1956 fuelie manifold

[bob ward]

I have an intake manifold dated 5-6 on the back and it has no numbers on the top side of it. It has the snowflake and the correct distributor offset for a 57 distributor. The date is in the same place as the other manifolds I have. The numbers are not ground off, came from a california guy that kept everything from his days at the track.
So could this thing be a prototype or worthless?

thanks.

[G B.]

Probably neither

A lot of '57 FI adapter manifolds had casting dates that didn't indicate the year.

[bob ward]

Re: Probably neither

So does a single digit day make sense? should it read 5-06? Is this consistant with other 57 manifolds out there?
There is no space allowed for a 0 or blank before the 6.
its 5-6. It looks non production 'die' crisp, but it was definitely cast and not welded on.
Al colvin's book gives no details on the dating of a 57 fuelie manifold. The only clue that book gives is that the dating process should be consistant with the other parts of the engine (heads, block, other aluminum manifold).
Now I will check an aluminum 57 dual quad manifold I have.

thanks for the help.

[bob ward]

Re: Probably neither

well my 57 dual quad manifold has only 4 4 on the bottom. This seems to agree with dating on the 5-6 fuelie manifold (i.e. missing year), except the dash. So I guess it is a 5 - 6 - 57 manifold, corrupt with missing numbers on top. There is not one microscopic trace of a number. F is stamped on a flange. Original finish, not painted. Was on a car at one time.