I have a 1957 312 Y Block with a 4BBl intake. What would be the best/ most economical choice to replace carb and which carb could someone suggest? Thank You.

 

Your engine , if the original one, would not have been a 312, but rather a 272. Same engine (Y -Block) basically, just a bit smaller in c.i.

I am pretty much a stock guy, my opinion is bound to be at odds with those who have a need for speed.I am after fuel mileage and reliability, as I have a daily driver.

I bought an Autolite 4100 from Pony Carbs. It was not the stock carb for my 59, though.They are now defunct, but he was the best rebuilder of those , as well as the 2100 2-barrel. It has been excellent, flawless really. So much so that I waited a long time to find a Pony Carbs 2100 for my 65 Fairlane. Same reliable result. But they were expensive!

The 4100/2100 are really not tuneable, if you are looking for performance. Edelbrock and Holley are the most popular brands, but many if not most put too big of a carb on their vehicle, having the false conception that bigger is better.

On a mostly stock motor, about 500 c.f.m. is plenty big enough. Too big and you could cause other problems.

Now, let all the varying opinions roll in......

Good luck sorting through them all.

Steve

 

OK. Thank You. The truck had a 6 cyl. originally. The 312 was added later.

 

New here but I'll chime with the experience I have.
For the most part I agree with Buzzard's point.
Edelbrock carbs are highly overrated IMO. I've used a few and have tried to tune a few for friends and they tend to have a bog when you stomp them wot, I've tried several things on several applications and while they got better its still there.
Also, Eddy's tend to be VERY pricey to rebuild and tune. EVERYTHING costs extra; metering rods, off road/racing spring loaded needles/seats, choke parts, pump plunger etc etc. There are a couple good things about them; They are tunable to an extent and they are a very good- take it out of the box, throw it on and go.
I've used a few autolites and they're good carbs; cheap to rebuild and you'll get your money's worth out of it many times over. The only downside, as buzzard pointed out, you're not able to make a lot of adjustments (but maybe that's a good thing (?))
The Quadrejets and Thermoquads get a lot of grief but they do work as long as they're kept up and tuned plus you can pick up a used pretty dang cheap BUT learn your casting #'s BEFORE you buy.
Holleys are good carbs and I like them also but again as buzzard mentioned, the biggest problem I see is over-carbing; people trying to throw Demon 800 double pumper on a 350 or 351 etc.
Now, my personal favorite are Strombergs but that's a different story....

 

You asked in another thread if someone could ID the 4V intake manifold you acquired. After you posted the number from it, someone told you (not me) it was from a 1955 Thunderbird.

You don't seem to "get it" .. even though I typed the same info twice in your other thread.

1955/56 292/312 4V manifolds used a Holley 4V THAT HAS A DIFFERENT BOLT PATTERN than the carbs used 1957 and later.

Not only is the carb/manifold bolt pattern different, but the Holley carbs used 1955/56 look totally different than 1957 and later, are called "teapots" by Ford/Thunderbird nuts.

So, there is no way, none that you can install a 1957 and newer 4V carb on a 1955/56 4V manifold, because it will not fit!