Carb Swap?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Turbo4whl

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2019
Posts
3,154
Reaction score
7,319
Location
Downingtown, PA
First Name
Wayne
Truck Year
1974
Truck Model
Jimmy
Engine Size
350
I always enjoy the Holley/Quadrajet debate. The fact is the Quad was built as a street carb, good manners and good fuel economy. When the big 3 wanted a higher performance carb, they all looked to Holley. More air/fuel for the high performance muscle cars of the 1960's. Fuel economy, emissions, for the Holley's, not so much.

Holley, very simple and easy to tune. Speed shops across the nation had anything you needed. In the 1970's as the emissions regs. came in, things started to change. Highly re-engineered Quadrajets, became in some cases, a better choice. (for you @Ricko1966 )

https://www.holley.com/blog/post/holley_a_driving_factor_in_the_muscle_car_era/

I'll still stand with @Paladin Holley's are easy to use and understand. Parts are still easy to get online. He!!, you can re-jet without even taking the carb off the engine.
 

Ricko1966

Full Access Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2017
Posts
5,581
Reaction score
9,062
Location
kansas
First Name
Rick
Truck Year
1975
Truck Model
c20
Engine Size
350
I always enjoy the Holley/Quadrajet debate. The fact is the Quad was built as a street carb, good manners and good fuel economy. When the big 3 wanted a higher performance carb, they all looked to Holley. More air/fuel for the high performance muscle cars of the 1960's. Fuel economy, emissions, for the Holley's, not so much.

Holley, very simple and easy to tune. Speed shops across the nation had anything you needed. In the 1970's as the emissions regs. came in, things started to change. Highly re-engineered Quadrajets, became in some cases, a better choice. (for you @Ricko1966 )

https://www.holley.com/blog/post/holley_a_driving_factor_in_the_muscle_car_era/

I'll still stand with @Paladin Holley's are easy to use and understand. Parts are still easy to get online. He!!, you can re-jet without even taking the carb off the engine.
I have zero problem at all with this. Holley is the simplest carb to tune. I like quads because they are so refined,but if you can't set it up right,all the refinement in the world is of no value.As a replacement carb,holley would be my second choice. Besides a properly set up quad.
 
Last edited:

BRetty

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2020
Posts
968
Reaction score
2,706
Location
Los Angeles
First Name
Franklin
Truck Year
1973
Truck Model
c10
Engine Size
350
Maybe im wrong about its origins but here it is. This thing makes me smile
Not to threadjack, but it looks like you have much bigger problems than your carb. From the pictures, the cold light, the lack of color saturation, you are living in the world of "Battlestar Galactica" or "The Road" -- a dystopian sci-fi near-future hellscape! I'd stop futzing with your carb and check your compound's perimiter right now....

; - ) BR
 

ChuckN

Full Access Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2022
Posts
1,382
Reaction score
4,301
Location
Bellinham, WA
First Name
Chad
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
C10
Engine Size
350
Q jet design is a good compromise between economy and power. They have idiosyncrasies that anyone experienced can deal with. People dislike them because they don't understand the design.

For modified mild performance engines the Carter Edlebrock carb is a good choice.

I will take a Q jet every time if originally installed on a GM vehicle. Reason I say it that way is some high-performance GM vehicles came with Holleys.
You’re speaking my language. I’m old enough to have had experience with them but I was never around them. I’m sure it’s not rocket science, but when I fire up mine with the Edelbrock and it runs fine, I don’t see a reason to go back. Well, technically I wouldn’t be going “back” because my truck was a 250 I-6. It would take a guy sitting with me and explaining how they work in person and those guys are hard to come by.

The two things I will say about an Eddy is that you can walk into a parts store and get a rebuild kit for one most places and they’re easy to work on. As far as all out performance, the evidence suggests there’s better out there.
 

75gmck25

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2016
Posts
2,302
Reaction score
2,271
Location
Northern Virginia
First Name
Bruce
Truck Year
1975
Truck Model
K25 Camper Special TH350 NP203
Engine Size
5.7
The Edelbrock AVS2 is an improved design over the old 1406, and it is supposed to have better performance parameters. Annular boosters in the Venturi improve the low end fuel distribution for a better snap off the line, and the secondary opening rate is adjustable like the Quadrajet. Basic tuning with rods, jets and springs is just as simple as the 1406.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
44,390
Posts
956,231
Members
36,676
Latest member
sv_2323
Top