Vauxhall Inlet Manifold / K&Ns / Bonnet Alignment

[Andrew Gilbert]

The 7 degree manifold is used when the engine is canted over (so not upright) and this allows the carbs to be level (I suppose!)

I can ask on a facebook page I run for these cars to see if there's a caterham manifold lying about for you if you're not a FB user? Someone will have one I'm sure.

Failing that there is this one > https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Xe-Vauxhall-Inlet-Manifold-Weber-Kitcar/184473509843?hash=item2af37a5fd3:g:BsQAAOSwgKNfb5bG

 

[Andrew Gilbert]

In fact if you'd like to drop me a PM I think we can help with a genuine manifold.

[pgm]

Hi, I thought you may like to see these pictures from our own car. It was originally a crossflow but already had the redtop 16v fitted when purchased. The last picture is of a vibratech type engine mounting currently used. 

Kind regards Colin

[Catgraham]

Andrew - many thanks. PM sent.

Colin - thanks for posting the pics - looks like a very nice refurbishment under way. Your manifold is identical to the other one I have (not the one on the car). I thought it had been re-machined to raise the carbs, but yours appears to be the same - the carb flanges are thinner at the top than the bottom. Must be meant to be like that...

Having said that, I did some measuring earlier with a clinometer app on my phone (!). The manifold on the car raises the carbs by 2.5 degrees above horizontal (relative to a vertical engine) and the engine is leaning 1 degree towards the exhaust, so the carbs are 3.5 degrees above horizontal. The other manifold (like the one above) raises the carbs 4.5 degrees above horizontal, so 2 degrees more than the one fitted.

So they're not "7 degree" manifolds, but neither are they horizontal. Strange...

The vibratech mounts look interesting..

Cheers,

Graham.

[Paul Deslandes]

I suspect the SBD manifold is the same casting for all variants with the flange machined to the angle required, hence the tapered face.

I also suspect that the SBD manifold, unlike the one made for Caterham, was made with Cavaliers etc in mind rather than 7s so are less likely to for quite so well.  As said before, my Caterham manifold needed some serious work to get it to flow efficiently.

The Vibratech mounts that I used had a larger hole spacing so another chassis hole was required to mount it.  My car was at Arch at the time so they drilled and sleeved the hole for me, brazing the sleeve in place to save crushing the chassis tube.  Note that engine is attached with studs and nuts rather than bolts.

Following with interest.

Paul

[pgm]

 I believe the vibratech mountings are originally specified for an imperial chassis although we have also used them on Metric chassis's without any problems. We used the original mounting  holes in the chassis.The manifold on our car came with it when purchased second hand but everything appeared to fit and clear ok. We are using Dellortos not Webers though.

Kind regards Colin

[paul jacobs]

Graham,

Whilst not being able to add anything to help your problem, if you get around to needing to cut the bonnet, don't do it, as I have a bonnet in natural ali. from my old Vx 16v hillclimb HPC which has already been cut, also with a cutout on the opposite side for an over the top exhaust manifold, because of the problems you are having.  I only want around £45 for it, and at worst you don't ruin a perfectly good bonnet.

Paul.

[DaveMorris]

Graham, not sure this has been asked (didn't spot it) . . but where are you located, perhaps there are a few 16v Vx's in the area that you could take a closer look at.

Dave.

[andy_h]

I have a 1994 VX Challenge Race Car running 45 Webber’s and dry sump (not bell housing type).

mine was raced in the race series (not by me) and I believe ran with the 48’s which were in a box when I bought my 7 as a barn find but I naively sold them. So wish I hadn’t.

let me know if you want me to take some measurements.