I have one of these on my roadster and it runs really well.I spent ages trying to find out who made them and literally drew a blank. The only thing that I did find out was that the casting company went bump in 1941 due to dealing in dodgy aluminum
Time magazine,
Monday, Oct. 27, 1941
The first priority violator to be caught (TIME, Oct. 20) received its punishment last week. The victim: Chicago's Central Pattern and Foundry Co., found guilty of using its priority rating to buy illegally 6,075 Ib. of aluminum scrap from Milwaukee Scrap Metal Co., 19,530 Ib. from Brodey Brothers; and of illegally selling for non-defense uses 2,739 Ib. of aluminum to Farnsworth Telephone & Radio Co. (jukebox castings), 8,787 Ib. to 0. D. Jennings Co. (coin machines), 17,199 Ib. to Mills Novelty Co. (coin machines), 5,613 Ib. to Haywood Wakefield Co. (railroad-coach seat parts), 3,962 Ib. to Eastman Kodak Co. (Kodak parts), 3,149 Ib. to Filtex Corp. (vacuum-cleaner castings).
Central Pattern's punishment: suspension of its aluminum operations until
March 31, 1942, except for defense orders already started, which will require 288,000 Ib. Because the company also fabricates brass and zinc products, some of its 250 employes will still work.
Said Company President Frank P. Battle: "I believe the Government is all wet."
Warned Priorities Director Donald M. Nelson: "We're going to take every action ... we can take to bring compliance."
Some 1,800 other companies, including Central Pattern's customers and suppliers, are under investigation.
I then drew a blank till about 12 mth after while trawling ebay I spotted a manifold that just looked the same, so i emailed the guy to see if he had any info on these manifolds.Well it turned out that he was a big Flathead collector in CA and the manifold that he had was a Johnston and he informed me that the one i had preceded his and also a Central tool company one (which would make sense as they changed there name after the fine i think). I can only remember his first name (Mike) but i'm sure he owns or did the moomjeam 32 roadster ( but i could be wrong), seemed a real nice guy .
Below is a advert for a Johnston intake (sorry its not a better scan but if any one can blow it up it makes for good reading, Rod & Custom march 2001). I am led to believe that it is certainly a pre war piece
and a pic of it on my roadster
any body else got any info ?
Bob