I'm in the process of gathering parts for my T coupe build and have always wanted to have a tripower. I collected the carbs and have been on the lookout for a decent priced intake. I figured I'd find a good deal at the Portland swap meet. So the first day I was at the racetrack and didn't find one. Friday I went to the expo. After searching for most of the day I found a booth selling lots of intakes. I could see one in the back and asked about it. I could see it had $175 written in it in marker but couldn't really tell what brand it was. Guy said it was an offy and it was $200. He was a dick so I walked away. If the guy wasn't acting like a snob I might have pointed it out but thought "eff him". A couple rows over I found an edelbrock for $175. Score! So to make a long story longer, when I got home and went to put my carbs on... They didn't fit. Turns out the intake was for large base carbs. I have six small base carbs. I've seen adapters but they all look like horrible billet. The intake is numbered C362. Did I get hosed? Are these intakes worth what I paid if I choose to sell it? I don't really want to buy all new carbs.
Paint the adapters if the alloy bothers you that much, or make your own adapters? I don't know about the different carb base size but I used the same manifold with Holley '94s large bore and painted adapters, looks good to me.
that intake looks sweet. get yourself three rochester 2g carbs, and run it! that is what i run in the chevy, outboard carbs just plug the primarys (i used jb weld- shhh don't tell) this set-up is cheap compared to those pricey strombergs. as long as the butterflies close tight when you are not on the gas, you are good to go
You already have the carbs, use the adapters, smooth out the corners to match the carb bases, paint them to match the carbs or the intake. (done it before.
Not to start a drama thread.. but, I can't see starting with the wrong intake, then spending even more money for adapters that look goofy (to you) , and then end up using 3 primary 2GC carbs...only to have a sub standard Tri-power setup that won't stay in tune over time, due to vacuum leaks at the throttle plates. There is a reason GM 2G factory outboard Tri-power carbs are totally different than a primary carb. I am cheap as it gets, but I would not use 3 primary carbs. The small base 2G outboard Tri-power carbs were used on Pontiac, Olds, Cadillac, and Chevy 348 in the 1950s, and still show up on the classifieds at times. I found a Olds J2 intake with both outboard carbs for 200 shipped on hamb, and then sold the bare intake manifold for 40 at a swap. I consider that ($160 net), a good score for two correct outboard carbs.
Speedway sells a kit that has new proper bases for the outboard carbs and all of the linkage and gaskets kits needed to rebuild the 2G carbs. Catalog shows $369 which seems reasonable to get around the headaches.
My understanding of the speedway kits is that they are for small base carbs, which I have. My dilemma is my intake is for large base carbs, which I don't have. I'm either going to sell the intake or trade it for a small carb base intake. Thanks for the responses.
is it possible to redrill the intake for the smaller carbs? put a gasket on top of the holes and see what you got still cheaper than adaptors
I was thinking of that too. It's a really nice NOS intake so I hate modifying it. I'm talking to a guy now that might swap for his small base intake. If not, I might just try selling it and buying the right one. That's the cost of knowledge right?
You've got me wondering what I have. I bought a tri power set up on an Offy sbc intake last Fall which we plan to use on my 350 engine after the new cam is broken in. It has 3 primary carbs (each has it's own choke) but the base plates supposedly can be closed all the way on the end cards. They are also 4 bolt rather than 3 bolt and I'm thinking they are probably Rochesters or Carter carbs. I'll have to look later this week when I'm down at the shop where the car is now.
First off.. the intake is for small based carbs. Rochesters. As opposed to the larger based Rochester carbs used on later GTOs and such. The Strombergs are a different animal. A lot of the old intakes had both bolt patterns on them, so you really dont' need to use an adapter, just drill the 3 bolt pattern in this intake.
The Jalopy Journal
