Looking to pick the brains of the informed and well versed here on the Hamb. I've got a 59 Belair w/ the 235 and i need more go. i dont need a whole heap and dont want to go crazy on the mods i just want to some realistic bonuses.... I've seen the dual 1bbl set ups around but i run LPG as my main fuel source and tuning two carbs is hard enough letalone introducing such a sensitive fuel source to the mix. Other than this and a HEI dizzy from Langdons the engine is stock. so i am looking at getting 1 x 2 or 1 x 4 set up and wanted some advice on which way to go. i heard somewhere that these set ups arent the greatest on cars that need the pull low down.. is this correct? it seems to me that pretty much anything within reason would be an all-round improvement on the 1bbl rotty... would a single 2bbl still be a decent improvement? I was thinking about getting one of those cliffords kits with the 38-38 Dgas weber, complete with a set of headers. or contacting Langdons to see if they have anything for 2bbl from offenhauser or something.. i have seen those adapters that Langdons sell to use the old manifold with the 2bbl to 1bbl adapters but being a 59, and needing vertical room for an LPG mixer i am guessing that hood clearance will be an issue. could anyone here with some experience chime in on this set up from cliffords at all? would i be better off going down the 1 x 4bbl road or would the 2bbl 38-38 be the best for a stock set up for an everyday car that isnt fond of steep hills at the moment? i would contact the manufacturers themselves but having a background in automotive spares i know suppliers are hardly going to say "no buy the other guy's one, its better, and here is why..." i am thinking i am going to swap out the ironglide for a th350 later but thats much later probably at the end of the year and i want something thats going to impove life for the time being aswell as the future without having to go very far with the mods. any advice on the best way to go please? -Doug-
Hi, I think you'll find that running twin carbs on LPG is not that much of a h***le, as long as you can add a second mixer and adjust the fuel rate accordingly. Synchronizing the carbs would be no different from a petrol set-up and you'd lose no bottom end - the dual carbs actually give the engine a more balanced mixture than the single barb arrangement. In my experience the twin carbs works fine. A staged Weber would be a good choice for both performance an economy and you'd only have to add a gas mixer to suit. Are you sure you don't have room for both an adaptor and the mixer? A good low restriction (header/extractor) exhaust system would also help performance considerably, as the standard manifold is pretty restricted. Also having that extra gear in the TH350 would help matters over the Iron 'Glide. Hope that helps.
Trying to run dual or triple Rochester 1 bbls on a '59 will be a problem because of the hood structure. If you do go with multiple carbs, consider using the Ford Holley 1bbl carbs from a 223 Ford six instead. These are about half as tall as a Rochester model B. Generally speaking, running a single 4bbl carb is nearly always the best overall way to go, and that would be my suggestion here. 4bbls are shorter than the model B rochester also. A small 4GC off a 283 V8 would be a cheaper alternative to the Holleys and Edlebrocks and they work fine.
thank for the input mate. if i go w/ a single carb set up in a 2bl or 4bl i can also then use a sprint gas new generation mixer which is pretty much the best mixer you can get without going straight gas and finding something from gas research to fit. New gens include the air filter ***embly as the mixer has a lift diaphram which is more or less intengral to the mounting design which also gives it a pretty good chance of clearing the hood without having to go with 2 of the 59 filter ***emblies that mount off to the side. one is ok but two of those bathtubs? not a fan.. i wouldnt say i DONT have the room for sure as i'm really not too sure but as it stands with the 59, with a normal SGA gas mixer bolted to the top of the 1BL and the filter that sits to the side of the carb, we are talking clearance is in the millimetres. i would say even with a thinner mounting point on a single carb, between this and the mixer i'll be cutting it close and may need to mod the top of the filter cover on the new gen. its not that i am against the 2 singles as they look pretty cool and the reviews are good. i just see it becoming more difficult on a daily beater when all the hurdles are laid out infront of me.. as for headers, definately going to go down that road. i am just deciding between buying the cliffords complete bolt on kit to know it all goes together or grabbing myself some fentons.
Yeah, my original plan for my '59 BelAir was to run a 2x1 on the 235, but it didn't look like the carbs would clear the hood. Maybe a sidedraft intake would work, but I think those are pretty rare. Snarl has some good suggestions.
Agreed on the hood clearance completely. 59's are that close to the carb as is its not funny. regarding the 4bbl yeah thats kinda how i am beginning to lean. for the last few months i've had 2bbl in my head but the more i look into a smaller 4bbl the more i am thinking it might be the plan. i was just worried i might over carbuerate it but now you mention the 283, even *** a v8 the capacity isnt too big a gap from stock config's.
yeah i've never come across a side draft. granted i mostly troll ebay but thats where it all more or less ends up these days. and i've been trolling 235 intakes on ebay for about 18 months waiting for a bargain. lol. slant six tripple sides on the other hand..... everywhere!
Lots of different stovebolt intakes to drool over here. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=200740&highlight=stovebolt+intakes
Schwing! that thickstun one looks nuts. if i had that i'd buy another 235 just to run in a 30's w/ no hood i like the look of that manifold so much.
I'd go with a large 2-bbl or small 4-bbl - Somewhere around 400 CFM. But I'd also upgrade the exhaust - A header and good flowing muffler system. That's my 2-cents worth.
Kevin is making a prototype side draft for me as we speak. will post a pic when it gets back here......
The Jalopy Journal
