2 x 4 Air Clearner Interference

[The Real McCoy]

I just got a C3AE- 9425-J aluminum 2x4 intake and did an initial mock with the other components. The other components are Quick Fuel carburetors, an original R Code 427 oval air cleaner and a billet Pertronix distributor.  I seem to have a few problems to resolve.....

1.  The Pertronix distributor is quite a bit higher than the Ford distributor so the bottom of the air cleaner hits the distributor cap.  It is going to take at least an 1.5" spacer to let it clear.

2.  The Quick Fuel carburetors throttle plates do not open due to interference with the holes in the manifold, both the primary and secondary plates.  I don't really want to start opening the manifold up as it is a NOS part....  I would expect that I can resolve this with a carb spacer which may be answer for the distributor issue too.

3. The air cleaner base contacts the float adjusting hardware on top of the bowls before the air cleaner flange contacts the carb gasket.  It almost makes it but it definitely is resting on the hardware.  I guess I can double or triple the gaskets if need be.  That would also help out on the distributor issue.  If there is a more elegant solution to this or if anyone knows if the current aftermarket air cleaner bases fit better than the one I would like to hear about it.

My question for this group has anyone been down this road before on a 63 Galaxie and how was it resolved.  I don't have the car here, still in storage, so I can't try to figure out how much spacing can take place before the hood won't close.  My biggest concern is getting the engine update done and installed and not being able to close the hood.  It would really be helpful to know how much spacing can be done before it is over the limit.

[427LX]

This is how I solved a carb base plate clearance issue with the float adjusters.

[The Real McCoy]

Thanks for the reply 427LX.  Looks like you had more interference on the right side than just the float adjusting hardware to contend with.  I doubled up the gasket on mine and that seems to address that part for me.

I did space the carbs up 1.5" which gives me about 3/8" between the air cleaner base and the spark plug wire on the top of the cap.  I could probably drop it down another 1/4" and still be OK.  With the 1.5" spacer and a 2" filter element it measures 11 3/8" from the top cover of the air cleaner to the front gasket surface of the intake (where the intake/block gasket are at the front of the engine),  the rear measures 13 1/4" from the top cover of the air cleaner to the rear gasket surface of the intake.  It looks awfully high when it is sitting there......, anyone know if this will be a problem closing the hood or am I worried for nothing?  Car is in storage 160 miles away so I just don't have access to it right now.  I would appreciate any feedback from others that have similar setups.

[427LX]

Did you use the 4 hole spacers? That's what I'm running on my little 427W.

[The Real McCoy]

I don't have any spacers at this point.  I just put a wood 2 x 4  (1.5" high) on the intake just to raise the carbs up to be able to mock up carbs, air cleaner and the distributor.  I just got the manifold on Tuesday and the engine is close to being assembled.   I will probably install the manifold on to the engine this weekend.  As mentioned the throttle plates are too large on the QF carbs to open on this low riser intake so I was thinking of getting some open spacers.  Maybe the spacers with 4 holes would handle the QF carbs but I would want to be sure about that if order with 4 holes.  Any recommendations on open versus 4 hole spacers?  I looked at the Summit website and they only have 5 different 1.5" spacer priced from $84 to $199 per spacer so they are kind of pricey.  They have about 35 different 2" spacers starting at about $20 on up.  I have a friend that can machine them down for me so I will probably get the 2" and modify as needed. 

Open to recommendations on who makes a good spacer and if there is a real benefit in paying lots of money for some of them or if a mid price range does the job...., the engine is a 428 stroker to 462, Comp 280H cam, 406 heads with some port work, 427 iron headers and is going in a 63 Galaxie.  Pretty much a street cruiser, not a race car.