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Spitfire Spitfire manifold removal

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TR_JOE250

TR_JOE250

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Hello all, I'm in the process of trying to pull the manifolds off my 79 Spit and having a hard time. It seems there are two nuts behind the intake that I can't seem to get to without the removal of the intake, problem is I can't get the intake off. Is there something I'm missing? The Haynes book does not provide much info. I'd be gratful for any words of addvise.
 
A socket with a long extension will get in there.
 
My car has the stock intake with a header. I found I needed to come from underneath with an open end wrench to get at the bottom two nuts. Even then it wasn't easy. Perhaps my header was in the way, but I don't see how I could have used a socket wrench to access those nuts.
 
Both manifolds need to come off. The two nuts under the intake manifold hold toggles that press on both the intake and exhaust manifolds. They are a devil to get at.

I have not been successful in getting any kind of socket in there. I use an obstruction-wrench (pic attached). There are 'S' shaped wrenches that would work in there too. You basically have to come up from underneath and one side or the other, and you need this kind of a wrench to get any leverage on those nuts.

Prepare yourself for skinned knuckles when they release.
 

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If its the ZS intake you are working with those two hidden nuts are a bugger to get off. I found that you could only turn the nut about a 1/16 to an 1/8 of a turn at a time. And the wrench can only partially get onto the nut.
 
Spending quality time with your sockets, swivels, and open end wrenches will reveal which weapons of your tool arsonal will manage to get onto those two nuts.

Removing the carburetor from the intake manifold can help with access to them. If nothing else, you can see them a bit better.
 
Thanks for the addvice folks. I will give it another try this weekend. I'll probably have to bend a wrench.
 
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