When it comes to body-dropping your truck, every single make and model has its own specific little bits of fun in store for you. However, almost all trucks don't make it all that easy to just bolt back on the stock hood and call it a day ... especially with those bigger body-drops.
Well, we came across a shop up in Canada that offers a few tips above and beyond the common cures of 'dropping the motor down, or even sectioning an oil pan. Taking a little out of the intake manifold was exactly what this Mazda needed to lay flat on the ground and keep the stock hood in tact. Follow along to see just how easy it was to avoid a big hole in a hood. For more information, contact the company listed in the source box.
1. Here's a look at what you...
1. Here's a look at what you might be stuck with after body-droppping a Mazda with a stock motor. This will be cured by building a new intake plenum.
2. Everything that was protruding...
2. Everything that was protruding was removed to make room for the new intake that will be built.
3. With the old intake in...
3. With the old intake in hand, a template was made for the intake-mounting flange. It was traced from the original intake plenum. The new one was built from 3/8-inch thick plate 6061 T6 aluminum.
4. Next, a length of 4x.125-inch...
4. Next, a length of 4x.125-inch alum-inum tubing was cut and capped with a piece of .25-inch aluminum plate.
5. Four lengths of 1.75x.125-inch...
5. Four lengths of 1.75x.125-inch alum-inum tubing were fish-mouthed on one end, then welded between the flange and body of the intake plenum.
6a. Intake runner holes were...
6a. Intake runner holes were drilled with a 1.5-inch hole saw, after the two halves were welded together. We used the tubes as a guide so that the holes would be on center and leakproof.
6b.
7. The plenum was then test-fitted...
7. The plenum was then test-fitted onto the engine to determine the position the throttle-body flange would be placed.
8a. The throttle-body flange...
8a. The throttle-body flange was traced from the gasket, cut out of a piece of .25-inch aluminum plate, and then drilled and tapped for the four bolt holes.
8b.
9. The throttle body was placed...
9. The throttle body was placed in the correct position, then the flange was welded to the rest of the intake plenum.
10a. A reinforcing slug was...
10a. A reinforcing slug was welded, drilled, and tapped for the intake air-temperature sensor located at the bottom of the new intake plenum.