Possibly the hottest new item for the 8.2-deck small-block Ford at the 2019 SEMA Show is Holley Performance Products’ new side-feed Hi-Ram intake manifold for the 289/302 Windsor-series engines. Available with provisions for OEM–pattern Fox-body throttle bodies — up to 95mm in diameter — this manifold has been designed to fit under a 2.5-inch cowl hood on an ‘87-’93 Mustang.
Made from cast-aluminum, the straight-shot runners are designed with a runner-length and tapered cross-section designed to provide huge gains in the upper-RPM range on a variety of EFI 5.0-liter based engine combinations. In addition to the manifold, a set of aluminum fuel rails with -08 feed- and return-ports machined for the OEM EV1-type injectors.
The top half of the manifold is removable, allowing for easy access to the inside of the manifold, which could be useful in custom power-adder applications. It’s sealed with a 3/32-inch O-ring to withstand copious amounts of pressure. While the version shown is a pre-production fabricated lid, the manifold ships with a cast-aluminum lid, which is also available in a front-feed design, if that works better for your application.
While the manifold will require the use of a low-profile distributor, Holley offers two suitable models, making this a complete package that will work on everything from a stock-ish engine bay to a tube-framed race car. According to Holley, the manifold has sold out twice, proving the small-block Ford market is alive and well, and still hungry for awesome new parts.