old school tunnel ram and carbs question

[bowtieboy396]

Hey everyone, wanted to start with saying this has been a really helpful string. Im a younger guy, bought a chevelle when i was 17 and now just deciding its time to dump some cash into it. Kicking around my friends garage is a rectangle port tunnel ram, i like the look of tunnel rams, but i have oval port heads. i read somewhere recently that you can use the rectangle port intake with matching gaskets on oval port heads.. any ideas or comments here guys?

[Supercar_Kid]

You can run square port intakes on oval port heads, I've seen it done with success, but it is certainly not the "optimal" situation. Square port intakes are designed for square port heads, and are typically higher rise and often times of open plenum (single plane) design. These high rise and/or single plane intakes are a poor match not only in port type but overall design for the smaller, less flowing oval port heads. I'd say you can get away with it if it's a dual plane fairly low-rise square port intake going on oval port heads, but if it's a high rise single plane or something really high rise like a tunnel ram I'd say forget it. It'll give you more headaches and rob you of more power than the "cool looks" will ever reward you with. Just my opinion, I'm sure others will chime in.