The big news from the Holley booth at SEMA 2025 is the expansion of its EFI ecosystem. Its Hi-Ram intake manifold lineup is finally available for classic Chevy V8s, ending years of fabrication and envy for small-block and big-block builders. For what felt like an eternity, Holley’s iconic, high-rpm intake was the exclusive territory of LS and HEMI platforms. Now, cast-aluminum Hi-Rams are available for Gen 1 SBC and MKIV BBC engines.
Power for Big- and Small-Blocks
Holley is offering two distinct versions. For the big-block crowd, there’s the 300-963, a traditional tall-plenum design meant for 396- 502-plus cubic-inch engines with rectangular-port heads. This is the one you want when hood clearance is secondary to maximum performance. It uses a massive 105mm throttle body flange and -10AN fuel rails. For small-block builders, especially those with F-bodies, Holley dropped a “hood-height-friendly” front-feed variant (300-951). It’s engineered to fit under the stock hoods of early Camaros and Firebirds while still delivering a 1,500-8,000 rpm powerband.
Solving the Hi-Ram Intake Manifold Problem
Both of these new setups require one crucial change: the factory HEI distributor is too bulky and must be replaced with a small-cap design. This used to be a major hurdle, forcing builders to piece together an ignition system. But Holley is now leveraging its full EFI ecosystem. We learned at the booth that Holley is bundling this Hi-Ram Intake Manifold directly with its HyperSpark ignition. The HyperSpark distributor was designed precisely for this kind of swap, providing both the physical clearance for the plenum and the clean EFI signal the system needs.
A Complete Bolt-On System
This strategy shifts the product from “just an intake” to a complete, engineered induction solution. Holley has eliminated the last big pain point for classic Chevy owners wanting to upgrade. Builders no longer have to guess which parts will work together. They get a cost-effective package that delivers the modern, aggressive look of the Hi-Ram and the broad, high-rpm power of 21st-century EFI, all tailored for the legendary V8s that built the muscle car scene.
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