Best Carb
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 164
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From: DOWN UNDER!!
mine is a daily driver and will be getting a 760 Holley for the air flow. You can always change the jets and fuel pumps to match the fuel to the air flow - but the 390 isn't much bigger than the 351 anyway, so similar carbs would work. 600 vac would be alright on it for a stock job. I prefer Holley's purely because the spares are so readily available down here in Oz, compared to Carter, Rochester etc... No idea what kind of access you guys have to spares and rebuild kits, but given we get all our stuff from the US, you probably have a much bigger range!
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Tuned
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 275
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I think I am going to take the Holley I have to a carb shop and have it re-built. I did try to re-build my Carter AFB and....well it didn't go so well. I figured "Hey I'm a Contractor, I can re-build this carb.....lets see where is the degreeser I can soak it in for ten hours.........."
Senior User
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 252
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Sounds like all your carb options are covered here, and your best bet is to use the one that your most comfortable with and calibrate it exactly for your application for best performance and fuel mileage.
When and if you have a lot of time and patience.. You can pretty much run anything on top to mix the air/fuel.. I adapted a '74 455 Buick Rochester Quadrajet to my Mild 390... but, that's the one I am most comfortable with and the shock and awe effect..
There are plenty of How to books dedicated to each carb for toilet time, I mean self education...
When and if you have a lot of time and patience.. You can pretty much run anything on top to mix the air/fuel.. I adapted a '74 455 Buick Rochester Quadrajet to my Mild 390... but, that's the one I am most comfortable with and the shock and awe effect..
There are plenty of How to books dedicated to each carb for toilet time, I mean self education...
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
From: DOWN UNDER!!
I'm also glad that it isn't just me who does that.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,678
Likes: 82
From: NorCal
I call it The Library... you know, that place where you do the most reading... makes yer house sound bigger too.
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Tuned
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
Sounds like all your carb options are covered here, and your best bet is to use the one that your most comfortable with and calibrate it exactly for your application for best performance and fuel mileage.
When and if you have a lot of time and patience.. You can pretty much run anything on top to mix the air/fuel.. I adapted a '74 455 Buick Rochester Quadrajet to my Mild 390... but, that's the one I am most comfortable with and the shock and awe effect..
There are plenty of How to books dedicated to each carb for toilet time, I mean self education...
When and if you have a lot of time and patience.. You can pretty much run anything on top to mix the air/fuel.. I adapted a '74 455 Buick Rochester Quadrajet to my Mild 390... but, that's the one I am most comfortable with and the shock and awe effect..
There are plenty of How to books dedicated to each carb for toilet time, I mean self education...
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,931
Likes: 2
From: Ohio
I can add another vote for the summit carb. It's what I use on my 390 and it runs much better than with the old edelbrock I had on it.
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Tuned
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
SO I tried to rebuild one of the Holley's I had and it turns out I am just not a carb guy. So I found this shop in santa ana called "The carburator shop" and this guy not only rebuilds carbs but blueprints them. In fact he has a patent on it. I guess they blueprint it and run it on an engine to be sure it is set up perfectly. Now this guy used to do all of John Waynes boats so he must know a thing or two. Costs $350 but according to him it is better than new because of the blueprinting. Little more than I wanted to spend but hey at least if there are any other troubles at least I can know it is not the carb.
Senior User
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 252
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Googled it, is this the one?? The Carb Shop Rebuild Repair Restore
I'd say he looks qualified for the job... Tests em under load... Can't say that for many carb builders.. Have em Blueprint it to your specific combo and you should be good to go... Pick a carb core brand/favorite of your choice, Looks like he does em all... Should be ready to run and be tuned/calibrated/dialed in better than new out of the box with generic settings, saving yourself all that test and tune time as well.. In my opinion, A much better decision than wasting your $$$ on that "House Brand Rebuild" you were first asking about...
Peace of Mind with the carb gives you more time to study something else in the "Reading Room"...
I'd say he looks qualified for the job... Tests em under load... Can't say that for many carb builders.. Have em Blueprint it to your specific combo and you should be good to go... Pick a carb core brand/favorite of your choice, Looks like he does em all... Should be ready to run and be tuned/calibrated/dialed in better than new out of the box with generic settings, saving yourself all that test and tune time as well.. In my opinion, A much better decision than wasting your $$$ on that "House Brand Rebuild" you were first asking about...
Peace of Mind with the carb gives you more time to study something else in the "Reading Room"...
Senior User
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 252
Likes: 0
No Worries, With such a flat plywood sheet nose to these trucks, I use a Ram Cold Air Cleaner quite effectively...
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Tuned
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
So I got the blueprinted carb installed and runs like dream exept one thing, I can't get the rpm's to go below 1500. It seems that maybe the fast idle /choke is not kicking down? Because of this I can't set the base timing. I also changed the plugs, wires, cap, rotor and points. I also found that the distributor was off a tooth so I statically timed it and dropped the dist in so that the rotor points towards the #1 wire on cap. Reason I found that was I could not turn the dist enough to get enough timing. It would seem that having this carb blueprinted and run on their engine, the choke would be set up if that really is the problem. Any ideas?