Re: [Chrysler300] Manifolds and carbs

On Jan 29, 2014, at 4:21 AM, John Grady <jkg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Another aspect of this was very poor choke pull off on ram cars ; one side pulls off before other even today . Certain types of cutomers would not deal with this in 60 , 61. I was there , one person i know had rams pulled off 383 61 plymouth wagon over terrible idle /cold start /warmup stalling isuues in Boston ... New car .

J and K (?) had manual chokes to ensure syncrony . Ram cars are cut a lot of slack today , but remembet at meet in maine it took 5 club membets half an hour to start a perfect flooded F
N
On Jan 28, 2014, at 11:00 PM, kmaniak@xxxxxxx wrote:

Hi Ron and All:

The following is my "two cents" on the subject based on years of observation and intuitive theory.

The 1955 through 1958 cars were equipped with A-block hemi's. The high performance intakes for these engines were in-line 2 x 4 barrels.

1959 saw the introduction of the new B-block and RB-block engines equipped with wedge heads. Immediately the in-line 2 x 4 barrels intakes were installed on the E and other high performance MoPars. And in Chrysler tradition, they ordered a large lot of in-line manifolds to use over the next several years.

Meanwhile, the engineers at Chrysler were experimenting and perfecting the performance potential of ram induction. For the 1960 model year, Chrysler introduced their first version of ram induction by unveiling the crossram induction system as standard in the 300-F and optional in Dodge, DeSoto, and Plymouth, on both B-block and RB-block configurations. The crossram manifolds came in two designs, the 30-inch long ram manifold, which developed maximum torque at 2800 rpm on the 380 horsepower engines and the 15-inch short ram manifold, which developed maximum torque at 3600 rpm on the 400 horsepower engines. Again, following tradition, Chrysler ordered production of large lots of both style manifolds to use over the next several years. My guess is up to 3000 pairs of long ram manifolds and up to 1000 pairs of short ram manifolds were produced during 1959 & 1960. The power brake system used on the 300-F and 300-G, was a system using a f irewall mounted master cylinder and a bellows type power booster mounted on the firewall above the master cylinder. This style of power brake did not create a clearance issue with the ram manifolds.

1961 saw a major shake up in corporate management. The biggest change from management was the end of large lot parts production and stockpiling. Chrysler used up the current inventory of long ram manifolds with 300-G and other Dodge and Plymouth engine options. The large stockpile of of short ram manifolds still remained since these were part of an option that was not too popular. Also, a stockpile of in-line manifolds still remained from 1959.

Let me digress for a moment. Have you ever wondered why the side trim on 300-C's through 300-G's looked the same? That's because it was all the same. Most likely it was all manufactured at one time in a huge lot to be used up over the course of several years. New Chrysler management moved to use up all the excess inventory of trim by creating and building the 1962 Chrysler 300 (aka sport). Another new feature on the Chryslers in 1962 was the used of the firewall mounted power brake booster with integral master cylinder, which was most likely cheaper to produce than the older power brake systems. Since all the long ram manifolds were used up and there was a clearance issue with the new power brake boosters, Chrysler installed the in-line 2 x 4 barrel manifolds on the 300-H and even built a few sport 300's with this engine as a way of using up the old inventory of in-line manifolds. The 400 hp short ram engine was offered as a deal er installed option only in 1962, but demand was very low. A large stock of short ram manifolds continued to collect dust on the parts shelves during 1962, approximately 727 pairs.

In order to use up the last of the short ram manifolds, Chrysler built a special 390 hp engine with reduced compression ratio, solid lifters, special cast iron headers with exhaust fed carburetor heat. (Note, the 400 hp short ram engines from 1960 through 1962 used coolant carburetor heat). This engine was the only engine available in the newly redesigned 300-J. Given the clearance problem with the firewall mounted power brake booster and the ram tubes, a special remote booster was used with a firewall mounted master cylinder. Chrysler may have hoped to use up all the 390 hp engines in 1963, but alas, only 400 300-J's were built, reducing the carry over back stock of short ram manifolds to 327 pairs.

To capitalize on the letter series reputation and guarantee using up all the short ram manifolds, Chrysler offered the 300-K with a standard single 4-barrel engine and offered the ram engine as a option. Not only did Chrysler finally used up all the short ram manifolds, I spoke with former Chrysler dealer employees from 1964 who swear that their dealers received one or more 300-K's at the end of the model year with factory equipped in-line 2 x 4 barrels.

Hopefully this gives everyone a glimpse at why I think things were the way they were with regards to the letter cars.

Chris the K MANIAC

-----Original Message-----
From: Ronald Kurtz <mark6268@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: chrysler300 <chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tue, Jan 28, 2014 4:42 pm
Subject: [Chrysler300] Manifolds and carbs

Hello, everyone:

I've been following the thread on the '62 Chrysler 300 (H?) and now wonder why C300, B, C, D and E had a 2x4 bbl. intake manifold and the F, G, J and K (option) had ram induction. What was Chrysler's logic for this on-again and off-again aspiration? Just curious.

By the way, I will have a '64 K 360 HP engine in running condition complete with correct carb and air cleaner up for sale this Spring. Asking $500. Buyer picks up. Please advise if interested.

Best,

Ron Kurtz

E #292