Just completed a 73 BB roadster with stock hood. I used a gen 4 454 block with stock cast iron small oval port heads and a Torker II intake. The Torker II measured height was very close to the stock manifold. That and a 800CFM holley (too small in CFM's, BTW) toped the engine with a stock type air cleaner. I think I got a dropped base bottom to give me a little more air cleaner. This all cleared the stock hood. I was concerned about low end torque with that single plane manifold but car drives very nice. Any dual plane manifold will be too high. You can see a lot of the restoration in these pics.
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Restoration
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back on it's feet
I ran a nice aluminum radiator from Eklers, a Edelbrock high flow pump and 190 thermostat. Car sits and runs at 190. I was amazed. Lot of heat thru floor though.