a commercial shop, or have a website? I would love to put a set of stock Corvette triple carbs with intake manifold, , stock air cleaners, etc.on my '57 Bel Air 235.

I think the 261 idea is a neat one.

Regards,

Bryan

Bryan -
This was several years back, but I still see him. I'll check and see if he has anything left.
There was a Corvette exhaust manifold on eBay last week. It was listed out of Paris, Texas. Ended up going for $640.00. Those things are still pricey.
Joe

Re: " The Fenton cast iron headers do a better much job of moving the exhaust out of the head then a Corvette exhaust manifold."

Haven't tested, but visually the Vette looks pretty good. Is there something I can't see in the Fenton that's better (exit ID, discharge angle, etc.)?

Suppoesedly the Nicsons do better than either of those (but I haven't got any of the above, so I have to rely on what I'm told).

Her is a webshots link to some pics of Corvette manifold if you want to have a look at it. http://rides.webshots.com/album/556570834bxMHYE

To my knowledge Nicson didn't make an exhaust for a Chev, and Fenton didn't make an exhaust for a GMC (I bought Patrick's first Fenton set that he shifted the cores back in the '80's). The Corvette has GM's expensive engineering behind them, unfortunatly you can't go to your local Chevy dealer and buy a set for $19.95 anymore, but, the old standby Fentons, and the Russell's (?) made in Oregon work great.

As they say: Just my $.02

Tim

I think NIXSON did make a CHEVY HEADER and I think there a picture of it in CALIFORNIA BILLS BOOK. if i'm not misstaken 12 PORT CHARLIE BAKER, MADE A PATTERN AND RECAST A FEW AND SOLD???? THE PATTERN TO SOMEONE OUT WEST. I have a NIXSON alum. head-valve cover-long sideplate&2-1 intake. So if anyone knows who has the pattern now I would be interested. Thanks ,1OL REDNECK IF THERES ANY ????? PM me if you want

Well I can't find a picture in FISHERs or HUNTINGTONs book but I have seen pictures and seen the 1 Charlie had and they were very simular in appearance to VETTE manifold. I OL REDNECK

Just thinking out loud here....I would think that if Bill Fisher, for one, suggested the use of headers over the stock exhaust manifold, than it stands to reason that the headers would give you better performance.
As far as two piece headers go, I know there were Fentons, Clarks, Belonds (Clarks and Belonds looked the same) and Douglass. I have a set of Belonds and I have seen Nicsons for the Chevrolet inline six engine. Someone is now reproducing them. At lest one of our members has a pair.
Joe

If my memory is correct [ &usually isn't] is there a company under the name of PHILLIPS? It runs in my mind a name of this nature is who got the patterns from CHARLIE OR WHO HE MADE THEM FOR. pLEASE UNDERSTAND i COULD BE 100% wrong!!!! 1 OL REDNECK I.I. #113

In '65 my driver was a '40 Chevy pickup with a 261 and Corvette intake and exhaust. I thought it was a cool set up. I just didn't know how cool at the time!

Can't we all relate to that! My first car was a 1948 chevy. convert. Bought in 1961 -sold in 1972. DA-N FOOL! 1 OL REDNECK I.I.#113

The patterns that Charlie had were the original Nicson GMC patterns. Charlie removed the name. Barry Phillips acquired them and put his name on them. They were then sold to Nick Zalian who put NICSON back on the pattern, unfortunately the patterns and castings are tied up in the defunct new Wayne Mfg.Co. fiasco.

Tim

TIM, thank you, Its nice toget imfro. out here. I have been out of loop for a while.Got invigorated by convention being out here. Really appreciate your imfo. Have been wonder what all was tied up in that fiasco. 1 OL REDNECK I.I.#113

Frank Mcgurk conducted nine experiments on squeezing power out of a 261 as documented in Hot Rod Magazine’s May 1955 issue and he used the Corvette exhaust manifold for all but the first (bone stock) test and found no shortcomings I could find. Test number 9 with his triple manifold resulted in the following statement:

“No provision is made in this manifold for exhaust heat to aid in keeping the mixture charge in a gaseous state. As a consequence and, as one might well expect with a “cold” manifold, engine performance and fuel economy are not of the highest order at engine speeds usually encountered in city driving.”

Here’s the article:

http://www.selectric.org/55chevy/soup.html

Just my thoughts about the corvette exhaust manifold. I read the Mcgurk article about 10 years ago and wanted to build my 261 like the street version.

I had a set of fentons on my rebuilt engine (not installed in my 40 chev yet)and ran into a corvette manifold for sale, they are very rare here in southern california. I bought it on the spot.

After installing it I realized how much it hugs the block, doesn't take up as much space as the fenton. Looks very clean.

I installed 2.5" pipes with 27" blue streak glass packs back to the bumper. For a street driver it sounds so good and I have been very happy with this set up. I am going to ceramic coat the manifold this winter.

I have a 3 pot McGurk intake but have not installed it, I have been running a polished offy.

I reccomend the corvette manifold to those who just want to have fun and look a little different from all of the fentons out there.

BH