Running engine with a Simmons Swan Manifold

[Joop]

..
Just installed my long owned Simmons Swan manifold.
The car is reacting totally different than with the conventional setup.
Real quiet, slow idle and very speedy.
Would love to hear from fellow Barn members who have the same setup what there experience is in setting the spark plug gap, the timing and adjusting the carburetor, I am using a Simmons carburetor as well and 5.5 Snyder head.

Thanks and Merry Christmas

..

[1931 flamingo]

Can't help BUT "pretty slick" ! !


Merry Christmas ! !
Paul in CT

[Joop]

There must be people out there who are running this setup

[Gene F]

I have never heard of this, let alone seen one. Interesting

[ericr]

I think one is pictured in the "Unauthorized Accessories" book. I once had a non-Ford 1926 auto with a Lycoming 6-cylnder engine that used a Swan manifold but I would have to think your manifold is very rare today.


I hate to ask but I wonder if a Swan develops the same foible as the factory design i.e drooping at the end.

[Brian in Wheeling]

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The droop was with the exhaust manifolds, which were later made stronger in the vulnerable area. His Simmons Swan is an intake.
Brian

[Bob-A]

Pictured is the Simmon's Swan Manifold on my '29 roadster. Not long after I
attached the manifold along with a Simmon's carb, not pictured here. The gas tank developed a leak on the roadster. I repaired the leak and some other problems on the car about 3 years ago. However, I have yet to make
the car road worthy again. The short time I ran the Simmon's intake and carb together. Was not enough to dial the carb in and detect any performance increase in the motor. I also have a second Swan Manifold
that I may install on my '31 roadster along with a Simmon's "side-bowl"
carb.


Joop, Was it a timing problem you had that you emailed me about?


Bob-A

[jim1932]

Getting ready to put mine on my Model B, Along with the Simmons head. Is the carb casket the same as a model A Zenith? Mine has seen better days.

Curious as to what color people see? Only photo I ever saw was a museum and it looked like a John Deere green.

[Synchro909]

The sight of these manifolds reminds me of the most recent engine I built. I made a manifold with square section to take a down draft carburetor. On one of my other cars, I want to fit a B carb that I have rebuilt but it won't fit. The steering box is in the way. I would have to raise it by about 1/2" but then the choke rod wouldn't line up. To get around this, I could use a cable for the choke and maybe a speedo type cable (for torsion) for the GAV. Another option might be to put a couple of small universal joints in the rod to allow for the misalignment. It all starts to get messy. I'd rather not go to a downdraft on this car.
Has anybody ever seen a side draft carburetor used on a Model A? SU maybe?

[Railcarmover]

Hotrodders,the lot of ya are hotrodders . Any improvement in carburetion is money well spent,the biggest bang for the buck is in fuel and compression for a model a..

[gz]

I had a Simmons intake manifold, like the one pictured, on my coupe.
The noticeable difference was in cold (20-50 degrees) weather. With the Simmons intake, there was hardly any warm up time required and hardly any "fiddling" with the GAV. In warmer temperatures, I could see very little difference from the stock intake.

[John Stone]

Just finished installing the Simmons Swam manifold I've had for many years. Several weeks ago I got a side bowl carburetor. It idles just fine but haven't gone for a test drive. That will be tomorrow.

Also installed a heater manifold that does not require cutting a hole in the firewall. Hated to do that to my A400. Just have to cut up the $300 carpet.

Here are a couple picture showing the installation with the heater cover off and on. Been a challenge getting the duct work just right under the floorboard. Got my exercise getting up and down. Hope I'm not too sore to get in the car to drive it.

[jetmek]

Interesting to hear if it runs any different than stock. Ive got one of those hanging on the wall and also a Bendix down draft setup that might be fun to tinker with...

[John Stone]

Just got back from a short test drive. I was amazed that the performance seemed to be improved. The A400 has a Snyder head but being heavier never performed like my light weight 29 roadster. Now it seems a lot closer. Remember, the operative word in the last statements is "seemed".