Available NOW: Ford Performance 7.3L Godzilla Intake Manifold
By Evan J. Smith
Photography by the author
More and more, we’re seeing racers and enthusiasts swapping the Ford 7.3L Godzilla V8 into all types of vehicles. The large displacement and pushrod design gives you amazing power and easy of additional bolt-on performance.
If there’s one hang-up, it’s the factory truck intake that has an upswept inlet, which can cause huge hood clearance issues. This problem is solved with the newly released Ford Performance Intake, (PN M-9424-73LP) that is now offered from any Ford Performance retailers.
There are a few aftermarket intakes, some being low profile, but most are designed for racing or big-horsepower applications. Months ago we got our hands on a prototype Ford intake for testing. Dave Born of Ford Performance explained that enthusiasts can order a Godzilla crate engine along with the FP Controls Pack (the plug-and-play computer to run the engine) for automatic or manual applications, along with the new intake manifold for a seamless installation in just about anything you can dream up.
The Ford Performance manifold resembles the stock unit, however the inlet points straight forward allowing you to keep the inlet under a normal hood. Born also explained that the FP version features larger and shorter runners for improved power at the top of the rev range, without degradation in torque. “This intake will increase power over the stock truck manifold. It’s designed for the street performance and mild race applications,” added Born. “But most importantly it solves a big problem for enthusiasts with the reengineered inlet angle.”
Thinking ahead, Ford Performance designed the inlet to accept a 90mm throttle body and it has the capability to handle boost.
We put one to the test on a Godzilla at Willis Performance Engines in a back-to-back test against a stock intake. The engine was prepared with ported heads, stock valves, aftermarket rods and pistons with 11:1 compression and a set of Ultimate Racing 2-inch headers. The testing was done using 93-octane pump gas and we completed the pulls on the same day. In fact, one advantage of the Godzilla is the ease at which you can swap intake manifolds. There are no cooling passages and the injectors are located in the cylinder heads so manifold swaps take minutes, at least on the dyno. The FP unit increased output by roughly 10 horsepower and 15 ft-lbs of torque across the entire rev range.
“This is a great choice for anyone doing a Godzilla swap, as you’ll gain power and solve the hood clearance issue if one exists,” said Brian Wolfe. “Ford Performance engineers maintained the runner length, which gives you that great torque down low and in the mid-range, and the enlarged runners will give you a power increase on most applications,” he added. The FP intake is priced at $1,125 for retail and jobber (racer) pricing should be under $1,000.00.
By Evan J. Smith
Photography by the author
More and more, we’re seeing racers and enthusiasts swapping the Ford 7.3L Godzilla V8 into all types of vehicles. The large displacement and pushrod design gives you amazing power and easy of additional bolt-on performance.
If there’s one hang-up, it’s the factory truck intake that has an upswept inlet, which can cause huge hood clearance issues. This problem is solved with the newly released Ford Performance Intake, (PN M-9424-73LP) that is now offered from any Ford Performance retailers.
There are a few aftermarket intakes, some being low profile, but most are designed for racing or big-horsepower applications. Months ago we got our hands on a prototype Ford intake for testing. Dave Born of Ford Performance explained that enthusiasts can order a Godzilla crate engine along with the FP Controls Pack (the plug-and-play computer to run the engine) for automatic or manual applications, along with the new intake manifold for a seamless installation in just about anything you can dream up.
The Ford Performance manifold resembles the stock unit, however the inlet points straight forward allowing you to keep the inlet under a normal hood. Born also explained that the FP version features larger and shorter runners for improved power at the top of the rev range, without degradation in torque. “This intake will increase power over the stock truck manifold. It’s designed for the street performance and mild race applications,” added Born. “But most importantly it solves a big problem for enthusiasts with the reengineered inlet angle.”
Thinking ahead, Ford Performance designed the inlet to accept a 90mm throttle body and it has the capability to handle boost.
We put one to the test on a Godzilla at Willis Performance Engines in a back-to-back test against a stock intake. The engine was prepared with ported heads, stock valves, aftermarket rods and pistons with 11:1 compression and a set of Ultimate Racing 2-inch headers. The testing was done using 93-octane pump gas and we completed the pulls on the same day. In fact, one advantage of the Godzilla is the ease at which you can swap intake manifolds. There are no cooling passages and the injectors are located in the cylinder heads so manifold swaps take minutes, at least on the dyno. The FP unit increased output by roughly 10 horsepower and 15 ft-lbs of torque across the entire rev range.
“This is a great choice for anyone doing a Godzilla swap, as you’ll gain power and solve the hood clearance issue if one exists,” said Brian Wolfe. “Ford Performance engineers maintained the runner length, which gives you that great torque down low and in the mid-range, and the enlarged runners will give you a power increase on most applications,” he added. The FP intake is priced at $1,125 for retail and jobber (racer) pricing should be under $1,000.00.
