I just bought a tri power set up ( 3 Rochester's) for my "T" and I have a question. Has anyone one here used the adapter that can be bought from Speedway that adapts 3 Rochesters to a 4BBL intake? If so how did it perform? Should I buy the regular 3X2 intake insead? Any info would be appreciated. By the way I'm running a mild 383 stroker motor in the "T". Thanks.
I would run the traditional set up. One primary and two secondary carbs with progressive linkage. Friend of mine is running one of the four barrel manifold to four pot adapters on a small V6. It runs on one carb. The others are not hooked up. To complicated he says.
Personally, I don't like the look of those multi-carb adaptors to a 4 barrel intake, be it a tri-power or dual Stromberg/Holley 94s. Just my opinion of course. I've never used one either, so I can't speak for the functionality. A used tri-power intake off eBay can't be much more than the adaptor piece. The adaptors are $125 or $150, what's a real intake going for?
Some things are made to sell and some things are made to work. Buy the 3x2 manifold. The one that goes on 4 barrell manifold is Barnum & Bailey stuff.
Florida Poorboy HotrodMike has one on his '40, maybe he'll chime in. For my 2 cents I'm sure the proper tri-power intake performs better than the adapter ever will. For that matter a properly sized and tuned single 4 barrel will out-perform a tri-power in most cases, so it's all about the look anyway.
I run one on my big block chevy. Reason: can't justify the cost of a 3x2 factory intake plus, Holley 4 barrels are trash, imho, so it would only stand to reason that the 2 barrels are no better. As long as you convert the outside carbs to secondary carbs, you should not have any problems. Remove the power valve piston from top cover, then remove the idle screws in carb base. Buy some metal JB Weld epoxy and fill in ALL the vacuum holes and idle screw holes in the base plate. Buy yourself some wide slot secondary throttle shafts and secondary throttle plates. You must fit the plates to each throttle bore so when closed you see no light leaks to avoid vacuum idle leaks. If I can do it anyone can! I agree they don't look as cool as a 3x2 intake. Seems to me that you could pick up a used intake at a swap meet for around the same price as the adapter. Note the adapter sold by Vintage speed is a high quality item and flows 900cfm. That is more than the combined cfm for 3 rochester 2barrels.
Get the intake and related stuff. Tri powers offer less performance than a single 4bbl? Uh, ok. Take the time to set it up right and then post how it works. Set up right trip deuces will rock yer socks off.
The carbs I bought have already been worked over to make them operate as a true 3X2 set up. All I need to do now is just get the intake and bolt them on which will be later this winter as I have other things that I'm doing to the car now. I just wasn't absolutely sure if the adapter would work good or not. I was leaning towards the 3X2 intake but I just thought I would get as many opinions as I could since this will be my first try with the 3X2.
I have to agree if you already have everything but the intake then buy the intake. I only used the adapter because intakes for big blocks are as scarce as hens teeth and prohibitively expensive. But it does work and very well I might add.
"Some things are made to sell and some things are made to work." Words of wisdom.....never heard it put quite as simply as this......
Yeah, I am still holind out for some one to make a 4 x 2 Buick 300 intake so I can rid myself of the 4bbl that's on there. Always wondered if I should go back to the 2 x 2 adapter to a 4bbl that was on there originally. The thing is that it just would not perform as good as it does with the 4bbl unless an actual intake was created for my engine. Like I said, I am holding out.
personally i would get a 3x2 offy manifold..but thats me.. Dickster27 on here,,hamber..sells what ever you need for these even has that goofy abortion you speak of
worth it..and im sure you could find one in the HAMB classifieds..also if your going to be looking..again check out this guy http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/member.php?u=2208
It's been my experience the carbs are tougher to find than the intakes. I bought a good used Edelbrock intake for $90. Three stud holes were stripped but that was an easy fix. Not including linkage and plumbing I have less than $200 in the carbs & intake. There was a "universal tri-power" set-up on Craigs list in Springfield, IL last week. Can't recall what the asking price was but it didn't seem like a "deal". For a 383, I wouldn't even consider this thing. I'd bet most guys don't even use the secondary carbs with the adapter, and you're gonna want/need more than a single two-barrel.
The 3x2 set up does work great!fficeffice" /><O></O> Make sure your adapter is made for your carb, I was told that some adapters for the 4 barrel to 3 carbs were only made for the certain 3 bolt carbs. Since the 97's fit in a smaller space, the supposedly they will work on all of the adapters, or perhaps the older ones. Since the Holley 94's have that little extension on the front of float bowl it creates some clearance issues. If you are using it on a SBC, you will need to replace the distributor if us are using the large version of the electronic ignition.<O></O>
Go with the real deal 3x2 intake ! An adapter just adds 3 carbs to choke down to a 4 bbl intake . Does that answer your question ? RetroJim
sexy enough for ya? ones an Edelbrock..the other is Offenhauser.. its worth the $ i like em so much i have one for each of my toys
Do the true tri-power set up!! I did, and it blows the old Holley away! It's got the fun & cool factor in one package!! Charlie Price at "Vintage Speed" sells a unit ready to run, for a reasonable price.
Id also go with the 3x2 Edelbrock intake and also if you don't have the bases checkout ebay motors tripower .There are deals on the bases with linkages ,I bought a set and saved 100.00 Have not put together yet .They are new
I have all the carbs and they have already been worked over and ready to go. I also have the linkage and aire cleaners the only thing I need is the intake and fuel log.
so i mew one is only $150 more!! Go for the new one. I've been running trips on my T bucket & as far as i'm concerned nothing looks better! prefoarmance isn't too shabby either Jimv
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