Huffaker intake manifolds

[TheRecklessEngineer]

Those that frequent the series forum may have noticed that i'm building a vapour project with some lovely v8 bits ive been meaning to use for a while.

In short, ive got a 4 pot injection throttle body and a manifold I have (finally) identified today as a Huffaker manifold as fitted to the TR7 V8 rally cars.

From what I have read on the internet about these manifolds, they seem much more suited to a fast road application than being bunged in the front of a series. My plans for the engine was a top end strip + rebuild, new cam shaft, porting heads etc to make a good soild engine, but not a high revving race engine.

I have particular concerns about the water system - the Huffaker manifold isn't heated in any way and doesn't have any kind of thermostat. I'm happy fitting an external one, but will I suffer without the manifold being heated?

So is it worth selling the Huffaker and getting something else more suitable? Or bung it on with a fast road cam and have some tyre smoking, boy racer whopping, hot rod stylee fun? I'm a little apprehensive of this whole racey engine thing...seems a little too grown up for me!

[TheRecklessEngineer]

Hmmmm...no one know anything about these beasts?

Guess i'm the gunnea pig then... Suppose ill have to fit the bug-catcher through the bonnet too

[TheRecklessEngineer]

I know you all like V8 porn, so here are some piccies:

Huffaker Manifold - screws by ports are for NOS :D

Manifold + Throttle body with 4x cosworth injectors.

Still not 100% convinced I should chop a hole in my bonnet for this thing, but to quote sheeppimp "It'd be rude not to"

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

Yes thats a "Huffy" (Huffaker), and is a 100% race application piece of kit.

These are as you have identified unwatercooled, not even a themostat housing, and no real way of modifying, so on a road engine this will be a REAL PITFA and outdo the plus points, which are that as a big single plane manifold, which has straight manifold runners to the inlet ports than the more comonly used (and street friendly) "Offy" (Offenhauser), the Huffy is also much taller assemble than the offy, and thats tight when fitted with a 4 barrel (ask me how I know ), I do know a huffy would bnot have gone under the 90s bonnet

However, both the Offys and Huffys are designed for mainly Holley four barrels of one cfm or another, and the bad news is even with my very poor memory the TR8s used a selection of carbs in their racing lifes 40 and 48 DCOEs, Quad Side webbers and some truly dreadful early EFI systems that were frankly hopeless, none were fitted with throttle bodies as std, as as such I am 99% certain that the Huffy Manifold you have has been modified to take them, as a holley would I think now not fit those studs ?

For a road motor I would say forget ti the non water jacket will outweigh IMHO the pros, sell the unit to a race enthusiast, and go Offy route if you have to, or efi

HTH

Nige

[Bull Bar Cowboy]

My plans for the engine was a top end strip + rebuild, new cam shaft, porting heads etc to make a good soild engine, but not a high revving race engine.

Good plan but it depends on what the bottom end is like ………………….

New cam & lifters will want good oil pressure to survive for any length if time……….. porting will increase the stress on the bottom end ………………. .

Generally if the top end is well worn ………….. then the bottom end is also long past its best …………..

Best to take it on the chin and start at the sump and finish at the rocker covers ……..

BTW: You will find that Huffy very difficult to live with the sort of use express in LR terms …………… in fact as a everyday road car you would find it hard to live with………however, its still not as finicky as a boxer manifold supporting 4 SU’s ….yuk…….but still in the same league……………

I think I would be inclined to part with it on Ebay and use the proceeds to rebuild the engine ............... that particular Huffy should fetch a good price.....

Ian

[TheRecklessEngineer]

Hmmmm...what are we thinking in terms of price?

What is the advantage of a single plane over a dual plane? I'm fairly new to all this high performance stuff :S

Definitely want to keep that throttle body though...

[Bull Bar Cowboy]

That particular huffy in an unmodified form is very, very rare ................. even so......a modified one such as yours (usual mod for NOS) is still quite rare..........

I'm guessing here but I would have thought £250 upwards to the right buyer.............

Ian

[TheRecklessEngineer]

Finally getting around to thinking about bolting this to the engine now. The manifold will go on eBay shortly.

Question now is...what do I replace it with? Am I correct in assuming that the throttle body stud spacing is standard for 4 barrels?