I've never been happy with the carb on my 292. I'm told its a shoebox, we rebuilt it over the winter. The car has a fairly fresh 292, headers, fresh tune up. The recommendations I've seen on this forum are a holley 465 cfm, summit has it for $345, the only one offered has the heat riser choke. The car has a 3-speed OD, hurst floor shift. Any thoughts on this ?





thanks, Mark

When you say shoebox - its the four barrel Autolite correct? Do you have a "B" manifold that has the later carb base pattern? Many of these newer carbs have bigger throttle bores than the holes in a "B" manifold - but that can be fixed. Get a heat isolator if you don't already have one.

Holley choices might include:

Holley 390 cfm with electric choke or fitting a 465 with electric choke kit...maybe a 570 "Avenger" model wiith dual feed - also electric choke - and a common choice due to cost and availability the list 1850  - 600 cfm /electric choke. For a streeter - the 390 might just be the best choice of performance and economic cruising.

The Demon 525 Road Demon Jr. is what I've got on mine now - had the 600 cfm Holley and it always felt a bit "soggy". Demons have electric choke, some good tuning features and look sharp.

Quick Fuel has a new 600 cfm that looks interesting to me - several nice tuning features, all polished aluminum, dual feed, electric choke - might be fun.

Some like the Edelbrock carbs - there is a 500 and 600 cfm version that will work - and we have several members who have them and like them. 

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Mark,

If it's an autolite they are regarded as one of the best 4 barrel carbs ever built. When you said that you had it rebuilt, was this with a proffesional rebuild or just new gaskets and a kit put through it? Often a kit built will leave varnish and muck in small passageways and does nothing if these smaller passages are blocked. Ultrasonic cleaning is the best way to get the muck out.

What problems are you having? It would be a pity to change the carb only to find the problem was something else.

Cheers

Warren

Grizzly (Aussie Mainline)

What you refer to a shoebox really a teapot - the original type carb? If so, there is a guy in PA that can rebuild it right and its not expensive.



Otherwise, the Edelbrock 500 CFM is a good choice as is the 390 and 465 Holleys.


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

The carb has the long top cover,gasket covers the length of the carb. My friend rebuilt it, he is a marine mechanic and asphalt circle track racer. He does soak them in the sonic tank , or what ever its called. I remember him saying the kit covered lots of carbs, lots of extra stuff. The carb has always had a low end dead spot, which is less noticed with the rebuild and tune up. I checked and I have the B series manifold, 4 barrel. How thick of a spacer would I need? I pulled out an old version of that holley I had on the shelf, the butterflies don't seem that much larger.





thanks, Mark

There has been some interesting spacer info on here recently - Ted has done some dyno work that found a "hot set-up" - but unless you are going racing (higher rpm range)......it may be more important to get a "thermal" break" between the carb and manifold. If you have plenty of hood clearance an inch thick would be OK I think. Mine is only a half inch (T-bird hood clearance isn't great) but it drops the carb temp a lot.

The 4 bores in the ECZ-9425-B manifold are only 1-7/16 diameter and many of the carbs (except the 390 and 465 Holley) have both larger primaries and secondaries. What you don't want is a sharp edged orfice right under the carb base plate, it will make quite a disturbance in air flow as the rpms go up. On the primary side, the butterfly swings right down into an edge. It is possible to use a few gaskets and space one up enough for the butterflies to swing - but.......it won't work quite right with a little hole down there. Many have modified the manifold to match the larger bores (ground diameter out to match a larger gasket) - and slotted them fore and aft as well.

This photo was sent in by Charlie McCraney - the change is easy to see here.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

If your 4BBL carb is an Autolite, that is the carb Ford used on the HIPO Mustangs in 1964/65/66 so it is a highly  regarded carb. It is also dead simple. What size are the venturies? It will be cast on the side. 1.08, 1.12, etc. Have you checked the manifold vacuum and the distributor for proper advance. Until you do then throwing another make of carb at it is just a waste of time. Pete

I would walk over a mountian of Edelbrock (Carter) or Holley carbs to get to a Autolite 4100. IMO best carb Ford ever made to run on the street.

Dan      Kingman Az.      86409

Yes check to get the ID of the present carb.  1.08 or 1.12.  Also the carb tag number would be very helpful.  If the tag is absent, there is a number on the foot below the accelerator pump rod. 

Mike, located in the Siskiyou mountains, Southern, OR 292 powered 1946 Ford 1/2 ton, '62 Mercury Meteor, '55 Country Squire (parting out), '64 Falcon, '54 Ford 600 tractor.

Not all Autolite 4100's are equal. The 1.08" venturi is the best however some of the 1.08's were used as smogger carbs on the FE 428 engines.



The best 1.08" 4100's are the C6ZF which were used on the 66 Mustangs. These have the hot idle compensator, the next best is the C5ZF (65 Mustang) then the C6PF which was the over the counter replacements for the above.



If you find a C6AF or C5AF 1.08" these were 1.08's used on the full size cars with the 352 and 390 engines. I would stay away from them as they are a beast to make run right. The 1.12" are good carbs , maybe over-sized for your engine. The early 1.12" are not very desirable C2's and C3's. C4and later are good.

marv