Can't believe it....... I broke the #@*& intake

[Norris W.]

I could've thrown up when I saw it. I bought a oil fill tube from my regular supplier (doesn't have a manufacturer's sticker, so don't know who actually built it) and was tapping it in the hole on the front of the intake with wooden block and the intake split all the way from the top to the block. I've been puttin' these things in for YEARS and it never dawned on me that an intake would split there, and the hell of it is, it isn't like I was wearing the block out with a hammer, but rather was using the handle end and only had the wood there to keep from buggerin' up the hammer handle. I can only guess that the repop fill tube was too big. I was too mad today, mostly with myself to get it back out and mike it.

Big question......... so what now???? This was THE ORIGINAL intake off the ORIGINAL engine in this 340 horse 63 coupe. Years ago it was sent to ASC when they were in Sparks Nevada, and it, along with the original valve covers from this car were "reskinned" as they called it. Now they're gone, or at least somewhere else, and I've got a busted intake and a bad case of heartburn.

What is the (at the time) ultra top secret "reskinning" process anyhow? I've been told it was chemical, somebody else in the Camaro biz said it was a tumble with secret media, and somebody at the Fla. Winter Regional several years ago told me that Martians do it with a modified death ray.

Anyhow, I've gotta find somebody that can fix it, restore the finish, and find a tube or technique that won't pop another one.

[Richard F.]

Re: Can't believe it....... I broke the #@*& intak

Go to www.z28camaro.com. If anybody can do it, he can. And he gets rave reviews from the NCRS guys.

[Rob A.]

Re: Can't believe it....... I broke the #@*& intak

If you check the archives you'll find, I believe it is High Performance Camaro, which I think is in Virginia. Jerry MacNeish, I believe is his name, and he can repair and put back the original finish. Excellent work! Try www.z28camaro.com

[Jim S.]

Re: Can't believe it....... I broke the #@*& intak

I spoke with Jerry MacNeish (the camaro guy ) and he said it is tumbled in a Ceramic Media to get the "reskining look "
From the ads on his site it appears he can fix it as well.

Jim

[Norris W.]

Re: Can't believe it....... I broke the #@*& intak

Thanks guys. Does he have anything to fix stupid with a hammer you reckon'?

[Loren L.]

Yes, but your head has to be in a seperate box *NM*

[Joe L.]

Re: Can't believe it....... I broke the #@*& intak

Norris------

My guess is that this manifold was previously cracked in the vicinity of the filler tube and you just "finished it off". Unless you got ridiculously aggressive with your tube installation, I don't see the manifold cracking because the tube was slightly over-size.

As others have mentioned, Jerry MacNeish will fix it so you'll never know it was broken. Let him install the filler tube for you, too. In fact, let him install one that he supplies.

[John D.]

Re: Can't believe it....... I broke the #@*& intak

Norris, Most all (not saying all) of the repro tubes are fat. On the 57 to 65 FI's I have to grind down the OD of every one of them or risk the chance of splitting the aluminum. On the midyears though you have a lot of "meat" for the tube compared to the early C1's. So your must really have had a big one. I wrap tape aroudn the chrome roughly an inch of so up from the bottom and grind the crap out of them. Then I put them in my garage freezer. Then I install them with a dead blow carefully. The tubes are a royal pain.
Andy Cannizzo will do a wonderful job for you. andy3651@aol.com He has repaired a lot of broken intakes(baseplates) for me. Once in a while he will be on this DB but not often. Andy is Mr. 63 and you can trust him to do a really nice job on your part. THe other recommendation given to you is wonderful also.

[Jay G.]

Re: Can't believe it....... I broke the #@*& intak

Jerry M. is THE guy for Camaros. Much like Noland is to Corvettes or Galen G. is to Mopar. Had a friends 69Z intake repaired, was more than happy with it.

[Don Y.]

Re: Can't believe it....... I broke the #@*& intak

Jerry just repaired the tail housing for my "57 T-10. Great job and done quickly. Jerry is in Eldersburg MD.

[Peter K.]

Re: Can't believe it....... I broke the #@*& intak

Jerry Luck should be able to fix

[Zachary K.]

Re: Can't believe it....... I broke the #@*& intak

I'd send it to Jerry in a heartbeat. Also have him install the tube. Excellent work. Have had a couple of cracked manifold ports that he repaired. Top notch work. You won't even be able to tell where it was cracked when you get it back I'b bet the house. Check his website thouroughly and look for the most impressive bit of work I think he has done. Look for the 427 aluminum block repair where someone ground off the Winters snowflake from the block. He replaced it somehow.

[Zachary K.]

Re: Can't believe it....... I broke the #@*& intak

I was speaking of Jerry McNeish in Maryland his website was posted previously by early poster's. Not Jerry Luck as Peter Krog's previous post had mentioned.

[Norris W.]

Re: Can't believe it....... I broke the #@*& intak

Thanks for all the advice guys. I sent it out today.