VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 Fenton problem

The reducing inserts fit perfect..BUT...notice how the exhaust manifold bolt almost touches the manifold on the end pipe of the header. The Fenton exhaust header has an attachment that is made into the pipe but the 38/216 does not have that attachment.Two of the clips that hold everything together aren't going to work without some Nuclear Tennessee Engineering...smile

If the heat kit ever gets here and I get it all bolted up except those two bolts I'll be able to do something creative hopefully. Any ideas ? To late now to reverse course.

I'm sure Ed and Tiny will save the day.

...G out your die-grinder!

Not sure you could grind that much of the fenton header ,the bolt thread is touching the header now. I need a couple of lightweight nuts(small O.D.) I might be able to make a sleeve that has an ear on it and side it over the threads and tighten both manifold ears from the fenton attachment. Still thinking.I can't find the intake I really want or I would put it on now. It's pretty rare. Highly polished Tattersfield two carb the fits a 235 (no reduced sleeves needed). There about $600 not counting the linkage and new carbs. Sounds like a $1000 project. It will have to wait.

Plan B...thread a offset rod on both ends, roll it to the correct offset, install the manifold,and tighten it up (2 ea.)

Us Nuclear guys will come up with something...hehe

Have you tried contacting Fenton? Surley they would have the answer you need to install the manifolds without grinding the ears.

Steve Jerk out that old outdated motor and install a new Chevy VOLT motor then you will not have any more troubles with that exhaust crap....ED

The clips need to be trimmed along with the mounting pads on the fenton manifolds so things are parallel. You may need to get some different bolts, allen heads may be easier.

A Volt only goes 20 miles before it needs a 8 hr charge (unless you don't want AC or Heat) then it will go 38 miles. My ole 38 goes about 20 miles and then I work on it for 8 hrs. Why would I want a Volt?

Man....I'm sure glad that I leave my cars stock. That way there are a lot fewer issues to deal with.

Shouldn't this be in General Discussions?


37blue is always lurking in the shadows

Actually, a good number of your postings should probably be in the General Discussions forum.

wawuzit,

I had this same problem installing Fenton headers and a stock intake manifold on my '41/216 a number of years back. I solved the problem by NOT using the stock "clips" and the long bolts used in the stock configuration. Instead I found a very thick (about 1/8" thick) washer - not a lock washer - and used a shorter bolt than the stock bolt. I had to grind off a little of the thick washer to acommodate the closeness of the header pipe, but work it has for nearly 35 years now! It isn't as pretty as the stock "clips" and manifold bolts, but it works just fine.

I hope this works for you. If not, you might try contacting Patricks - the Chevy/GMC speed equipment wizzard in Arizona:
(520) 836-1117, or e-mail: patstrks@aol.com, or www.patricksantiquecars.com

If anyone knows stovebolt speed equipment, he does!

Regards,

Roy Lord

Why does everyone say that?

Thanks

I cant believe that FENTON,as long as they have been in business, would make something that don't fit!....I'm sure this is not their first try at this....I would call them.
.......Good Luck ED

I bought 235 dual headers, made from round tubing, off Ebay for $99 dollars. They looked and fit well...They went on a friend's '46 pick-up...Just saying...

This set of headers fits about 20 different applications. Trucks,Cars, 216/228/235/261,302 Everything fits but two bolts. I've looked on google at fenton headers and see about a dozen ways to do this. I've got something that works and doesn't look to bad. The reducing rings was what I was worried about. That turned out perfect. (Buffalo Enterprises). I'll post photos,as usual after everything is put back together. I moved the remote oil filter and used rubber hoses for oil lines since the filter is no longer mounted on the engine. I liked the copper better( more bling).

I gave $200 for the headers and gaskets and flanges off Ebay.( free shipping) They're $269 at chevysofthe40s plus shipping.

There is a vender, recently, on our own site below, offering the same headers for $200. He's got an intake manifold to go with it...Anyone else interested, you might want to take a look below..

Steve...Try to put them on up-side-down..then with a hole saw cut two holes in the engine hood, install two (chrome)exhaust stacks pointing skyward, put some mud flaps on the rear wheels with a profile of a nude lady on them, and make believe you are driving a big 18 wheeler Kenworth diesel over the road.
See you can solve any problem when you thing about it long enough....Good Luck....Ed
BTW don't forget the jumbo air horns.

$200 for the exhaust and $200 for the intake. I saw that. The flanges are $25 a pair, you don't get that in the deal. I bought the intake ,gaskets,flanges and free shipping for $200 off Ebay. The seller on this forum has them on several forums. This set of headers is extremely popular because they can be made to fit almost any GM inline 6. Over the past 75 years I bet they've sold a KAZILLION pairs of headers. Somebody came up with the design that can be used on a bunch of GM engines. Notice the exhaust outlets are pointing in weird postions. I guess that's some good engineering to figure out how the same header can fit almost anything made by GM that's a inline 6.

FYI I don't believe Fenton makes the headers. I believe they're made under license by a third party, probably Hop Sing's casting company.........

Sounds good .....But how come it don't fit yours.
Confused in Cincinnati?????????ED

My 38 intake does nt have the attachment for the 3 inch bolts, some inline 6 intakes have that. There's not much space if you use the short bolts, you have to do a little modifying such as grinding a 1/2 inch flat spot or something like that. It will still fit but a 216 intake on a 235 engine is a little odd.



He had to grind a flat spot on the exhaust manifold to do this. If and when I get a Tattersfield 235 polished manifold, it will bolt right up. This guy chose to not have the heatkit, I don't think it will run or idle correctly without it.

WAIT... I see a water cooled stovebox !!

True. It had some paper work saying it was an authorize and licensed reproduction of the Orginal Fenton Co. Exhaust header. It appears to be top quailty cast and no flaws that I've found. But who knows..I might fire it up and get it hot and it drop off the engine..smiles

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1937-1962-C...ries&hash=item4aba2cb7d1&vxp=mtr

I ran into this problem some years back. Your idea of a thick washer will work and just happens that the other car company (Ferd) used flat thick washers on their inline sixes in the 50's and 60's as clamps to hold the exhaust manifold and intake mainfold against the head. If you still need them, you might check into a Ferd source.