1970 Nova L78 Intake '569' - perfomance!!

Bahnz70 · #1 05-01-2009, 02:00 AM

I am finishing my 1970 L78 Nova, this was a former racecar (stock) and when I bought the car the '291' heads were in the trunk and it had aftermarket aluminum heads on the car. I am leaving them on and building kind of a day 2 street car. My question is I currently have the '569' intake on the car but my engine man says that I could probably gain about 50hp with an aftermarket intake. How well does this stock intake flow (they put it on the LS6 cars) and does a '163' from 69 flow better or should I go aftermarket (edelbrock, Holley, Weiand) and what aftermarket is best.
Thanks for all of the input...

Chevy454 · #2 05-01-2009, 04:21 AM

The 163 will be better than the 569, due to the higher carb flange of the 163 [ports are therefore better]...but even better than the 163 is the newly NHRA approved 359 intake, which is even taller at carb flange, and the diffusers on the port floors run side-to-side [towards valves] as opposed to front-to-back like on the 163/569.

But, a full boogie race intake [ie, taller] will definitely have the upper hand over the factory intakes...but the lower profile street/strip offerings [like the Stealth, etc] probably aren't gonna be heads & shoulders above the factory intakes. A lot of it depends on the look/feel you're going for, and ultimately what your performance aspirations are?

I bet our resident induction guru Eric Jackson [Vintage Musclecar] could shed some valuable light on this subject as well...

CamarosRus · #3 05-01-2009, 04:55 AM

Rob, What was OEM application...........for the 359
and any knowledge of it fitting under stock 70 Camaro hood, with any form of decent air cleaner????

DarrenX33 · #4 05-01-2009, 05:51 AM

If the 359 is taller than the 163 then it definetly ain't gonna work. 163 won't clear a stock 70 hood. Go L88 hood or choke your motor with the 569.

Chevy454 · #5 05-01-2009, 06:06 AM

The 359 is an all new creature, I believe, straight out of GMPP...the NHRA allows it & the non-original 401 aluminum heads on the L78 & L72 combos. Why is beyond me...maybe as a concession to all the whacky FoMoCo combos.

**markjohnson** · #6 05-01-2009, 06:26 AM

That #359 intake manifold is made for GMPP by either Edelbrock or World Products. I think the #163 intake will fit because it came on '69 Novas and the VERY similar #069 came on '68 Novas. What changed on '70 Novas?

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