hi all what a great website so much info from experienced users.
i have a 78 e150 that i have owned since1980 and i would like to
install the Offenhauser dual plane manifold and 4barrel carb. can
any body tell me the width of this manifold. will it fit on a van i
measure about 10 inches from head to doghouse wall has any one done this or is it doghouse mod time?

 

...sticks out 8 1/2" from the head, which is about 1 1/2" LESS than the egr valve on the stock setup. I had some trouble getting an air cleaner for the four barrel that cleared the heater housing - keep that in mind. 'Finally got one off a '79 f150 2 bbl that cleared with a 2'' carb spacer. Sorry, I don't have an Offy to measure for you...but the pic's I've seen of them look very similar to the Cliffy

You didn't mention EFI exhaust/headers. That would give you much more benefit than just opening up the intake side. DIY EFI's and a Walker downpipe would run about $125 and open up the exhaust side to compliment that 4bbl/intake.

I passed on headers when I saw that I couldn't change the starter without pulling/loosening the entire intake and exhaust. I run 15 - 20K miles a year and am on my 3rd starter - one about every 3-4 years. NAPA's lifetime starters are $70 - $80 for the first one and free thereafter - so the next one will average it to under $20. Changing it out will be EASIER (more space) with the EFI manifolds/Walker downpipe than with the stock setup.

Oh, yeah, welcome to FTE Gary.

If I could find long tube headers with that kind of starter clearance, I'd consider them. 'Anybody have some?

 

thanks for the reply broncr i am also considering the clifford intake
looks like it would fit and i did pickup a set of efi headers that i got
at the u-pull-r-parts yard pullathon as much as you can carry for
15 feet was just $30.00 also did not think about starter removal
with tube headers thanks for the info and the welcome!

 

I have been told that with the Clifford headers you can change the starter, but they are expensive. Not really worth it, IMO. I have an Offey C series intake, with a Motorcraft 351cfm 2bbl, and the EFI duals. The truck runs great, and has more than enough power to move down the road.

 

I pulled a five hundred pack of brick in my all steel trailer today - 1800 lbs. of brick in a 1500 lb trailer. It was doing 65 uphill with throttle to spare. So much for MPG's on this tank!