TPI for AMC...???

Buzzman, I'm glad you brought this up. I've been thinking of the same thing. You're on the right track.

It seems like some people here are fixated on trying to make a Chevy intake manifold fit an AMC, which is not what Buzzman is suggesting. He is talking about building a new lower intake manifold to which he can bolt GM TPI tubular runners and plenum.

A fabricated lower intake manifold is the only big challenge. It would involve nothing more complicated than a few laser cut aluminum flanges and tubing. A couple of fuel rails (or stretched GM pieces) to match the different port spacing would pretty much take care of the fabrication.

The advantage of GM TPI parts, other than being dirt cheap and abundant, is the very long intake runner. That long runner is ideal for building low-speed and mid-range torque. Most of the ideas presented here are overlooking the point, which (in my application) is to take advantage of the long runner.

Maybe I'll make some time to lay out the intake manifold flange in CAD. Buzzman, if you end up pursuing this, let me know. I have an excellent machine shop supplier for small run parts like flanges.


Edited by DarkMonohue - May/19/2017 at 9:58pm

I'm in the same boat - too many ideas, too little time.

Let me know if you get closer to go time. I'd be happy to donate a little CAD time or other design services to get this off the ground.

There are plenty of ways to replace any generic carburetor with an aftermarket fuel injection system on the same manifold. That's fine, but it is not what the OP and I are talking about.

Yes, I've taken a whipping on this topic. If something goes awry in BFE with your Edelbrock or FITech system, you're stuck until the parts arrive. But if you're running GM parts, every Podunk garage known to man stocks GM parts. And DM is right about those long tubes that put the "tuned" in TPI. I'm not concerned with running
a 3000-to-7000 rpm range, I want to run an idle-to-4500 rpm range.

I'm already looking at what tire size I'll need to run with the 4.11 Explorer rear under my AMC-powered '52 International with an overdrive automatic to get 25-26 mph per 1000 rpm in the top gear. The deep low gear of the 700R4 seems like a way to have my came and eat it to (or as close as it gets).

Go to the Comp Cams downloadable cam dyno program, and play with the options. See what a 256/262 cam does on an AMC if you opt for a (heretofore nonexistent) TPI intake on the torque numbers. Then tell me again why my idea sucks.

Buzzman72 wrote: Yes, I've taken a whipping on this topic. If something goes awry in BFE with your Edelbrock or FITech system, you're stuck until the parts arrive. But if you're running GM parts, every Podunk garage known to man stocks GM parts.

That's a point I've made on here several times but FI Tech and FAST do use off the shelf GM sensors on their systems. They're the only ones that I know of. As far as the ecm, well even a TPI ecm you won't find on a shelf but most any brand of ecm are pretty reliable these days.