Fred SS

iTrader: (3)

Anybody heard of a Jim McFarland TPI Short Ram? The link below shows one for sale with heads. The TPI unit looks interesting. I'm thinking it would be great with a 383, but the price is a bit rich. I do not see much of an advantage over a Holley Stealth Ram. But looking at the pictures, the Jim McFarland intake appears to have a shorter intake path which should increase top end power band over the Holley Stealth Ram.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Jim-McFarla...4AAOSwyjZfqF8v

Fred

ULTM8Z

That's a ludicrous amount of money. If you want more top end than the HSR, get a Miniram and have a ton of money left over.

Even with my relatively small cam (212 @.050 on the intake) and my AFR 180 street heads, the engine just never seems to run out of power up to 6000 rpm.

aliceempire

iTrader: (14)

They're pretty rare. They pop up every now and then. Couple of guys have them around the boards but I won't name names. The heads with mods and such, figure $2k. Leaving 4k for the manifold? I'm not sure what the going price of those are but I can say I'm not able to even think about being a buyer.

charlie6178

iTrader: (2)

I’d be a player on it for $2k, maybe $2500. But whoever is going to want that manifold, isn’t going to want those heads. He’d be smart to separate those for the sake of sale

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

I tried to buy it before the Ebay seller ended up with it. Was going to use it, not flip it. Out of my range now.

aliceempire

iTrader: (14)

Do we know roughly how many were made? I recall only a couple members having one. I figure if anyone knows anything remotely definitive on these it'll be you.

ironwill

McFarland worked for Edelbrock from around 1970 to around 1990 until he left to start his own intake manifold company. He was also the Tech Editor for Hot Rod magazine for about 10 (IIRC) years. He left that position to open a consulting firm, one of his many clients being GM.

I recall reading 'shoot-out' articles of his intakes in Hot Rod back in the day; they were competitive with other then-currently-available TPI-type systems. That high price tag is no doubt due to both nostalgia and the extreme rarity of any of his products today. You'd have to weigh those two factors, and how you value them, before choosing the McFarland intake over the power and programming ease any of the current systems available.

McFarland was (and AFAIK) still is a highly-regarded mechanical genius.

Thirdgen89GTA

iTrader: (5)

Its only worth what people are willing to pay. And honestly, I don't see $6k as something even the collectors will pay for.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

I've heard a few different numbers but the one that sticks to me is 5. Again, I'm not 100% sure but it's a low number.

charlie6178

iTrader: (2)

That is the one intake I would buy and pull the T ram off my car and put on. I think that thing is crazy cool

Fred SS

iTrader: (3)

I agree charlie6178. I could see paying about $2500 for the complete intake. He should sell the heads and intake assy separately. But if he wants $4K for the intake assy alone, he will probably have this for awhile.

Fred

BHR

i started at 2 and i went up to 3k he didnt budge and wants minimum 4k just for intake
i think 2 is a fair price but b/c theres so limited he or anyone can charge what they want

someone should mold this intake and the tram and sell for 2-3k im sure there a couple hundred of people that would buy them

the intake shouldnt perform any better than a mini ram it will perform very similar to it

BHR

6k plus 250 shipping plus tax about 6600 if i were to buy off ebay, seller would lose 13% of the 6k down to 5200 b/c of ebay fees probably breaks even on the shipping or makes 50 bucks and ebay gets the sales tax

my offer of 3k off ebay was good b/c its straight to him and he can still sell the heads for another 2 giving him close to 5k but he didnt seem like he wanted to move product or in need to sell it quickly

BHR

how did the ebay seller get it?

from what i see its the only mcfarland intake with the egr bbk TB red injectors and red coil i recall this was jerry's did jerry sell it to this ebay buyer or was it tossed around

Thirdgen89GTA

iTrader: (5)

I can’t see a special niche intake getting close to even 100 units. And 2 to $3k is an insane price. No sbc intake is worth that.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

I think it went to the Ebay seller a bit after or about the same time I was talking with Jerry. Thought we were close to a deal then no more communication from Jerry. Guess he got an offer he couldn't refuse. I think the Ebay seller was on here or may still be.

aliceempire

iTrader: (14)

No surprise it went unsold on ebay. I wonder if we'll see it relist or resurface elsewhere.

mcm95403

iTrader: (1)

I had the honor of working with Jim when we both worked at Flowmaster Muffler in the early 90's. Great guy who had (at the time) forgotten more about cars and engines that all of us put together know. Absolutely brilliant! We got along very well and I enjoyed every moment of getting to work with him and pick up any knowledge he had to share. After he left Flowmaster he went to RHS/CompCams/Hypertech.

84 1LE

iTrader: (9)

Old post, but is this the same intake again?
https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/...305223900.html

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

It sure is.. I'd almost trade my polished T-ram for it.

84 1LE

iTrader: (9)

He musta sold the heads. Interesting piece.

Fred SS

iTrader: (3)

The seller still has this intake for sale on that other website, crimelist, for $4000. What do you guys think is a reasonable price to offer for it? $1500. But he would have to put it up back on sale in Ebay.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

1500 is a pretty low offer

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

so Anthony 1,500 for a t ram 😆

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...1874384231832/

aliceempire

iTrader: (14)

Considering superrams seem to trade hands $1000-1500 and they made thousands of them....$1500 does sound low. What's it worth in reality still comes down to how much someone is willing to pay for it. Sure seems like $4k isn't it since it hasn't sold in this time.

Fred SS

iTrader: (3)

So $1500 is too low. Based on its' rarity, maybe $2000 - $2500 would be a more reasonable offer.

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

Since it’s rare I’d guess $2,800 range just a guess

firebirddude142

iTrader: (19)

He still has it for sale at 3,995

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

I'd like to reproduce it.

firebirddude142

iTrader: (19)

That would be cool!

Tuned Performance

iTrader: (92)

A t ram reproduced would be cooler, just saying

aliceempire

iTrader: (14)

Is it cost effective to reproduce? I mean at the end of the day, who's buying? 10 of us?

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Like most tthings tpi related, Probably not but look at the mini ram and stealth ram (which is to tight under firebird hood) sales.

it may do alright, especially since it has all the emissions provisions.

Thirdgen89GTA

iTrader: (5)

hsr fits just fine with a little messaging or a fiberglass hood.