Hi All I've just sold my 57 and I'm planning my next build a model A coupe. I've got a 1957 238 220hp P/G engine which came with a set of 270hp dual quads. If I used the 283 and dual quads I guess I'm building post 55/57, would the dual quads be a popular route for guys back then or is a 3, 4 or 6 carb set up closet to what people used? Or am I over thinking it? Chris
Depends on what your goal is and how much of a stickler you are. If you plan to build a period-correct car for pre-57 or whatever then that won’t do. Many people go for a period-flavor car... not so exacting on the period details, but still cool and a lot of fun. I think the 2x4 on a 283 wold be great. John
Well, in the 50's as soon as that setup was available guys who could afford them were running them on hot rods. I had that setup on my T bucket with the 283, power pack heads and 098 cam and it ran pretty decent. I'd go with a good hydraulic cam though, lifter rattle and adjusting valves on Saturday mornings is over rated. 1975 photo
Hot rodded first-hand in the 50's and 60's, and at that time the ultimate cool was a set of Corvette dual quads. And, Corvette valve covers made it go even faster, haha! My vote is in.
A 220 hp 283 is a 245 hp with dual quads. A 220 hp 283 with FI is a 250 hp and was available with a power glide just like the 245 hp. Dual quads on any engine, stock or not, car I pass at a gathering will always get a look.... an LS did at one time now, never. I’ve run dual quads on a stock, no cam/head change non-GM engine for 6 years and have no reason to remove them. GM perfected the progressive d-q set up on the 265-283 and I guarantee it works on other engines just fine.
In 1965 I bought a 270 hp 283 complete with a cracked block for $200.. Went to the junk yard and picked up a standard 283 for maybe 50 bucks. Honed it out, bought new rings and swapped everything else including the dual quad manifold with WCFB's. Pulled the 265 out of the coup and dropped it in. Ran like a raped ape. Too bad it didn't steer or stop for crap. Cant find a photo with the hood off.
Thanks guys that's great news, I do like the dual quad set up it looks neat. I've all the factory engine parts too so I hope to have a real nice looking engine when done. Is the 098 the Duntov cam? I've no issue setting valves got had a bit of practice on 2 stroke Detroit's and Cummings. I guess a model A will need a bit of massaging to fit engine and I'll need a gear box of some sort 3 or 4 speed?? In the mean time I'll get busy building up this 283 Cheers Chris.
Hows the linkage set up on a dual quad? Is it progressive ? Does the second carb come in before the 1st carbs secondaries,or with them?
If they are real 270hp carbs the vete guys will pay big bucks for them. You could buy some real pretty “clones” already done for for less probably
Maybe research parts availability for the wcfb vs AFB's before you get to deep into it, with air cleaners on 95% percent of people looking at it wouldn't even notice unless you said something, of course you would need a new intake for AFB's. This is an Edelbrock C26 with 500 cfm Carter competition carbs
There the real deal WCFB 270 hp carbs, dual point dizzy and intake, no linkages, hard pipes or air cleaner. Yeah I've seen the price of them not cheep! It will be hard to sell them too A 4 or 6 carb set up would be cool and that's what I was leaning towards but I do like the look of the WCFB's. Thanks for the pic swade41 I've had a bit of a nosey for parts on the WCFB's and there's a little bit of stuff around.
you can get most everything for the wcfb's. If your set on running the little air cleaners like a factory setup, you are stuck on the wcfbs anyway. They have a smaller air horn diameter than later afb's or edelbrocks.
your dual quads would pay for a 6x2 setup and still have a little change left over. The dual quads though are much less hassle and run really good and still have the wow factor. We have 2 sets of 6x2's, one a 327 small block and another going on a 348 w motor and they can get spendy quickly. I have a partial 245hp dual quad setup (missing the rear carb) and been trying to piece it together and by the time I buy that one carb then rebuild both and then pick up any other missing parts I would could have a chrome plated tri power.
If you use the factory dual quads, you're pretty much stuck with using the WCFB's (unless you don't mind ugly *ss adapters), and that's if you can even find the correct WCFB's, or as already mentioned, "clones". Plus, the factory manifolds are very porous, and the heat crossover can actually burn out/through, causing an engine internal fire, pressurizing the engine causing gaskets to blow out/leak, and really ruining your day. With a factory manifold, always remove the tin oil deflector pan on the bottom of the intake and inspect the heat crossover thouroughly. Aftermarket manifolds are machined better, use better and thicker aluminum, and the carburetor spacing is such that carbs, other than the WCFB's, can be used. A lot of the early Vette owners had their dual quads/fuel injections removed, and went with a single 4 barrel for simplicity (after messing around with them for a while, so there are complete setups still out there). I have the early 56 (225 HP) manifold, and clone WCFB's, plus all the other pieces for a complete swap. I had a couple of other dual quad intakes, one an Edelbrock, and the other a Wieand WC-327 (I think that was the number), that I should have kept; it was their earlier style with the "dog-bone" mounting ports. Dual quads on a 283 done up old school would be right on the "traditional money". I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
Here's just a couple more photos showing the difference in carb spacing between the Edelbrock C26 vs. the Offenhauser, something else to think about if you don't use that stock GM piece.
Do not underestimate the value of the factory Chevy dual quad setup, sold one for HUGE money at the March Meet a few years ago to a Corvette restorer! Seems he had a 56 Corvette that was missing its carbs to be worth the Bloomington Gold....
Since you already have most of the stuff for the dual WCFB set up I would set it up and run it. You shouldn't need a lot of hard to find hard parts just a couple of good carb kits from Carbking. If you want a 6x2 setup just start collecting parts and build one up slowly and try it out once its complete. Nothing wrong with having two cool old timey set ups.
Early summer of 1960, I traded a Chevy dual quad setup for my first T roadster body which was mounted on a Model A roller frame. The duals were going in a 37 Ford. In our area flathead engines were being phased out in favor of Chevy V8's and flathead parts were as common as dirt and almost as cheap. 97's & 94's were a dime a dozen and not nearly as sexy as a dual quad setup. The big v8's with multiple two barrel carbs were still in dragsters, etc. but were kind of awkward and overkill in a street rod.
Thanks guys I like the sound of having two set ups for the 283. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
On the Corvette/Chevrolet 245-270 you don’t need to run the individual air cleaners if you don’t want to. The 1961 had a single base with properly spaces holes and. GTO filter also fits if you want a taller filter element. My base had a Danchuk sticker on it when I bought it off e-bay. The spacing of the stock Chevrolet and the Edelbrock Y-Block are within 1/16”. The repo small air cleaners are way to much $$$. Charlie Price offers the top adapter and an EMPI VW air filter fits. I used aluminum pan lids for tops. I posted a photo of them earlier. This photo is of the 1961 Corvette base; the pvc elbow is part of my PCV system.
Money is sometimes overrated, if I had the original carbs and distributor I would keep that setup. I have often looked back and regretted letting go some of the rare parts I had over the years.
Love the look of the factory dual 4's. Played with a few sets back in the 60's. A 283 with those and an 097 solid cam is a snappy little setup-sound can't be beat. My 57 fuely (283/283) had the 097 12 and 18 cam and I drove it a lot. Did not require constant adjusting of solids unless you really leaned on it a lot. With factory progressive setup they run great!
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