aluminum intake manifolds?

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Loftfield
Posts: 223
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 1:26 pm
First Name: Thomas
Last Name: Loftfield
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 Touring, 1912 Express Pick-up
Location: Brevard, NC, USA
MTFCA Number: 49876
MTFCI Number: 24725

aluminum intake manifolds?

Post by Loftfield » Sat Mar 02, 2019 8:00 am

I just had a cracked cast aluminum intake manifold from a 1910 Buick welded, tedious job finding a person who was willing to do it but it was done and done well. My 1909 Buick also has a cast aluminum intake manifold, as do both my 1912 Model T's. Anybody know why cast aluminum intakes were used on early cars? Both the Buicks also have cast aluminum engine mount/oil pans, at which point I can see trying to keep down weight, and a 1924 Fordor I once owned had sheet aluminum upper body panels, also a weight issue I suspect. But why intake manifolds? just wondering.

Tom Loftfield
Brevard, NC


JEC
Posts: 132
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First Name: John
Last Name: Cox
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1915 Runabout, 1925 Pickup
Location: Tucson, Arizona

Re: aluminum intake manifolds?

Post by JEC » Sat Mar 02, 2019 11:00 am

Only a guess but lower temperatures involved in the casting process.
I read somewhere that ford stopped using aluminum because of material costs.


Scott_Conger
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* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '13, '15, '19, '23
Location: Clark, WY
Board Member Since: 2005

Re: aluminum intake manifolds?

Post by Scott_Conger » Sat Mar 02, 2019 11:29 am

Between 1900 and 1942 aluminum fell in cost every year, with the exception of 1916-17 , plus it is fully recyclable. In general, aluminum ceased being used in automobiles primarily due to the war effort in WWI which demanded more production than could be supplied even with recycling. Again by 1919 it was plentiful enough to be in regular use, even as currency, in Germany.
Scott Conger

Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny

NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured

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Mark Gregush
Posts: 4956
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:57 pm
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Gregush
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1925 cutdown PU, 1920 Dodge touring, 1948 F2 Ford flat head 6 pickup 3 speed
Location: Portland Or
MTFCA Number: 52564
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: aluminum intake manifolds?

Post by Mark Gregush » Sat Mar 02, 2019 1:43 pm

Could it also have been partly that aluminum was the new wonder material as was the motor car and airplane, so the two went hand in hand.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup

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