First I've heard of this, hard to buy anything not made off shore these days, kinda sad....... So I have a proper gauge before my fuel block and have it adjusted. Been on for several years, so hopefully it will last

When I bought my car it still had the original Load-O-Matic distributor and T Pot Carb.  I replaced them with a stock 1957 distributor and a Holley 1848-1 465 with an iron 1957 "B" intake and "G" heads off a 57 engine.  At the same time I installed a Pertronix unit and coil.  I also changed to lighter advance springs. It was an immediate and significant change you could feel.  I time my engine at full advance using a dial stye timing light with the vacuum advance disconnected.  I run 38 degrees full advance with pump high test gas and it runs great.  My car runs fine with the vacuum advance line off. It idles and drives around town much better with it connected.  The vacuum advance makes for better drivability.  It has no affect on full throttle operation.

Sounds like the 12-804 Holley Regulator. Now they are made offshore and some are assembled with the wrong Spring. Should be Red for low Pressure Unit and light Gold for the higher Pressure Units. I read some Reviews where Buyers were very unhappy because the low Pressure Units aren't low Pressure. As I understand it the only difference between the 12-803 and 12-804 ( low pressure) is the Spring.

  

I'm running a direct vacuum source,
From the port in the manifold, for
My vacuum advance..

I bought a Holley low pressure regulator from Charlie Price via his E-Bay store, Realrodder. 1-4 PSI for around $40.

The vacuum advance on a dual advance distributor is an economy feature and is not required.  On a street vehicle, it is best to have it functioning but it's fine if it is not.

The problem with using it with older carbs is that the older carbs will not provide the right vacuum signal.  This means that the carb has to be modified to produce a correct signal or manifold vacuum can be used.  Manifold vacuum might require the use of a spacer with a vacuum port or drilling and tapping the manifold if a source for manifold vacuum does not already exist or is not available.


Lawrenceville, GA

Let's shift gears here a bit. Want to discuss distributors? I have an MSD electronic distributor. It has a vacuum canister on it. I currently do you have it functioning. Been reading some of these comments, and see some of you guys have yours blocked off? If it has a vacuum canister on it ,it should be working, correct? If you have it plugged off , then ,it's not advancing? What do you guys think about this?

Mark, my Y measures 283”. I’ve been running a tripower since 2003. I plumbed it with shut off valves for each carb. Ran on the center one initially. I have a 6.5 power valve in the center carb and plugs in the end carbs. Running .51 jets in all three carbs. I had a problem with the rear carb leaking last fall when I was up in the mountains. I could turn the end carbs off and just run on the center one.

  Dennis in Lititz PA

A pressure regulator is required if a non stock fuel pump is used.   Those old carbs don't like a lot of fuel pressure. As I remember, Charlie told me to hold it at 3-4 pounds. Check with Charlie.

old car mark, .make sure that your intake ports match the ports in the head.  some if not all of the offy manifolds have small ports. they are also the worst performing manifolds  according to tests made by Ted Eaton.