Hood Clearance Performer RPM on a 383 Question

[bill440rt]

Got a question for you engine guys. I did a search on this topic, many threads on 440's but very little if any on 383's. I am aware there are hood clearance issues with the 440 & RPM intake combo.

A buddy of mine has a '69 Charger, 383-auto, stock intake, Edelbrock carb & their finned air cleaner, and 3:91 gears. It's a relatively mild engine build, street driven not raced.
He wants to swap out the stock intake. He is aware the Performer will bolt right on with no clearance or linkage issues, but is considering the RPM. My thoughts are the RPM might be a better choice given his rear end gear ratio.

Any hood clearance issues on a 383 with the Performer RPM? Would the stock trans kick-down bolt up, or would he need a cable setup from Lokar? Will his air cleaner work, or would he have to get the Ford drop-base unit just for the base?
Or, should he scrap those two & start hunting for a DP4B? 

Thanks, guys! 

[XH29N0G]

I have somewhere between 2.5 and 3 inches between the carb and the hood.  I am using a drop base air cleaner.

Do not know about the linkages - mine is not an automatic.

[johnnycharger]

My aircleaner rubs on my hood pad. I hate it. I can send pics if you would like....

[bill440rt]

Post up! 

[BIGBLCK11]

It will hit without a drop base or other alterations.  I milled 1/2 off the bottom of a 2" finned aluminum oval., where it rides on the carb.  But, I had to add recesses where the float adj. screws are for a Holley.  Prior to that, I had a  2" or 3" drop base that cleared the hood, but hit the coil.  I relocated it to the inner fender well for a vertical mount, but didn't like the big 3" pie pan aftermarket air cleaner and returned it.  I swapped to a 4 speed, but still had to alter the bracket for the throttle, which I think that kick down linkage was connected to as well. The milled setup only rubbed when I broke a motor mount.  I will look for a pic of it.

[myk]

I know this is supposed to be the best intake for our cars, but...what a pain in the ass...

[lasvegas69charg]

Bill, On my 69 charger with a 383 and rpm performer and drop base my lid rubs on the hood insulation. If you need pics pm and I can email or text you some.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Scrap the dp4b. I ran one and hated it. Get the rpm and a drop base. I run a torker on mine. Will get pics of the aircleaner. I ran stock linkage and throttle when i had an auto for a while.

[johnnycharger]

Here you go...

[johnnycharger]

More

[johnnycharger]

Scuffs on aircleaner

[johnnycharger]

I hope these help.

[c00nhunterjoe]

URL=http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/groundhogslayer/media/20140402_202632_zps4rkxnuhb.jpg.html][/URL]


I have a 383, solid motor mounts, torker intake which should be a hair taller then an rpm, 1" spacer, 4777 holley. Im not sure the part number on my base but you can see it sits level with the carb. I run a 2" filter with the k&n lid. I also have about 1" of stud sticking up. It all clears. I have no insulation.

[jdscofield]

I have a 400 with the performer DP RPM intake and a holley 750 double pumper.  I have hood clearance issues.  Hood won't sit flush.  pushes up about an inch.  really pisses me off.

[bill440rt]

Thanks for the replies & pics, guys. Keep them & the replies coming. I'll forward this thread to my friend as well.

Any running the RPM with an Eddy carb? 

Kickdown linkage problem can be solved with a Lokar setup. What about throttle cable routing & bracketry? Will stock work?

Vegas, I'll send you a pm so you can send me pics.
Thx! 

[BIGBLCK11]

The Torker is over an inch shorter according to Edelbrock's site.  But, overall that one would be about the same with the 1" spacer and more so with the extra stud on top.

http://edelbrock.com/automotive/mc/manifolds/chrysler/performer-rpm-bb.shtml

Torker 383:  Carb pad height: 4.17".
Performer Rpm 383:  Carb pad height: 5.35".


UPDATE: Sorry, mine is a 70, so the under hood structure is different. 70's have a rib centered above the carb.   68/69 without that, should have more room.

[bill440rt]

I had my friend to a Play-Doh squash test with his existing setup. (Hey, he has kids, so it worked out.)

He put a blob of Play-Doh on the air cleaner, & shut the hood. He has just under 3" of clearance now, with the stock intake & no hood pad. How much taller is the RPM vs stock? I wouldn't think 3 inches. 

[BSB67]

For what you described the DP4B or regular Performer ( they are about the same thing) will be a good step up and the best for what you have IMO.

[bill440rt]

For what you described the DP4B or regular Performer ( they are about the same thing) will be a good step up and the best for what you have IMO.

I initially thought the DP4B or the RPM.
His car has 3:91 gears. Wouldn't the regular Performer fall flat sooner, especially considering the gears? 
The Performer or DP4B would definitely be the easier swap.

[lasvegas69charg]

Bill,  pics have been sent to your email

[BSB67]

For what you described the DP4B or regular Performer ( they are about the same thing) will be a good step up and the best for what you have IMO.

I initially thought the DP4B or the RPM.
His car has 3:91 gears. Wouldn't the regular Performer fall flat sooner, especially considering the gears? 
The Performer or DP4B would definitely be the easier swap.

If you have the DP4B and Performer side by side you will see that they are the same, just the Performer is flipped front to back from the DP4B in design.  Intake height, runner length and cross sectional area are the same.

The motor's power and operating rpm range will determine what the right intake will be, not the car's gear.  Sometimes, with a lower torque motor in a heavy car, you might want to but an intake on that favors building low end power earlier.  But this is not your case.  Your mild 383 probably does not make a lot of power and the cam is probably all done at 5500-6000 rpm.

I have one on a 383 w/3.91s that probably make more power than your buddy's.  The car is a very fast street car and I shift at 6,800 rpm.

[XH29N0G]

For a 70:The engine is a low deck (B) with a performer RPM - Note this is a manual transmission so I do not know how the kick down linkage works.

Top pic is 1.32 inch drop base with 3" filter and (flat) Mr. Gasket top.  There is a 1/2" spacer under an avenger 670 carburetor.

Next three pics - no spacer and a QF 830ss carburetor.

Second pic  is modified dual snorkel (same drop base welded into bottom - note carb stud sticking up for comparison with 4th picture down). Third pic  is of modification to dual snorkel from underside.

Last Pic is 2" drop base 16 inch air cleaner assy from Keyser with 3.75 inch filter and 1 inch added by the top (total height is something like 2.75 inches (3.75-2+1) (note where carb stud is, this is the same position as pic #2).  This gives 0.5 inches clearance to the hood (not much margin for error or a broken engine mount).  

[darkside]

here is a post I started about the new mopar wedge intake I ordered. Some one posted a pick of a rpm in a black charger.
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,94376.0.html

[c00nhunterjoe]

Perhaps taking a measurement from the block pad where the valley pan front bolts are to the top of the air cleaner lids will give us all an equal comparison point to go with? I will measure mine in this fashion and report back.