reliability over performance carb

[bondo-slinger]

i bought a 62 2dr Falcon for my 16 yr old daughter. the tranny is out being rebuilt now. i'm putting in a 1966 C4 from a V8 on to a 200. i changed the bell housing and such. the motor is from a 66 Falcon but it came with no carb. what would be the best carb to get for a reliable daily driver. not something i have to keep tuning every weekend. turn the key and go.

also i need a radiator. up to what yrs can i drop one in from? a guy is parting out 64 and 66 ranchero and falcon.

thanx

 

[rbohm]

8) i would use the later carter one barrel carb, or pull the head and have it modified for a direct mount autolite two barrel carb. the two barrel carb would be the better way to go, but it will also be the more expensive way since there is machine work involved.

as for the radiator, i think any falcon or mustang six cylinder radiator through 1966 should be a bolt in. i would have a local radiator shop go through it first though ot make sure it is in good shape.

 

[bondo-slinger]

i've read up on having the head machined to do a 2 bbl carb. for a plain jane stocker. no need for that.

yeah i will have the radiator gone thru just wasn't sure up to what yrs. will bolt in.

thanx

 

[Mustang_Geezer]

I'd go with one of the 1100 1v "atomizer" carbs if you want the ultimate in stock reliability.

http://www.classicinlines.com/products.asp?cat=120

Later,

Doug

 

[bondo-slinger]

the Autolite seems very nice but $400 is a bit much. thanx though

 

[fordconvert]

I would also go with the 1100. Just bite the bullet and fork over the money. For that price it should bolt on and work for years with no messing around. Thats what you said you wanted. You could also get a parts store rebuild for 1/2 that and spend the next several months trying to get it running right. You could get a junkyard one (of you are lucky enough to have junkyards that have stuff like that in your area) and spend months learning what the last idiot did to modify it so it wont run right. Got an 1100 on the wife's car and only have had to adjust the idle mixture slightly one time in the last 3 years. I think its just vibrated. If it moves again a bit of teflon tape should hold it.

 

[powerband]

I tried an 1100, ,1904, 7448 and OEM YF for the wagon's 71 Mav 170 engine (more or less). Each had it's advantages but for my driving and engine configuration, I'm using a Holley Weber 5200 series 2Bbl with simple 2X1 adapter. Engine is unmodified C8xx 170 with later (250) head milled and relieved with steel shim gasket running fairly high compression ratio, stock camshaft for mileage, dual out headers to true dual exhaust.
The 5200 gives best compromise for drivability and mileage on the wagon's capable 170. reliable idle, good light throttle cruising and fun WOT response.

The '63 wagon was built for reliability and drivability which provideS performance benefit as well. I've been trying different carb setups toward that purpose. I've found the actual driving condition operation of a carb on that car is more important than verifying OEM-specific application part carb. I've found good running 1100's, YF's and 1904's. Unfortunaetly I find some carbs, both old and NIB, have problems , idle / off-idle / accel; and WOT problems that no cleaning, jetting or parts swapping from good carb would fix , at least for me...

Have Fun

 

[Lazy JW]

....

also i need a radiator. up to what yrs can i drop one in from? a guy is parting out 64 and 66 ranchero and falcon....

A 40+ year old radiator is NOT what I want my daughter driving In fact, when the radiator in her 1990 GMC pickup stared leaking this summer we just ordered a new one and installed it; should be trouble-free for a while anyway.

Just pony up and buy a new one. You won't regret it.
Joe

 

[CobraSix]

Anytime you ask about prefered carbs, you will get as many answers as their are options.

Here is my opinion. Go get a stock Autolite 1100 1V carb. I think you can get stock style rebuilt ones for about $120. I tried all sorts of 1vs when I started out and found that the 1100 was about the most reliable performer and was not very finicky. Heck, I was even able to keep it running without a choke in the middle of winter (don't ask about the choke, it was my fault, not the carb's).

Regards,

 

[CZLN6]

Howdy Bondo Slinger:

FYI- a stock '66 six cylinder distributor is a Load-O-Matic type. It's vacuum advance system is married to a Spark Control Valve (SCV) found only in Pre- '68 carbs. FOr factory correct function and tuning the carb and distributor are married. Changing one warrents changing the other. So ease of getting it going with least adaptation would be an Autolite 1100 from a 1966 200 with a C4 Trans. Auto trans 1100s are different from standard trans carbs.

IF you intend to change to a later Carter YF one barrel, or a Holley/Weber you should also plan to change to a later distributor, that matches the ported vacuum signal from these later carbs. The later distributor will also have centrifugal advance.

Both Autolite 1100s and Carter YFs are noted for simplicity, but also have a weak accelerator pump system that requires periodic rebuilds, every couple of years. IF don't know about the reliability of the H/W. It would require an adapter as per Powerband's post. He would know about it's durability too.

Hey PB- what distributor are you using with your H/W?

Adios, David

 

[powerband]

Howdy Bondo Slinger:

FYI- a stock '66 six cylinder distributor is a Load-O-Matic type. ... ... the H/W. It would require an adapter as per Powerband's post. He would know about it's durability too.
Hey PB- what distributor are you using with your H/W?
Adios, David

The '71 Maverick 170 C8xxx engine has the OEM dual vac port POINTS distributor. Thankfully there's been no reason to change it. It's using manifold vac with only rear port advance.(OEM was YF w/non SCV)

I consider the 2Bbl H/W 5200 to be a fairly small carb for the 170 useful from MPG concerns . Also small CFM primary may work better with low RPM flow?, problems with low throttle/RPM response is more problem with bigger carbs.

The wide use and variety of applications and swapped parts makes most 5200's a gamble. Best OEM application i found is late 70's 2.8V6 Ford / Capri.

Popular vendor for vintage six es sells Carte/Weber 2bbl's. I think those are smaller CFM than the 5200 generally and are synchronous, used in multi carb vintage applications.

 

[jamyers]

I'd go with an Autolite 1100. Extremely simple, dead reliable and easy to deal with. Seriously, if you're not into rebuilding or tweaking one to get it right, the Pony Carbs route isn't as long-term expensive as you might think.