Technical Speedway 97 carbs

Need feedback about the performance and issues of the Stromberg 97 repro carbs sold by Speedway. I'm building a '49 8Ba, .040 over, Max 1 cam, two deuces, and headers.

 

Lots of comments when they were first brought to market by Speedway. Search 9super7.

 

I have to agree with Ryan, get yourself the real thing. I picked up a complete big logo Stromberg 97 here on the h.a.m.b. a few years ago and had Uncle Max go through it. Put it on a banger that I was building, never had a problem.

 

@Ryan, interesting read. I came across the same findings when I tried purchasing a set of "Best" brand flathead graphite head gaskets from Speedway. They now have Speedway branded gaskets, made in China using Best brand installation instructions and trademarked "Graphtite" name.

I found another supplier for the made in USA Best brand gasket set.

 

Another option is to buy some Used Holley 94’s and rebuild them.
The cores are a fourth of the price and work just as well as the Strombergs.
Unless of course you have a liking to the brand.

 

Are the "new" 94 carbs that Dennis Carpenter sells an option? They have the "assembled in USA" statement which mostly likely means from off shore parts. But Carpenter says each one is tested by them. Based on the price you could buy a core and have it professionally rebuilt and still be bucks ahead.

 

Sounds interesting but I have no experience with those 94’s.

 

stick with Clive and the new Strombergs, you'll be glad ya did........

 

Speedway sells cheap junk and doesn't stand behind their products , stick with 94's just as good , cheap to buy , rebuild kits are around $20

 

^^^This. I bought 3 97's from Clive and they have been perfect right out of the box. Excellent support too. https://www.stromberg-97.com/
and it comes in "barn find" now

 

Not mine but there's 2 NEW 97's for sale on the "parts for sale" section here, $495.
Paul in CT

 

I like the new 97's they work right out of the box. As a side note Edelbrock was making their version of a 94 although I couldn't find anyone who had them in stock?

 

Guys I know have purchased the new 97 carbs made in England. As others have stated they work right out of the box. They got them from H&H Flatheads in Calif. Stay away from the Speedway/China crap, they are junk.

 

I did have a problem with new stromberg 97s from Clive , well the primary of three anyway , basically would not run worth a darn ,started great on primary carb ,got to the gate and stumble stumble fall over..Had a peek in the primary carb .....they forgot to install the main jets!!!!!!?? But once I fitted them it ran like a dream on triples and has so for many many years. So please stromberg check you have installed main jets for new in the box carbs.
Super 97 whatever's , definitely not. No Chinese here.

 

View attachment 4665005 Or....

 

So what are we looking at here @41rodderz , not speedway 97s as the thread title says , so are these the offshore new 94 copies?? Any good?

 

I've been running dual Speedways 97's for some 15 yrs and no problems bolted on and ran fine.I guess i was lucky for 1 time.Not to say they will not give trouble down the road.

 

These are originals , rebuilt and set up for a 2x2 system and the housings polished . Rebuilt professionally by a Supercharger company . New extended shafts ,kit etc. Never been run just sitting in the cabinet for a few years. Originally I had a '40 Plymouth Business coupe with a 291 DeSoto hemi and I figured when it was time to rebuild the 291 it was either getting this set up or I was going to go big or go home with a 6x2 set up I had . But the 291 ran so good stock that I just left it as it was .

 

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I’m sorry just Don’t understand the need for new reproduction carbs. Just about every swapmeet you see a bucket of the chandler grove ford 94 carburetors and one or two 97 or 48 carbs . Sure they are used but are easy to rebuild . Now the stromberg 81s or LZ they are wicked hard to find.
The 94 carbs are usually priced at 20 to 50 bucks each and 97s under 100 bucks comparison to the price of new ones wow

 

Beware that those appear to be speedway 97’s that someone put into Stromberg boxes...

 

I hear all the time guys saying they went through several 97 cores to end up w a couple of usable carbs. My guess is some folks dont have the time, patience or wherewithal to do all that hence the "need" for new units. I've heard good things about the new Stromberg big 97's.

Sent from my LM-Q720 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Even decent 94 cores are hard to find the last year or two. When you find them, they are usually over-priced. I haven't seen a 97 (or similar) without a major defect for sale for a longer time that that.


BTW, I have NEVER seen a Chandler-Grove 94 core for sale.

 

Tubman you are correct as chandler grove stopped making the carb in 1939ish when they lost the contract to Holley continued the CG design .. I call them chandler grove being a old timer...
At the last Jefferson a buddy bought 3 stromberg 97s from a old timer for 5 bucks each . I thought I had a great deal when I got some for 20 bucks each.. but one carb was a 81.
There was also a guy in the red field with nos ford 94s in the round tubes at 50 bucks each..

 

In my situation, i don't have the need or opportunity to travel nationally in pursuit of parts. It is good to know that they are still out there if you look in the right places. I have always suspected that Minnesota is full of scroungers, now I know it.

 

Question from a guy that knows little about 94 Holleys.....I see some have numbers on them 16,20 etc.What does this indicate? any size difference on CFM,or throttle plates? If a guy was going to use them as the basis of a 2x3 intake are there any that are the best choice?

 

I had two 94's rebuilt by Ole's in San Bruno , closed down now, they are so easy and simple to ready for a flat motor. I had them on a Thickston 2 pot and they ran so so good . Easy to start affordable and dependable
Get some 94z and go on to the next issue of getting your heap on the road
Good luck

 

A bit unethical , but he doesn’t say they are stromberg 97s . Just sits them on Some used genuine stromberg boxes to infer stromberg and says they are worth @1000 a pair. actually $598 for super 97 carbs which is what they are. Sold in about 1/2 hr from listing on HAMB, to someone who I would presume thought they got a super deal on genuine strombergs. Ebay.