New Edelbrock small block 3×2 Ford intake for Stromberg 97s

You don’t need to be a hot rodder to know that old is now new – or should that be news – but even the most corporate of performance companies are now opening their eyes to nostalgia overhead valve motors. Edelbrock’s new 5412 3×2 intake for small block Ford is not just a reproduction of an old intake, but a brand new one! Click on the pics for a closer look.

To be fair, Edelbrock and Offenhauser have made 3×2 intakes for small block Chevy available for ever. Add three new 97s and our 9246S or 9246PRO TwoStep linkage and you’re just about ready to go. But if you owned a 260, 289 or a 302 Ford and wanted a cool 3×2 intake, you were pretty much out of luck. Until now, that is, as Edelbrock’s 5412 3×2 Ford intake brings 3×2 looks and power to exactly those engines.

Time for a short math note. We’re often asked whether three 97s provide enough air for a small bock Ford or Chevy. Here’s the deal. Engine size (ci) x max revs divided by 3456 is the maximum air your cylinders can handle if your motor is 100% volumetrically efficient (which is unlikely). So even for the bigger Ford, 302 x 5500/3456 = 480cfm. Most engines are nearer 80% efficient at the top end (so they need just 384cfm), but even if it is 100%, three new 97s can give you 486cfm max. And remember, you only need that much air at high revs. We haven’t dyno’d this intake yet, but the Chevy 3×2 dual plane intakes pretty much flatten out at 5000rpm anyway. Remember, for most of us, it’s more about mid-range torque and drivability.

There’s not a whole bunch else for us to say, except that the 5412 is claimed to be good for 5500rpm and costs just under 400 bucks. Our TwoStep 9253S (direct) and 9253PRO (progressive) linkages bolt straight on. And you can find out more at Stromberg dealer Summit Racing‘s website. As soon as we can get our hands on one, we’ll get better pics and get it on the dyno too.