Technical Best choice of a 4bbl carb for a stock 350?

Yep
57/283/1850/AP headers/T10/411's.
How could a high school kid have it any better.

 

Actually, let's back up; How much driving will you be doing?

 

I've always been fond of a well tuned Q-Jet. My dad lately has been putting Edelbrocks on and likes them. For a stock motor 600-700 cfm range any bigger you over-carbureted.

 

Sounds like too much carb for the L88. Throw it on eBay and it'll be gone in a week.

 

I like a simple 600 cfm Holley. Vac secondaries, a set it and forget it carb.

The quadrajunk is a good carb when it is in good shape but the Holley is a much simpler carb and better suited to a fella that doesn't do much but drive it.

 

I completely agree.

 

Back in 1970 I learned just about everything I needed to learn about carburetors.

We were racing an asphalt modified at the local short tracks here in the upstate New York area and we took out the small block Chevy 327 motor and installed a big block 427 Rat motor. All of the local motor heads and speed experts told us that a big motor needs a BIG carburetor. Seemed logical and if you can’t trust the local speed experts, who can you trust? So we went out and bought a gazillon CFM, double pumper Holley, put in the biggest jets we could find, changed the power valves and did all of the modifications that the engineers at Holley should have incorporated at the factory to make the carburetor perform superbly.

We basically ended up with the equivalent of a garden hose flowing Sunoco 260 gasoline into the motor mixed with a small amount of air. The motor ran like a smog controlled four cylinder. When we hydrauliced the motor trying to start it, we finally decided it was time to seek help. Someone told us that we needed to go talk to the Carburetor Wizard and he could solve our problem. Seemed like a long shot as we knew everything there was to know about carburetors and then some, but what the heck, lets go off and see the Wizard.

Like most Carburetor Wizards at the time, he lived in a mobile home (later to be known as a trailer) next to a several thousand square foot Mega Wizard Garage. We knocked on the door of his humble abode and we heard a voice, “Go away, I’m eating my fu*^ing lunch.” I said, “Wizard, we can’t go away, we’ve traveled a long distance to seek knowledge from the great and powerful Carburetor Wizard, please give us some help!”

“Have you brought any gifts,” he replied.

I said, “Well we have three cans of Blatz beer in the truck that is left over from last Saturday night that you can have.”

“Why didn’t you turds say so! Come on in!”

We explained our dilemma to the Wizard making sure that we emphasized our vast depth of knowledge and expertise about carburetors and motors. He patiently listened as he polished off the three cans of elixir that we gifted him. When we were finished, he let out a loud burp and said, “I think I have a solution for your problem.”

He pulled out a scrap piece of paper and wrote on it and handed it to me. I noticed that it had the part number for a stock Holley vacuum secondary 760 or 780 cfm carburetor.

“Take this to a parts store and give it to a clerk, buy the carburetor. When you get home with it, carefully take it out of the box and install it on the motor, he said.”

“Got it Wizard. Once we have it installed on the motor, what do we do next?”

“This part is important,” said the Wizard, leaning forward and directing his beer breath directly into my face. You will see several mixture adjustment and float setting screws.”

“Yes Wizard, we know the ones you are talking about.”

“Good,” he said. “Keep your fu*^ing hands and screwdrivers off these and your motor will run fine.”

 

Great Christmas story Moselli.

 

Just like Stockracer said, 704 Q jet is the way to go, most times a Holley wants the fuel mixture adjusted frequently I have always found. But on a Q jet set the mixture screws @ 3 1/2 turns out from bottomed and it will never fail you. From Grandmas Impala to a Super Stocker they are great carbs.

 

Holley is selling these as factory refurbished units on Ebay for $225 shipped. Comes with complete mounting kit.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281504455168

 

I know this doesn't pertain to the original post but I just got an old ton truck that is a GAS HOG (460 Ford, Holley 750). I think the float level is so high it's about to flood out all the time. Got to try some basic tuning. I may try a quadrajet. Had one on a Dodge. Never skipped a beat. Maybe try a two barrel.

 

Edelbrock 600 cfm........ only one rubber piece ......that being in the accelerator pump......that's what I run because of the great gas being sold at the pumps. Non -ethanol can have less than 10% ethanol in it and can be sold as non-ethanol. While ethanol can have way more than 20% ethanol. So when my accelerator pump rubber swells up double its original size, that's the only rubber piece I have to change as opposed to several rubber parts in other brand carbs.

 

Pick up some of those near free Q jets and send them to me I'll give you $15 for everyone you can get....

 

I just threw a $60 swapmeet Eddy performer intake and a new 600cfm Eddy carb on my daily 79 G10 van with a bone stock crate 350. Runs great and didn't have to mess with anything, bolt on and go!

 

Edelbrock 2116, vortec heads bolt pattern with spreadbore carb flange.
http://m.summitracing.com/parts/edl-2116?seid=srese1&gclid=CO7ohMj598kCFRApaQodYVsIPw

I like Q-jets, Holleys, and edelbrocks, just depends on what you're doing. I did install a 600 vac edelbrock recently, bolt on and go, it's a little rich so I need to learn more about them.
If I were to choose a daily driver, mostly stock engine carb it would be a Q-jet. Ran one on a stock 307 with 1 5/8 headers, didn't need a thing after 3 years, stopped running it when I swapped engines.
Ran a lot of double pumpers, gotta be ready to mess with them, but they were on high maintenance rides anyway.

 

Edelbrock bought out Carter and the old AFB is basically the same as the current edelbrock. I've owned dozens of them over the years and theyjust can't be beat. Never ever had any leaks. I had one holly and it was a constant pain . If it sat very long at all fuel would leak from the float chamber and it was time to change the stinking gaskets. Wouldn't have one if it was free . But that's just me.

 

You want a rebuild kit with it ,too, right? LOL

 

No man just the carbs,, I can't get them here nearly free,,But I can sell the hell out of 20-25 at a time ..Looks like a good deal you get them nearly free get $15 for them and I sell them to my buyer..Win Win

 

If you go with the Edelbrock, put in a fuel pressure regulator, OR make damn sure your pump is not delivering more than 5 lbs. of pressure. This will save you a lot of trouble with those carbs.

 

Second thoughts:
If you like the idea of switching to 4 barrels, then by all means proceed.

However, if you think you're going to get SIGNIFICANT gains in power and mpg, forget it. You may very well get some improvement, but not enough to justify the cost and hassle. Speaking from direct and exact experience, i think the 2G that's on there now is pretty good.

If the eventual goal is to increase performance, fine but work on exhaust first.

Just my opinion.

 

Bobcatrods, want these?

 

Best choice?

Don't. Spend the money elsewhere.

 

QJet and drive it like you stole it ! It will last until the wheels roll off , just need to correctly tune it for you engine

 

Pretty hard to beat a 500 or 600 EDEMOBROCK. lol
They're usually right, right out of the box. Bolt it on and go.

 

What ever happened to the OP?
I came up with a damn near free Q jet. In the spirit of the HAMB, I'll put it up here for him. If Vintage 44 wants it, he can have it for the $15 Bobkat offered as a core charge, plus actual shipping.
Post here or PM me and we can work it out.

 

Edelbrock offered their version of the Q-Jet (750 cfm) a few years ago - I run one on my '68 Chevelle SS396 & it runs great. Don't think they're available any longer.

 

Oh man! That's priceless!! I'm still laughing my ass off!!

 

Bone stock out of the box a 500 cfm is too small for a 350. Performance and gas mileage will be total shit. I have both so I ran a 500 for a few months before I put on the 600 just to see.

 

Of ALL "HOT ROD" or aftermarket purchases through the years, ^^^^^^^^ THAT carb was the best thing ever!
Bolted on,set idle,and done! I put it on the I/M machine= I do smog testing too, and it's #'s were that or below'er than a new car's emissions... HC's/CO's for those in the know...... I wish they were still available.........

 

I have one of them my buddy has it on his 64 GTO glad I remembered that