Cowl Induction

So, maybe I’m just having a senior moment, or, looking for something less serious to do on the jeep. It occurred to me that I could make the cowl intake an intake for the engine instead of the jeep. Fairly sure I don’t need the heater here in Vegas, so I wouldn’t miss it, nor will be running doors or a top. Thoughts?

 

I would think the sun is pretty hot in Vegas ...

 

IMO, butchering the firewall to make that work is most definitely something I would not do. Hood induction would be less work and very likely more functional. And more easily reversed if you no longer want it. After all that said, is it even worth it? Maybe if you are feeding a high performance 401 and looking for every last ft-lb------

 

You have a top for your CJ? In Las Vegas, I would consider air conditioning. This could make your fresh air intake functional with the AC. That would be a fun and easy project, and improve the utility of the cowl vent. Look around for a junk Wagoneer - nearly all of them are AMC360s with AC. You have power steering? Would also be an easy conversion to power steering with the Wagoneer brackets, if you don't have that. And likely to a Delco alternator, from the inferior Motorola.

Back in the day, the #1 Jeep dealer in the nation was in Reno, and they sold mostly ... Wagoneers. I'd guess it helped that the Wagoneers were high-dollar compared to CJs.

The '75 accessory brackets are a bit different from earlier or later years, but if you take all the brackets off the donor, it will all fit and line up on a 304. Top down or no top is fun, but the buffeting can get tiresome. And I'm sure it would add value to your CJ.

 

If you follow "project binkey" by bad obsession motorsports on youtube you can see an episode where they did this on an Austin mini... (among a few other mods)

 

As far as ac? Seldom use it here. When I had my TJ, we would use a blue ice pack between our legs, affectionately known as a “crotch cricket” which worked fine. Never had doors on the TJ either. I did end up going to the passenger side with a 2” hole and some duct. Does it make a difference? SOTP tells me maybe 100 HP. Anyway, gave me something to do