The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Intake/exhaust Manifold weirdness and troubles

Hi everyone - Vehicle is a 1960 Chevrolet P-20 Step Van.

235 Six, Carter Ball & Ball Up draft Carb and Up Draft Intake and exhaust Manifold set up.

I recently had the Head rebuilt...when removing the Head for this I noticed the 'Rings' which are ( supposed to be ) inside the Intake/Head port counter-bores...the Rings were all mashed and dragged 'down' one might say.

I noted this, but did not analyze it critically at the time.

When installing the freshly rebuilt Head, I did look at this aspect critically, and, long story short, the Intake-Exhaust Unit, the intake Manifold is too low and a little ways back ( maybe .010 or so back from the plane of the Exhaust Port Flanges faces ) also.

It is as if the Intake Manifold had shrunk.

Anyone else ever seen such a thing?

No way can I get a good seal like this...the Intake Manifold is 3/16ths of an inch or so too low to register/align with the ports in the Head.

When the Manifold Unit-combo is bolted on, you can see right into the intake Ports.

How it ever ran this way, I have no idea...but, it ran great.

I need to solve this problem now...so, writing in to see what you all may think.