Custom cast aluminium intake plenum.
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320
Likes: 5
From: Nottingham, Notts, England, UK
Custom cast aluminium intake plenum. I'm curious as to the demand out there in LS1 land for a versatile product like mine. I've got something very flexible waiting in the wings. It's mostly done but before it's finished I need to know what you want. I offer a split plenum design or a single large plenum design, both will accept a forward throttle arrangement (your choice of throttle) or a supercharger on top. My plenum casting has a detachable top lid allowing access for modifications. I can even fit internal carbon fibre trumpets or aluminium items if you want longer tracts. What I'd like to know is what you would like? Runner lengths that you need etc. I could make this to individual order. Suggestions/opinions needed as it's happening now 
Then I can make the final mods to the patterns so we're all happy!
Then I can make the final mods to the patterns so we're all happy! 
D(irecto)r Pepper
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,952
Likes: 0
From: Houston Raceway Park...in TEXAS.
Re: Custom cast aluminium intake plenum. Hello, let's get right down to brass tacks.
The pioneers have had this debate so many times, i can help you prevent a
lot of heartache for you. So please listen.
one: people want performance
two: people want low cost.
If you do, do this please consider two options. One that will have a lot of
options (runner length adj, trumpets, more bosses undrilled for nitrous,
etc.) and another that you could offer that will be as low cost as possible.
Cost is what will kill this... many folks have tried to come out with the
intake to tap into this motors large and growing following. But they did not
have reputable folks to test it and they could not make people beleive they
were getting a fair amount of performance for their dollar.
Anything over 550 will not sale. That i can assure you. If you had one less
than 400 you would not be able to stock it.
Throttle: a normal TB opening will work on most 346's and even most bigger
cubes but the biggest boys will need a larger opening.
Yuo should market the intake to the big cube crowd...and the high revving
346's.
Being able to mod it would be nice. But most folks will be wanting it to be
pretty much ready to go right out of the box.
The heads/cam crowd is where you can make the most sales.
The pioneers have had this debate so many times, i can help you prevent a
lot of heartache for you. So please listen.
one: people want performance
two: people want low cost.
If you do, do this please consider two options. One that will have a lot of
options (runner length adj, trumpets, more bosses undrilled for nitrous,
etc.) and another that you could offer that will be as low cost as possible.
Cost is what will kill this... many folks have tried to come out with the
intake to tap into this motors large and growing following. But they did not
have reputable folks to test it and they could not make people beleive they
were getting a fair amount of performance for their dollar.
Anything over 550 will not sale. That i can assure you. If you had one less
than 400 you would not be able to stock it.
Throttle: a normal TB opening will work on most 346's and even most bigger
cubes but the biggest boys will need a larger opening.
Yuo should market the intake to the big cube crowd...and the high revving
346's.
Being able to mod it would be nice. But most folks will be wanting it to be
pretty much ready to go right out of the box.
The heads/cam crowd is where you can make the most sales.
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320
Likes: 5
From: Nottingham, Notts, England, UK
Re: Custom cast aluminium intake plenum. Thanks guys. Versatility can be achieved with a basic casting. I've already done flanges so onto those I can graft pretty much anything. Fancy detachable intake runners will increase cost so it's best to determine a good length early on. I could offer long aluminium runners that bolt inside. These could be shortened for experimantations sake. As for detachable lids and superchargers or dare I say it even carbs on top, the idea here is to offer something for guys with retro installs where the hood isn't an issue. I'll talk about this in a few months when I'm further down the road.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,695
Likes: 9
From: Raleigh, NC
Re: Custom cast aluminium intake plenum. Just to let you know there is a "push" right now for new intakes. FAST has a composite intake manifold that will be on the market within a few months. There are a few other prooven sheetmetal intakes that have been fabricated but they never flew because of their high cost. Spend some time researching the competition before you invest $$$$ in R&D.
D(irecto)r Pepper
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,952
Likes: 0
From: Houston Raceway Park...in TEXAS.
Re: Custom cast aluminium intake plenum. I have tried out two different metal LS1 intakes for two different sources.
Neither has shown much gain at all on a heads/cam LS1.
Though not enough time/tuning was given either of them... because of out side constraints.
My views? Runners should be shortened and some what straightened.... plenum needs to be larger.
Power would RPM would be best from 3500 and up if i had my choice.
Good luck... and really be concerned with cost and performance.
Thats my 2 cents on the matter ... good luck.
Neither has shown much gain at all on a heads/cam LS1.
Though not enough time/tuning was given either of them... because of out side constraints.
My views? Runners should be shortened and some what straightened.... plenum needs to be larger.
Power would RPM would be best from 3500 and up if i had my choice.
Good luck... and really be concerned with cost and performance.
Thats my 2 cents on the matter ... good luck.
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320
Likes: 5
From: Nottingham, Notts, England, UK
Re: Custom cast aluminium intake plenum. Thanks guys, Raughammer. I will make the runners detachable. They will maintain the same section for the full length. This will mean that they can be tested by shortening 1cm at a time to see where the power gets shifted around. They can then be cut to customer's appx requirements. I have a similar plenum on test for a cosworth 24v engine. Thus far its making even torque which is nice for the drive but at the moment we haven't found the power band so the trumpets are being shortened a bit at a time. Being in the UK it's not exactly easy to find an ls1 test car
and I won't release anything until I can predict the results. The flanges as cast allow me to make any manifold configuration so this will be where I predict my market to be. I can't make a manifold for $4-500. The machining costs probably exceed that. There's enough metal for porting and nitrous bosses will be simple to add.
and I won't release anything until I can predict the results. The flanges as cast allow me to make any manifold configuration so this will be where I predict my market to be. I can't make a manifold for $4-500. The machining costs probably exceed that. There's enough metal for porting and nitrous bosses will be simple to add. Trending Topics
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320
Likes: 5
From: Nottingham, Notts, England, UK
Re: Custom cast aluminium intake plenum. Hi John, yes I could. Remember me buying the vette alt bracket a few years ago? Smart move me switching to the ls1 or what? Gotta join em if you can't beat them!
Re: Custom cast aluminium intake plenum. I've personally tested several preliminary mock-up intakes on my car, along with a couple different size throttle bodies. I'm not at liberty to disclose a lot of the results nor state who the firm developing them is, but I will say they were able to very inexpensively find on avg. 16 lb.ft. of torque across the board over an LS6 on my mild heads/cam setup. The runs were made back to back, with no more than about 20 minutes between pulls. ie. run dyno pull, shut off car, swap components, dyno again. So, there's power to be had by going to a better intake and I'm very anxious to see them start hitting the market
Launching!
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
From: Florida
Re: Custom cast aluminium intake plenum. SO are these intakes going to be worth waiting for? over a FAST unit at $800-1000? I will be running it on a 370ci or 409. I haven't followed alternate intakes much.
Darrell
Darrell
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320
Likes: 5
From: Nottingham, Notts, England, UK
Re: Custom cast aluminium intake plenum. Well, I think so. I'm aiming to make something thats very adjustable. It can be single or split plenum design, accept packers, take single or twin throttles, accept different runners (either crossover or short & stubby), it will have a detachable bolt down lid. So it could be supplied part or fully finished allowing the buyer to mount his own throttles or even put a s/c or holley on top. It will be more expensive then FAST and for a different market. I think it's going to appeal to retrofit or race applications. It will still be low. The centre section is being developed now, the prototype flanges are machined and finished. They accept stock rails and injector positions. I could even offer a flange kit for sidedraughts (webbers).
Re: Custom cast aluminium intake plenum. You say that the trumpets will be able to be shortened, but what about having a full radius on the trumpet? I know this will add some cost, but I would not want trumpets without a full radius on the end.
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 320
Likes: 5
From: Nottingham, Notts, England, UK
Re: Custom cast aluminium intake plenum. Hello Derek, the aim is quality not quantity so yes, the price will go up to cover all the 'extras'. I am initially planning on carbon fibre trumpets with a constant cross section along the length. Then I can press a radiused section (of modest length) onto the open end. So if the runners get shortened it can be reused. I'm not great with carbon fibre but will get that done elsewhere if need be. I'm also aiming for some strength with this product so it can take plenty of boost without flexing. It uses the stock intake manifold seals as well which are good. It will look good as well!
