Big Block Intake manifold

[lowlySS350]

If you could tell me where the date code is located on the manifold I will find out if it is dated.
Brandon

[Stefano]

Brandon,
The date code will be on the backside of the intake. I can't remember for sure off hand, but I believe that it is covered by the rivited oil splash shield.
There are visual differences between the current production 163s and the vintage ones.
Let me know his price regardless of the date.
Thanks,

Stefano

[lowlySS350]

Stefano,
I got some info, there isn't a steel oil sheild, only a thick aluminum sheild and no date code that he could find. There is a Winters snowflake, I don't know if the new ones have one. But the mounting holes have been elongated to fit a tall deck block. Probably wouldn't be visible once it was bolted down. But it isn't perfect, so probably not the best for a good resto. He is asking $150, if you are still interested I will try to arrange for pictures so you can look at it.

Brandon

[Edited by lowlySS350 (04-20-2002 at 02:32 AM).]

[Yenko freak]

I have a 3393198 manifold. The last 2 digits are ground off and hand stamped.

Was told it came from a ZL-1 but not sure. has a casting date of 8-1-68.

What's it worth??

thanks

[x44d80]

for the 198 manifold i've seen low 200's for tampered with to 400-500 n.o.s. It's like the zl-1 heads, the less untampered with the better. I've got both heads and manifold and I'd say the manifold is only worth 250 because it's half polished and the heads about half of what an untouched set would bring in because of a brownfield port-job.

[Yenko freak]

This manifold I have is in good shape. No grinding, or polishing, or welds. No helicoils or stipped holes. However the finish is as dirty as can be expected from sitting around for 33 years.

How would one go about cleaning it and getting it back to as mint conditon as possible, without wrecking the hand stampings. I'v heard about this reskinning process, but I'm unfimiliar with this.

[Keith Tedford]

This intake could be either COPO or L78. I have another 163 intake. It has no Winters foundry marking and the numbers read left to right in front of the carb mounting pad rather than out the top intake runner. It has no date code either. These intakes didn't have the steel splash shield rivetted to the bottom as did the small block intakes. There is a splash shield you can buy from GM that snaps between the heads to keep oil off the underside of the intake.
To get the intake back into as new condition I give them a thorough cleaning in soap and water then have them glass beaded with new bead followed by a second scrubbing to get rid of all the glass bead dust. The surface finish is as original and will be very easy to keep clean. Sand blasting will create a satin finish which is both incorrect and hard to clean.