Topic: straightening 550 intake manifolds

[Jay B]

I'm looking ahead to next winter's projects with this thread. I'm going after performance on my '77 550 next winter. I've been following turboguzzi's 10 degree downdraft head project with great interest, but I simply don't have the machine skills or equipment for something like that. If I would have the head ported/polished and run a hotter cam, how much further gain could be had by taking the kinks out of the stock manifolds? It would seem to me that they could be cut and a straight peice welded in to get rid of the S shape. Of course this would involve splitting the carb rack, re-doing the linkage between carbs 2 and 3, either modifying the airbox or running pods, etc. According to what I've read, moving air hates corners like this, I would think significant gains could be made.

[turboguzzi]

Hei Jay

I think that what you are sugesting is actually more work.... the easiest route is simply turning on a lathe 4 straight little manifolds with a flange for bolting them to the head

Any machinist should be able to do that. Then you would be of course be facing the different carb spacing but from what I understand, 28mm 750 F1 carbs should line up nicely.

let me know if need anymore details

TG

[Jay B]

Thanks TG, I'll file that info on the 28mm carbs. Still waiting to hear how the downdraft project turns out.