Just looking for some pointers since I'm new to multi carb setups. I got to read quite a bit of great info here on Tri power setups already but am still yearning for more. 1956, stock, uncut body, mild custom interior and suspension. Has 1958 caddy 365 with stock auto trans. Has pertronix electronic ignition upgrade. I have pieced together a beautiful Tri power set up with a 58 caddy 3x2 intake, a set of chrome stromberg 97s, speedway progressive linkage. I am not ready to crank and fire her up just yet... I'm well aware that I need a vacuum signal for my vac advance, my wipers, as well as my brake booster (upgrade to vette booster and mastercyl and p vavle). The 3x2 intake has a boss cast into it that to me, would've been such a vacuum fitting had it have been drilled. I would like to know if I should attempt to drill and tap it, or have someone with more precision equipment do it for me? I've dug around online looking at spacers. I see I can get a set of offenhauser adapters that are approximately 1.5 inches tall, or I can get spacers meant for the Rochester carbs. My stromberg bases were modified to fit the 4 bolt setup before I got them and I see no reason to need the huge offenhauser adapters. Personally, I want to drill the intake boss as I think it will look alot air cleaner than using spacers. Has anyone here done a 3 stromberg 97 setup on the old 331/365/390 mills here that may have some more great info? Thank you all in advance
Kinda Strange it doesn't have a provision for a vacuum port on the factory intake,considering the tri power would have been the upgraded engine, hence power brakes... But if you see a spot That would work drilled/tapped, I wouldn't think twice, good Look'n set-up.. Most tap an die Set's have pipe thread tap's for what you need, just figure the Rite drill size, You'll be good ta go, not really that complex
97s don't have a vacuum port for advance, so you need a conversion to full centrifugal ... easy home job if you have a dist. machine.
The original Rochester carbs were tapped for vacuum in the throttle bodies. The center carb for distributor vacuum, the front carb for power brake vacuum source. Since your probably way too small 97's don't have this provision, a better way to acquire a vacuum source(s) would be to take a page from Pontiac and Chevrolet, and use a drilled manifold to carburetor stud for vacuum. These are readily available as reproduction items. Jon.
If it were mine, I would find a set of the correct carbs and sell the 97's that you have now. I am sure it would be way less trouble to get dialed in and work much better in the long run. Also those 97's should be worth a pretty penny to someone building a setup for a smaller V8. The money you make on the 97's may pay for the correct carbs.
Stromberg did make a vacuum base on left. How about a spacer with a vacuum port underneath a carb. I'm reading words like "correct" and original carbs. Did someone let restorers in here or even worse street Rodders? I bet it will run great with what u have! It's still more fuel than a stock 2 barrel. Looks killer too! I love chrome 97s!
showrod - I used the word original, to show the OP another method rather than drilling the intake. Note I also mentioned the reproduction hollow studs to give him yet another option. The 1958 Cadillac engine was not available with a single two-barrel, so how can you compare??? Nothing wrong with the 97's except for this engine size, six would probably work a lot better than three. Another option, since you want to hot rod, maybe destroke the engine by a 100 cubic inches. The shorter stoke should allow for higher RPM! Jon.
The o.p. Came here for advice on getting vacuum for his distributor. He has some cool pieces collected that I bet will work fine. I think The idea of selling off and starting over is bad advice. We don't even know what cam he is using. Plus 365 is not that big of an engine. Look how many punched out 350 Chevy's are running 3 strombergs.
Thank you all for the advice. I had tought about a spacer with a vacuum port but am starting to worry on hood clearance. I could be being paranoid about that aspect but until I can get a real look at clearance I want to stray away from anything that gets much taller. I honestly have no clue why the caddy intake was never drilled from stock. I can only assume it' original rochesters had to have the ports instead. When I heard the engine running with a 4 barrel before I bought it, it did sound like it could have a larger cam. I know it was gone through around 2000 or so and has about 10k on it for miles now. Sounded amazing. My 56 cdv has the upgrade dual quad engine but was long gone when I got the car. I was chasing dual quad intakes on eBay when this bare 3x2 came up. Believe it of not i got it for 125 plus shipping then got an amazing deal on these carbs. I'm doing all I can to keep this car looking as if someone built it in the early 60s. I jumped on the strombergs for looks, I won't lie. They seem so simple to maintain also so that' a huge draw. The carb stud idea above is really cool. I like the idea and didn't know that kind of thing was being done. Where would I find such bolts? If I can't get those I will probably drill the boss and tap it. It' la there for it so I'm not too afraid of it. Thank you so very much again. I truly appreciate it.
Ames Performance (Pontiac vendors) used to sell the repro bolts; I would assume they still do. http://amesperf.com/ If Ames doesn't have it, Pontiac Tripower does, I just Googled them: http://www.pontiactripower.com/shop/1965-hollow-carb-stud Since you were originally chasing dual quad intakes, you might continue to look for one that is a bargain. You might want it someday. If when you get the set-up running, and should it gives less than the desired results, you might try hooking the carburetor linkage up as solid, rather than progressive. Downside is they would have to be synchronized. Upside is the three carbs together are more like the size you need for the 365. The hollow studs can solve problems on many different vehicles. Amazing how smart those original engineers were when they designed the studs! Jon.
Those hollow studs are freaking awesome!!! I never knew such a thing existed. I mean, from an engineering stand point, I can't believe I hadn't thought of it haha! It's really simple when thinking about it. You all have been great help here. I had read that I may need to go solid linkage and I'm not afraid too. I just figured the progressive was a better idea since I plan to run long road trips. I do have a final question... can the items on the car that need vacuum, the advance, the brake booster, and wipers, all run on same port? I know I should be able to upgrade to electric wiper motor so that's an option too. Weather is supposed to break this next week here so I'm excited. Been building and scavenging for 2 years now and its so close to being mobile I can taste it.
Shaun - I personally would not want distributor advance and wiper vacuum at the same fitting. Not saying it cannot be done; I just wouldn't want to do it. And as BJR above pointed out, the source for a power brake booster is normally larger in cross-sectional area than the requirements for other items. By the way, before those hollow studs became repro, I made dozens of them for our own use on a lathe. If you have a lathe, no reason you cannot do the same. Jon.
Thank you so very much guys. I'm going to look into getting those studs and will probably drill drill the boss and tap it. I could use it for brake booster only and use the hollow studs for the others. That not drilled boss is what makes me say it's a 58 intake as those still had tredelvac brakes if I remember right. A 59 tripower most likely had alot of other vacuum robbers haha!
Shaun - you can be sure of the year by the casting number on the intake: http://www.thecarburetorshop.com/Multiplecarbmanifolds.htm Plus the 1959 unit had a small center and two large end carbs. Jon.
Just checked the number with that chart and it's definitely a 1958 3x2 thank you again for the info. You guys are the best
So since I last posted here, ive found and been bidding on a plate that goes beneath the stromberg with a vacuum fitting. Keep getting out bid, pretty sure the seller has a buyer trying to bid it up haha I'm pretty schooled with eBay and ive lost the same item twice to the same bidder on the third bid hahaha! It'll be listed again in a day or 2. Anyway, I also learned that the cadillac 365 has a vacuum pump piggy backed on top of the oil pump. It's used to run the wipers. Reports claim you about couldn't overwelm that setup. So that means I have at least that vacuum handled out right. That only leaves distributor vacuum and brake booster. Heater is all manual cables and levers from what I can see. I WILL purchase a vacuum test gauge, a carb syncronizer, and still will be drilling the port boss on the intake. I plan to keep updating here as it goes along. New engine paint arrived tomorrow, motor mounts are here, getting closer to fire up day.
Did you ever get this thing going, and what did you do for the linkages of carb and kickdown rod? Since carbs are not original, i guess you had to make some adapters?
Shaun, if your still having problems/questions give these guys a try: http://www.modifiedcadillac.org
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