Tunnel ram question

[mad57]

Hey all been awhile, been busy with sandy clean up, but wanted to know does anyone run a dual quad tunnel ram on there hot rod , i have an older one im thinking about putting on the 57 vert but need to know if its a reliable driver set up as i drive my 57 ALOT. thanks . 350 /350 hp chevy motor automatic 350 tranz. i have a hei msd set up with remote coil, stock cam in the car.

 

[Gary S]

I don't have one and never had one myself. It isn't a good setup for a daily driver you expect to drive in all weather or in traffic. It is nice on a hot rod you drive for pleasure if you size the carbs small enough so the engine can handle them.
A fellow I know drove a custom trike for years with a 409 and dual quads. His was a factory low rise intake, not a high rise, but the concept is the same.
It doesn't make sense, it won't get good mileage, but who ever built a hot rod for those things?
Have fun.

 

[nosnerd]

I have run a tunnel ram on my chevelle back in the 90s....bbc tho..I also plan on converting my nova over to dual quads.

Use the eddy street tunnel ram and holley 390s..or 450s....but they will require tuning...larger airbleeds to lean them out...you will need a small cap distributor.

Jetting will need to be adressed as well aspower valve selection....or call quikfuel for a mtched set...

 

[Fast Orange]

Based on some limited experience with dual quads on a tunnel ram,I'd advise against it-
TRs are meant for high RPM,flat out running-drag racing in particular.With a stock cam and even with properly sized and tuned carbs,it's not going to be a good low/medium RPM performer-long runners with a large plenum under the carbs don't make for good throttle response or low RPM torque-which makes it a total mismatch for your current engine and application.
I have seen one TR set-up that was very drivable-but the carbs were modified to act only as throttle bodies-an aftermarket EFI set-up was installed with the injectors mounted in bungs welded into the bottom of the runners-no fuel was run through the carbs at all. IIRC,the carbs were 500-600 CFM vacuum secondary Hollys.

 

[langss]

If your looking for something that look's "cool". Sell the Tunnel Ram and look into a TPI setup. You will get excellent throttle response,driveability,fuel mileage,and lots of low end torque.You have the choice of Maf (early model) or speed density(later model) Most conversions are easily done by purchasing a running car so there is no searching for parts.We have put one on a 73 chevy truck and I'm putting one on my K5 Blazer after I change the engine.

 

[skyking]

Cold drivability *****. You cant hardly get any heat up in the manifold so you fight a rich mixture that has not expanded. Run a blower .

 

[tommudd]

Ran one a few years back on a BBC
It looked cool and everyone loved the looks of it..........
But
Seemed I was always having to play with it,
It's not a good daily driver type of setup IMO
wide open sure, other than that PITA
or I thought so

 

[Crusty Nut]

Yep, blowers are WAY more streetable than a TR. A couple pounds of boost wont hurt even a stock motor and you will love the results. And they look cool. Deals are out there. Don't be afraid of a used huffer. Mind you not used up, just used.

 

[diggerrick]

Cold weather driveability will be your biggest problem. The Edelbrock street tunnel ram is made for exactly what you want to do. The current issue of Hot Rod magazine has a small article about this subject. They have run several dyno and street tests through the years. I also remember a nice article in Car Craft a couple years ago about setting up carbs for a street tunnel ram. If you're not gonna drive it below about 50° go for it. Tunnel rams are almost as cool as zoomies!

Blowers are cool, too, but you get into alot more $$$ for everything else you have to get.

 

[Todds1932]

yes I have a tunnel ram in a 32 ford that I drive on the street and highway all the time. It took some trial and error to get it dialed in but it works great now. my advise is not to run holly carbs, I ran them for awhile and had nothing but problems so I changed it to AFB's they are both 500 cfm's and I run hotter plugs in #1,#3,#2,#4 cylinder just by one heat range, seems to keep them from fauling out

 

[unslow1]

I have beyond a ton of experience with them and roots blowers on the street. I have had a least two of each for more than 20 years. I've also setup many others. They are both very streetable. They both require tuning. I usually try to go with as small of carbs as I can. You get more throttle response that way. Neither will run well in cold weather. I've used Holley 750's, 600's and 450's. I've also used Predators and Edelbrock 500's. The Edelbrocks are the easiest. I prefer the Holley 450's for the street. If you don't know how to tune you better stay away from dual carbs. You don't have to put a big cam in. You don't even need headers. A looser stall is easier but I've done both rams and blowers with stock. Most of your current fuel system won't work. Neither will your linkage. If it's a blower your brackets won't either. If you do a blower it will cost almost as much to change all this as the blower kit. As far as a driver if tuned well it will surprise you how easy either is to drive. I put between 2000-3000 miles on a tunnel ram 450's setup for more than 18 years straight. Feel free to ask any specific questions.

 

[GTOGreg]

Though I'm not familiar with the Eddy street ram, as a general statement I don't think TR's are the best choice for driveability (throttle response, low end torque esp). IMO, tunnels are for higher RPM driving - great if you have a 4.56 geared 4K stalled street machine or drag car. You have a stock cam in a SBC 350, so I question the dual quads too. It will look great, but at what cost (tuning/fuel/more parts)? If you like to drive (and do so economically), I'd suggest a good flowing conventional manifold and a well-tuned q-jet. I'm feeding a 450 HP motor with one and getting ~16 - 17 mpg from it. Haven't even swapped in the Tremec OD yet (M-20 4 speed).

 

[Falcon67]

SBC and small Fords are less affected by the usual issues because the ports have a lot less volume than some designs. IMHO, get a pair of 500 CFM carbs from Edelbrock and have them calibrated (or DIY) for TR use and you might be surprised at how well it will run. It's all in the tune up. The big issue with a TR is that carbs are all calibrated with idle circuits that assume one carb. That is often where the "fat" business comes from. Main jetting is a lot less of an issue - air flow metering in the main circuit is pretty much venturi and air speed dependent.

 

[mad57]

Thanks guys i do want that COOL look a tr offers, i have tossed the idea of another super charger ( car still has supercharged badges on fender) but not sure which way i wanna go, the tr i have, the super charger is long gone so id have to buy new. decisions on how to get deeper in debt thanks for all the advice.

 

[unslow1]

Check out the one I put on my sister's car.

 

[mad57]

wow nice looking 57 !!!

 

[skyking]

I dont have a performance auto at the moment (airplanes take up all my money) But sitting on top of my tamale tool box is my old Dyer street blower with 2-4's and a hat. It is an old friend and I love to have it around !

 

[chris142]

What about putting two 350cfm 2 Barrel Holleys on it for a combined 700 cfm?

 

[Garyss.smith]

remember the old factory long manifolds for 383,413 and 426 mopars. They were tuned for 2900rpm and really put some torque around that speed.
talk about strange linkage, those really had some.

Some time in the late 60's we found a set of long rams from one of Richard Petty's cars which had been modified (bottom cut out and partition removed) so that they had the peak power at around 6k

gary

 

[peropett]

It is nice on a hot rod you drive for pleasure if you size the carbs small enough so the engine can handle them.

 

[diggerrick]

I have beyond a ton of experience with them and roots blowers on the street. I have had a least two of each for more than 20 years. I've also setup many others. They are both very streetable. They both require tuning. I usually try to go with as small of carbs as I can. You get more throttle response that way. Neither will run well in cold weather. I've used Holley 750's, 600's and 450's. I've also used Predators and Edelbrock 500's. The Edelbrocks are the easiest. I prefer the Holley 450's for the street. If you don't know how to tune you better stay away from dual carbs. You don't have to put a big cam in. You don't even need headers. A looser stall is easier but I've done both rams and blowers with stock. Most of your current fuel system won't work. Neither will your linkage. If it's a blower your brackets won't either. If you do a blower it will cost almost as much to change all this as the blower kit. As far as a driver if tuned well it will surprise you how easy either is to drive. I put between 2000-3000 miles on a tunnel ram 450's setup for more than 18 years straight. Feel free to ask any specific questions.

Have you ever tried a pair of #1850's, or even #3310's on a tunnel ram? I would think that being vaccuum secondaries they wouldn't over carb a mild small block, and being 4160's you should be able to mount then inline for simpler linkage.