360 LA/mag head intake gasket thickness dilemma

[Rapid Robert]

small port mag heads/weiand large port "x-cellerator" alum intake. On mockup I'm gonna need at least 3/16 and possibly 1/4" thick side gaskets to raise the intake to where the larger intake ports are reasonably centered above/below the smaller head ports plus & more importantly getting the bolt holes to line up & that is with significant elongating (higher) the intake bolt holes. does anyone custome make intake gaskets for this and I cant even find sheets of gasket material that thick. What am I missing here.. thank you for your time. RR

 

[femtnmax]

I'm sure you know the magnum head intake bolts install vertically, the Weiand go in at right angle to the intake gasket surface. Are you going to weld bolt bosses onto the intake manifold so the bolts can be tightened down correctly?
Moving on...it would be better if the floor of the weiand intake ports were matched to the magnum port floor, since the cyl head port floor is already low. Not sure if the geometry allows for most all the port matching to be at the top, roof of the port. Then maybe fill in the floor of the intake manifold ports with JB weld to match the cyl head port floor. Taper the epoxy at least a couple inches back up the intake runners. My guess would be use an LA intake gasket set, single layer, but check there are no leaks when the gasket is matched up to the cyl heads.
Hopefully can keep the install within a small budget. Otherwise EngineQuest cylinder heads makes a magnum style cyl head that has LA intake manifold bolt pattern and thermostat bypass hose.

 

[Rapid Robert]

Yes I redrilled the mag heads for LA angled pattern. No porting/port matching allowed (IMCA). I fabbed up some 3/16" fiber board spacers to get everything lined up & I'm sure that ain't a real good choice of material but racing one night a week for the season I might go ahead as I am behind the way it is & kind of frustrated that I cant ID this unique problem. I still wanna find out where the problem is and today I am going to set an iron 2bbl 318 (single plane) intake on there & see what I see. That was the one to use till the rule change allowing the weiand x-cellerator alum 4bbl intake (only) with a 2bbl adapter. Not sure what their thinking was on that but rules are rules and I have a more important issue at hand which is this mismatch.

 

[mod5v]

You can also use the 8022 dual plane wieand intake which is a better intake for the hobby stocks. I also use the x-cellerator because that's what I have. Cant help you on the port miss match but I would just stack 2 gaskets with some Hy-tack in between them if you need a thicker gasket and just run it.

By the way how did you drill the heads? I'm thinking of trying the same.

 

[Rapid Robert]

A guy on Moparts made a tool called the "jig" that was a metal bar that went horizontle across the bolt holes with some round spacers with the hole in the middle like alternator bolt spacers welded to it then the bar turned 90 at the ends & was bolted to the head threaded bosses on the ends of the heads & You drilled thru the round spacers. He rented it out & it circulated to many members across the country till someone purchased it. Someone mentioned something about setting an LA intake on there & using its' holes to locate the drill bit & which sounds surprisingly simple & practical tho I dont remember how he secured the head in place. I think a person could set the LA intake on there then make a locating dimple in each hole with a very small bit then drill em. Yesterday I did set an iron 2bbl 318 intake on there & it too was a bit low in the "V" but not as low as the Weiand is. I made up some 3/16 fiberboard spacers and some thin black roofing paper and I will spray it with Permatex "high tack". This might not be the best choice & I'm sure it ain't but that's the plan stan unless I have have an awakening to go in a different direction. RR EDIT 2 gaskets might work tho it'd be expensive & I was going to do that but the thickness of the Felpros is .037" and I need .187" (3/16), 5 sets!