1969 RR air grabber

[cbusters]

This website shows a 1/2" difference. http://www.nicksgarage.com/aircleaner.htm#pietins
I would set a cast iron intake on the engine and set a carb on the intake, lay a 5' straight edge across the air cleaner surface and measure to a fixed point on the fenders or fenderwells. Set your aluminum intake and a carb on and measure again. If it is more than 1/2" taller the answer is no. Unless you want to cut one up. Anything else is a guess.

 

[Dan Kas]

I have a 69 Super Bee with a 500" RB, Edelbrock Performer RPM, and Mighty Demon 850; also running Ramcharger (Air Grabber) intake setup. My set up was too tall. I ordered a fiberglass replacement drop-down air grabber base, and cut it down by about an inch where it lays on the carb. Plenty of clearance now! I can look to find the mfg if it helps.

 

[Basketcase]

need to see pics of that Bee!

 

[Dan Kas]

I'll do my best to get out to the garage tonight. In the meantime...here it is..

 

[Basketcase]

yeah!!

 

[vso737]

I have a 69 Super Bee with a 500" RB, Edelbrock Performer RPM, and Mighty Demon 850; also running Ramcharger (Air Grabber) intake setup. My set up was too tall. I ordered a fiberglass replacement drop-down air grabber base, and cut it down by about an inch where it lays on the carb. Plenty of clearance now! I can look to find the mfg if it helps.

Hi Dan,

Can you furnish a picture of your motor??
This is the FIRST MOPAR I have ever owned and hate to admit that I'm CLUELESS. The ONLY thing I can get out of your writing is the EDELBROCK PERFORMER RPM intake because this is what I have in mine.
I don't understand what the 500" RB is or the Ramcharger.
Do you have the STOCK air grabber hood and all of its goodies and it this the same as the Roadrunner ?

I have a 1972 400CID motor which is the same as the 383CID for my purposes. I do not know why the 440CID is higher than the 383CID.

My understanding is that the 440 base is LOWER than the base that came with the 383. ¿ Which base did you purchase to cut down ?

INFO FROM A VENDOR:
( The main difference is the height… the 121-AG383 base is about ¾” higher than the 121-AG440. So if you are using a high rise intake set up and need the extra clearance then the 121-AG440 would be better as it sits lower )

One thing I'm finding out is that these items are NOT cheap........cheap meaning INEXPENSIVE.

Thanks a bunch,
Mike

 

[vso737]

I'll do my best to get out to the garage tonight. In the meantime...here it is..

That gentleman walking up to the car looks like a GIANT..............probably the camera angle.
GORGEOUS car............from the looks of it, you are ENJOYING your ride.

LG,
Mike

 

[Basketcase]

RB means raised block...that is what a 440 is, the 383 is a B block, and sits lower.
since the 440 sits higher, it has an air cleaner base that sits lower, and since the 383 sits lower, the 383 air cleaner base is higher.
Ram Charger is what Dodge called the air grabber system of air induction, and Plymouth called it Air Grabber

 

[vso737]

This website shows a 1/2" difference. http://www.nicksgarage.com/aircleaner.htm#pietins
I would set a cast iron intake on the engine and set a carb on the intake, lay a 5' straight edge across the air cleaner surface and measure to a fixed point on the fenders or fenderwells. Set your aluminum intake and a carb on and measure again. If it is more than 1/2" taller the answer is no. Unless you want to cut one up. Anything else is a guess.

GREAT website. Very informative and it answered a few of my questions.

Thanks for sharing it................................
LG,
Mike

 

[vso737]

RB means raised block...that is what a 440 is, the 383 is a B block, and sits lower.
since the 440 sits higher, it has an air cleaner base that sits lower, and since the 383 sits lower, the 383 air cleaner base is higher.
Ram Charger is what Dodge called the air grabber system of air induction, and Plymouth called it Air Grabber

View attachment 22252
View attachment 22253

Great pictures and great information. One is NEVER too old to learn..............LOL
I assume that the 500 is a blown out 440 motor.
NOW, do you happen to know how much higher the RB motor is than the 383.
I guess that if I had the stock intake on my 383. I would bet on the 440 base would fit under my hood without any problem.
I need to know what the difference in height is between the stock 383 manifold and the Edelbrock Performer RPM manifold. I have a 1" advantage by using the 440 base..........

Sounds like it could be done......................worse scenario is to cut a lower base to fit.

I'm sure someone out there has a 383 with a high rise intake and the air grabber hooked up..............

Thanks again,
LG,
Mike

 

[Basketcase]

my 383 has a Weiand aluminum intake...not sure if that would be a high rise, or just stock height.

 

[Basketcase]

...

 

[Dan Kas]

Hi Dan,

Can you furnish a picture of your motor??
This is the FIRST MOPAR I have ever owned and hate to admit that I'm CLUELESS. The ONLY thing I can get out of your writing is the EDELBROCK PERFORMER RPM intake because this is what I have in mine.
I don't understand what the 500" RB is or the Ramcharger.
Do you have the STOCK air grabber hood and all of its goodies and it this the same as the Roadrunner ?

I have a 1972 400CID motor which is the same as the 383CID for my purposes. I do not know why the 440CID is higher than the 383CID.

My understanding is that the 440 base is LOWER than the base that came with the 383. ¿ Which base did you purchase to cut down ?

INFO FROM A VENDOR:
( The main difference is the height… the 121-AG383 base is about ¾” higher than the 121-AG440. So if you are using a high rise intake set up and need the extra clearance then the 121-AG440 would be better as it sits lower )

One thing I'm finding out is that these items are NOT cheap........cheap meaning INEXPENSIVE.

Thanks a bunch,
Mike

 

[Dan Kas]

We are all talking the same language. The ram charger is dodge's version of the air grabber, essentially the same thing. I bought the fiberglass drop base replica so that I could cut it down without damaging the original. The aftermarket fiberglass base for your air grabber is even lower than a stock 440 model, and can even be cut down more to sit lower on the carburetor, lowering your whole air intake assembly. That is what I did.

As for the 500 inch RB, it is just a stroked 440 "raised block", hence the RB.

I'll get the pics out as soon as I can

 

[Dan Kas]

For what it's worth I am also running the 3 inch tall K&N air filter replacement as well, and the fiberglass drop base that I cut down gives me plenty of room under the hood and doesn't interfere with the carburetor or throttle linkage at all.

 

[Dan Kas]

As promised...edelbrock performer rpm intake, fiberglass drop base (cut down an additional 1" or so where it sits on the carb), and a K&N 3" filter. For the purists out there, yes, it is the wrong air cleaner cover and actually belongs on a road runner, but it came on the car years ago and I like it so I'm keeping it...

 

[Dan Kas]

I just went back in my email and I bought the fiberglass base from Steve Matthews who I believe is the owner of Hybrid Fiberglass Solutions.

 

[vso737]

We are all talking the same language. The ram charger is dodge's version of the air grabber, essentially the same thing. I bought the fiberglass drop base replica so that I could cut it down without damaging the original. The aftermarket fiberglass base for your air grabber is even lower than a stock 440 model, and can even be cut down more to sit lower on the carburetor, lowering your whole air intake assembly. That is what I did.

As for the 500 inch RB, it is just a stroked 440 "raised block", hence the RB.

I'll get the pics out as soon as I can

GREAT pictures Dan. Thanks for taking the time and sharing this info..............
That is one large filter element............
Looking at the attached picture I have of the 440 and 383 air cleaners, I can NOT figure out which one you purchased and cut down.
The 440 cleaner is an inch lower than the 383. ¿ Do you remember which one of the two you cut down ?

It is starting to look like if I use the 440 unit and the shorter air cleaner element, I might be able to install it all WITHOUT having to cut anything. Since my motor is lower and the 440 element is lower, plus using a shorter filter element..............all might off set the fact I have a high rise manifold over stock.............this may very well give me plenty of clearance.



I still can NOT get my head around the fact that the vendors want approx. $ 120 US just for that decal on your upper cover.

Reminds me of the conversation I was having with the guy next to me at the last car show. John has a real nice 1970 El Camino for sale............His dream car is a 1970 Dodge Charger and that's what he intends to purchase once he sells the El Camino. John was commenting that the ONLY thing WRONG with the MOPAR brand is that everything MOPAR is so darn EXPENSIVE compared to other brands. He used an example of a simple door panel. He went on to say that a, hypothetical, GM panel costing $75 US would cost around $300 US for a MOPAR and that there is NO explanation for the difference in price. He more or less feels that this is true with all MOPAR items.
Well, not being a previous MOPAR owner, I had no comment on the subject. Now that I started looking to bring back my air grabber to life again, I realize John knew his MOPAR brand. It reminds me of when I was restoring my 1957 Corvette. I was paying BIG bucks for everything..........For example, in 1978 prices, the ORIGINAL air cleaner for a single four barrel was $1,000. The new replica was ONLY $100. I purchased the replica and still made "NCRS" Top Flight first time up in the judging.

I have nothing but time in getting my ride to look the way I want it to. I'm NOT into restoring it back to original, been there done that with my 1957 Corvette. I'm NEVER selling my '69 RR and really only have a few things that I want done to it. Getting the air grabber functional again is one of them...............

Thanks again,
LG,
Mike

 

[Basketcase]

$25.99 from Year One....
https://www.yearone.com/Catalog/chrysler.b.body/stripes-.-decals/decals-.-air-cleaner

 

[Dan Kas]

To be clear, I purchased a fiberglass reproduction drop base from the company listed above, not engine specific. This base sits much lower on the engine than any factory unit out there.