Inliners International Forums General Discussion Hi Performance Changing my dual carb setup - 57 Chevy 235 Engine

Greetings,

I have dual single barrel rochester carbs atop a Fenton intake. I also have Fenton headers.

The carbs were rebuilt when I got them and are not the best in my opinion. I have had them rebuilt a 2nd time.

I am toying with the idea of replacing the duals with a single two barrel new carb. My concern is what intake will work with the Fenton headers. I know that the Clifford intake will not. I would prefer a heated intake. But I could go with a non-heated one since I am using water heat for the dual setup now. I really want to keep the Fenton headers.

Then there is the linkage issue too.

Let me know if you have any suggestions. I perhaps ignorantly have ruled out EFI due to my perceived thought of the high expense.

Eddie
elane@kpmg.com

PS - I apologize if that has been discussed within other postings. I did not check to see.

Contact Tom Langdon at Stovebolt, he's listed in our advertisers. A most knowledgeable man on this subject!

I ran two Stromberg BXOV-2 carburetors on a McGurk intake manifold with a Corvette six exhaust manifold on both a 235 and a 261 back in the late fifties. The setup performed well and ran smoothly. Even my mother had no trouble driving the car. If I were to do it again (and I have a 261 waiting to be rebuilt for a 1953 pickup), I would probably go with the more modern carbs that Tom Langdon provides, as Armond suggests above. The BXOV-2s would be what to use if you want to be "Period-Perfect" and have lots of money. Just having a 235 or 261 is close enough to Period-Perfect for me.

EFI conversion cost depends entirely on how much of the system you are willing to scrounge.

2 of the TBI units off mid '80s domestic econoboxes hooked to a megasquirt contoller seems the most cost effective for what you already have.

However if you would prefer carbs, Langdon has a dual 2 barrel Carter Weber setup that should work for you (last I heard he still had new carbs for that).

Thanks to all. I had contacted Tom previously. Due to the short hood clearance of my passenger 57 chevy, he had me take some measurements. He did not think that the clearance I had available would work for his carb setup.

Given that I was hell bent at the time on utilizing dual carbs, I had a shop use the thinest gaskets possible. I even took the air cleaner elements and cut them down in the hopes of getting a bit of more clearance. Even with that, I still have a slight hood bulge on the left side. The bulge is not too noticeable.

I truly believe that Tom is right; especially when you consider the height of the air filter element that goes with his carbs.

I would not even mind going with Rochester carbs again, similar to what I have, if I could get them new. But my gut tells me that only rebuilt units would be available to me.

I have been searching on the sight about EFI and megasquirt controllers. I am still going to see if I can find a nice write-up since I am a newbie when it comes to EFI.

Eddie

Dual carbs may still be do able, if your not partial to the Fenton intake, by going to another intake. Using another intake say a 2 x 4bbl, with adapter plates to the 2bbls. There maybe a better choice from Brazil for an intake. That would eliminate the adapters from 1bbl to 2bbl. If that give enough space.

Another approach with the Fenton would be to move the air cleaner(s) to the other side of the engine. GM made such an air cleaner for their Vans and big trucks where there wasn't enough clearance under the hood. I have one off a 1968 C50 with a 292. The is a flat oval tube from the top of the carb across the valve cover to the air cleaner. The air cleaner is supported with a bracket were the coil bolt in. I can take a picture of if your interested.

Larry

Yup - only the drop-base, a cover and sides need to actually fit over the carb. The filter container can be somewhere else as long as the connection between them is generous.

Panic and Larry; thank you both for the info.

Yes Larry, I would like to see a pic of the air cleaners on the other side please.

Eddie

I'm busy tomorrow, and Saturday morning, but I'll try and get it done before the weekend is over.

Larry

i just saw your post from a while back> I have owned a 57 235 for nearly 35 years. Fist dual setup was a weiand intake with 2 carter YF. They were ok and fit under the hood no problem. I later found another Weiand intake that was in pretty messed up shape and had a friend weld all of the problems up. I machined the carb mounting pads down probably 3/4 to an inch, drilled and re-tapped, used VW carb adapters and alum. plate to make lower profile adapters that the ones commonly used, and installed a pair of holly/weber pinto carbs. They run really well. Got air cleaners from Tom Langdon and the whole thing fits under the hood better that the first set up. Requires some tinkering but all in all works real well.