Re: Shankle quadraflow / heel toe unit

["Dean W. Cains" <dwc@domain.elided>]

Hi Dan:

I've got a Shankle Heel and Toe kit on my '74 Spider, and I think it's 
great.  The throttle pedal is at the correct level and the throttle action 
is quicker.  No drawbacks that I've discovered.  You will also find that if 
you loosen the 2 screws holding the throttle pedal to its mount on the 
linkage, there will be some slop there that will also allow some adjustment.

I don't like the Quadraflow filters because of all the noise, but that's a 
matter of taste.  I also don't like K&N filters because when I used one on 
my BMW M3, quite a bit of fine dirt found its way into the intake tract 
downstream of the filter.  I also had a Valentine Research G-Analyst, and 
there wasn't any measurable difference between the K&N and the stock paper 
Purolator filter, except the Purolator stopped the dirt.

Something else with the Quadraflows;  This past Spring, I measured the 
intake temperature ('74 Spider) inside one of the Spica throttles, both 
with and without the standard Spica airbox installed.  On a day with 90 
degree ambient temperature, the intake temp without the airbox was between 
150 and 160 degrees.  With the Spica box, it never exceeded 95 degrees when 
the car was in motion.  This was all during back roads driving, max speed 
of maybe 50 - 60 mph.  The Spica box was used with the original plastic 
flex hose that extends to the duct on the radiator support that takes air 
from under the front bumper.  Similar readings were taken on a similar day 
in Tim Lentz's '74 Spider with Quadraflows installed.  I'll let others 
interpret those results, but in any case, colder air is certainly more 
dense, and with the optimum fuel mixture will make more power.  A cooler 
intake charge might also allow more advanced ignition timing.

If anyone would like to repeat those tests, simply buy an inside/outside 
temp gauge/clock from Wal-Mart (in the auto department).  They range from 
about $9 - 20, and usually include a remote temp sensor on a long enough 
wire to use in an engine bay.  I don't know the top of the range on mine, 
but I did read 190, when I attached the probe to the top radiator hose on 
my Spider.

If you have an old Spica box that needs restoration, contact Tower 
Paint.  I had some paint custom-mixed this Spring, in the proper color and 
sheen.  They will have the paint code in their database, and I guess a 16 
oz. spray can will cost around $17- 18 + shipping.  I bead-blasted my 
airbox, and after the paint, it looks very nice, and original.

http://www.towerpaint.com/index2.html

Regards,

Dean


At 02:58 AM 10/14/2002, you wrote:

> Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 20:41:49 -0700
> From: Dan Walker <dawnanddan@domain.elided>
> Subject: Shankle quadraflow / heel toe uni
>
> Hello again,
>
> I just bought a used Shankle Quadraflow air filter setup for my GTV.  I
> know from the picture that the idle air hose connects to one of the
> filters, but what do you do with the large rubber hose that comes from the
> oil evaporation canister ?  Also, does the thing really work or does the
> hot engine compartment air negate any power gained by increased flow ?
>
> Does anyone have experience with the oldShankle heel/toe kit that lowered
> the accelerator pedal in a Spica car ?  Does anyone have one they would
> want to sell or perhaps know of a better solution ?   I've forgotten how
> high the pedal is in these cars ( my Duetto is no problem in this respect ).
>
> Thanks !
>
> Dan Walker
> 67 Duetto
> 74 GTV ( the leg cramp special
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided