Who has one, and really does some racing with it? I just got mine ( after much fiddling...) to actually work pretty smoothly, and bring adequate fuel into the mix, evenly with rpm...I took the heavy, resisting spring out of the Rochester's accelerator pumps, and the end carbs are now, finally, providing enough fuel to allow the rpm this combination desires...it pulls hard, now beyond 6000...but, does anyone know how these systems compare to a single 4 bbl. set up e.t. wise? can a properly set up tri-power system hold its own with a more modern, single 4 bbl./single plane intake, anyone ever do a comparo on the same combination, with, again, a PROPERLY set up tri-power?
The factory tri-power on my pickup, 390 FE has about 50 plus HP more than any 4 bbl I have tried. Its driven every day, you can tell a great difference. 1/4 mile times reflect this to over a second. My mileage is better with the 3 carbs. As for the drags, its been thru the traps several hundred time in the last 35 years, with the tri-power, dual quads (gas eaters) and several 4 bbl carbs. Three carbs rule on an FE!!!!!!! 3400# F-1 in street trim Best ET 13.20@105MPH its a daily driver!!!...........OLDBEET
It was either Hot Rod, Car Craft or Popular Hot Rodding that did a manifold shootout with 4 barrel, tri-power and tunnel rams. Street tunnel ram made the most power. Victor Jr was 2nd. Least power was a tri-power set-up from Automotion (www.hotrodcarbs.com) This was many years ago and the mag did not want to fiddle with the set-up. Checkout Automotions new tri-power tunnel. Even if it doesn't make power, its cool looking.
thanks for the replies...I am definitely interested in the "real world/at the track" responses, I don't see too many folks running 'em, at the drags, even on nostalgic contraptions, so...if any of our resident racers have conducted experiments, or know some one who has, and maybe some data...I'd love to hear that, and anything else pertaining... personally, I was quite impressed with the way this thing pulled, after I got it dumping fuel...f-er was downright nasty...would it be downright nastier with a Torker/750? ( it still wouldn't look as cool, though...)
Look up the retro 327 build article that R&C did. Tripowers are almost always less hp than a 4 barrel.
with LOTS of tuning, they can make as much power as a tri power, but very rarely will they make more.
This is really recent, and as they say, "Ain't nothing better than cubic inches", back in the 80's I had a "real" 427 63-1/2 Ford Galaxie. Started out with a Q motor, single 4brl 410HP. Ran in high 12's, around 12.8 with stock intake and carb, put a 406 tripower on it and broke into the 12.5's. Then put the sidewinder intake and 850 Holley and was in the low 12's, around 12.2. So, a least from my experience on street motors (I have build a couple of tripower setups) they are great and look really neat, but for racing you can get much more HP from a single 4brl and the right manifold. I will say one other thing here, intakes and carbs do not make HP by themselves, it takes the right cam, heads, timing, and exhaust.............and it all has to work together to make that elusive HP. If you want to go racing with your tripower, go ahead. They look very cool and make decent HP. Here is one I am building for a friend with 312 Y Block.
I'm running a 3x2 setup on a 377 ci in a 55 chevy and run it at the track. Bottomline is yes a 4 barrel will out perform it but there's nothing quite like a 3x2 set up with a 4 speed. It's set up with a prgressive linkage and this set up works for me. I don't have any dyno data or anything like that but this engine pulls up to 6500 rpm and the three carb set up works really good with this engine. -CC-
My 327 was noticeably different when I went from the tripower to the dual quads. Way more power. But I was going from 3 94's to 2 new Edelbrocks, so that might have factored in as well. I made more changes before I brought it back to the track, so I don't know the actual time difference for just the carb change. I'd expect a single 4 would work even better. But I haven't tried one on this engine, so I can't say for sure.
Unless you're wanting vintage equipment, look at the Barry Grant tri-power setup. It could be interesting, even though it costs both your kidneys.
When I had the 29 A coupe with the 348 tripower and a 4.10 gear, I swear when the two ends came in it would pull stumps. I just needed a really long chain!!!!! Don
I think I am going to run this combo, with the Rochesters that I have on it now, and see what I can extract from it ( I think that the Rochesters actually have a fair chance, flow wise...the Strombergs, I don't think will be able to keep up...) and see what I can tune out of it, and then maybe slap a modern intake, and carb on it next year sometime, too...just to see...I tell you this thing is certainly not a slouch, with the deuces...I was actually expecting it to run out of steam much before it does...and...yes: it DOES look cool...
Has no one thought of the CFM rating on the carbs in question ?? Hell yeah if it's only got lets say 600 to 700 CFM on the deuces combined an 850 will possibly outperform , IF and only IF that engine NEEDS 850 or more CFM to feed it --and yes a race "worked " carb will do even better . It all comes down to as stated in a previous post what else is done to the engine , cam springs, pistons, head work or type , a lot goes into getting an engine to run --a lot more than just throwing some parts together and hoping -Yes you'll get it right sometimes but back to the original question --I think he is on the right track with the deuces for an every day driver and they should perform just as well as a comparable sized (CFM wise ) 4 BBL --better on the highway than the 4 milage and such but as well on the strip, with minimal differences --could go either way a little better or a little worse than the 4 BBL ,
absolutely... anyone who has built a drag car knows, that the combination is everything...it makes little difference if you have a tunnel ram with 2 750's on top of a stock headed, small valved, broom-stick-for-a-cam motor...it won't rev, it won't make power...the combo is everything, my question is more specifically about the NATURE...the engineering, of the Manifolds ( in this case, an old Edelbrock C357/Rochester 2 jets...) the built in flaws and advantages...sort of, does the very nature of the intake/carb arrangement put it at a disadvantage? advantage? what are they? can they be overcome? and...I know it is easy to quote the things one reads, or hears, but...I am SPECIFICALLY interested in "real world" results...I thank everyone for the replies, too...I guess what I want to know is: do you think a vintage tri-power set up, working properly, again...PROPERLY, can run the #? does the very nature of a modern 4 bbl/intake always give you better performance, all other variables being the same? hmmmmmmm....
I have a vintage tripower on my 55 chevy and I ran it at mokan for the first time. It is sitting on the same engine I have in my truck. The truck runs a four bbl and an air gap manifold. I could only get about 6000 rpm out of the tripower the 4bbl turns 7000 on a regular basis. I will definatly be keeping an eye on this post. Pooch
I don't know how period correct you want to be, but when I was a kid in the late 50's and early 60's most of the supermodifieds were running tri power setups on the oval track. By the late 60's injection became the norm, but on a short track, I don't think they were that much faster. Of course on a drag engine, capacity is the sticking point. But it's hard to beat the cool factor of tripple carbs.
Dirty - If this is a straight performance issue, you need only look back to the advent of true competition-style four barrel carbs. Once those were readily available, it only took about 15 minutes for the three deuce setups to become so much junk on hundreds of shop shelves around the country. There were good reasons for that to occur. That said, If you're looking for some "old days" style with your setup - and are willing to take the time to massage the system, and keep it in good working order (which it appears you are) - go with the three twos (I'm doing that - against advice from some friends - with the 292 inline Chevy for my roadster PU project). Have some fun and learn something new along the way. Isn't that what "HAMB style" hot rodding is all about?
A four barrel manifold will have better flow characteristics than a tri-power, just because of the runner/port arraignment. The tri-power has short dumps directly into the head ports. The four barrel has longer runners that allow tuning, resulting in the air/fuel mixture velocity being increased, and mixture improved. I ran three twos on my 406 in the roadster, and then switched to two fours. I picked up a full second, to 11.20s, with the switch. But it was because I was running out of air at about the last 100 ft on the strip because of CFM limitations - you could actually feel the car acceleration flatten out during the run. The tri-power worked just fine, and I ran it with progressive linkage, because the car was a street-strip car. So I guess the the answer would be that the tri-power will run fine as long as you stay within the parameters of your engine. A four-barrel will accomplish the same result with less chance of problems because of lack of linkage connections, lack of synchronization need, and fewer working parts in general. The cost difference is also a consideration in a lot of cases. The cool factor is a no-brainer. Mutt
I think the real question here is: Do I want to be gay with a single four or should I be cool with a tri power Just kidding- mostly. If you want real world testing PM Flatdog on this board. He had a flathead in a 34 coupe. He tested every possible manifold and carb combo at the dragstrip. We run 3 94s on our HA/GR. I like 'em. I think the biggest reason most people don't use them is that they don't really understand how to make them work and don't want to spend the time learning and tuning them. It takes a lot of work. The 4 barrel is just plain EASY and cheap with lots of parts readily available. They are like small block chevies. Like was already stated- the combination is the MOST IMPORTANT thing. If you are truly comitted to make the tripower work you'd be surprised how much you can wring out of it but it'll take time, effort and a lot of trips down the strip. (how bad can that be?) Brad
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