I have a 53 Chevy 210, Original 235 w PG. The car came with a triple carb set up but only one was working. The question I had was what's the best route on these motors, ie new cam or hi lift rockers, to go if I go ahead and hook all 3 carbs up? I already have the split exhaust manifolds with dual exhaust. I just want to get it running better. Any help would be appreciated.
Waste of time unless you add some compression, a cam, & some head work. The PG trans is going to absorb 50% of any power you add, anyway.
What sort of carbs are you running? Is the intake rare? If so, I'd try and make it work. Dual intake would be easier.
It has 3 Carter single bbl carbs on a Nicson intake. The carb numbers are 787S and 2 are 964S. Older carbs from I've found.
Nice set up. I'd try and run it. Carbs are Carter YFs, good carbs. You need to get hold of Carb King here on the HAMB. http://www.thecarburetorshop.com/Carter_YF_Chevrolet.htm
Yeah I'd like to run them but I have to figure out what I need to do to the motor. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Leave it as it is. I run a 261 (same engine) with that set up. Have run Strombergs, Carters and Rochesters, They are all too much carb for the engine. I have ported head with lots of mods, best flow and high compression and still only need two carbs and that is in my Avatar Bantam altered. If they are not already, block off the two end carbs and just go with the center. You can spend thousands of dollars and still only raise the HP a little. I run this engine because it has been in the car since 1963. The triples look great but........................ Warren
Too much carb for even a slightly modified engine, or ANY 235 with the powerslide transmission. If you want multiple carbs on the 235, 3 is better than 2 if you choose them correctly. Three Carters from a 4-134 Willy Jeep engine would run well on a stock or slightly modified engine. For a trailered racecar, they would also work well, but 3 Carter 420s type W-1 from 1939~1940 Chevrolet might give you a bit more top end (this only for highly modified engine, and manual transmission). If you go with the Willys carbs, use solid linkage, NOT progressive. And don't even think about considering using all three of what you have even with progressive linkage. If you really want to know why 3 is better than 2, check the intake port configuration on the cylinder head. Physics and math are your friends! Replacing the powerslide with a manual transmission will give you more performance with a single carb than you will get with a stock engine and 2 or 3. And should you totally ignore the above comments, I can supply rebuilding kits for what you have. Jon.
CarbKing......thanks as usual for great advice. You also just gave me an idea......I have a variety of Carter YF's on the shelf.......as well as some Carter sidedrafts for a someday fix of my 1953 Corvette sidedraft manifold.....but.....I've been accumulating some stock Willys carbs for a couple of my Jeep projects......and I love your idea of using them X3 for a 235. Thanks.....have fun.
Tractorguy - you will have much better luck with the Willys W-0 carbs than the Willys YF carbs. The most common would be tag number 636s. If the tag is missing, watch for the code number 505 STAMPED in the underside of the cast iron throttle body. Jon
A lot of good info on set ups for the 235. Thanks Carbking! I have thought about a similar set up on a '61 235 mated to a manual tranny in my '46 Chevy Coupe. Best of luck to you tractorguy. Keep us up to date on your work.
I had an offy intake with 3 zenith carbs Not sure size but small carbs Solid cam Higher compression Split exhaust yadda yadda With a five speed and it ran great. Your carbs are too much for your engine
CarbKing.......thanks once again for great advice......I will check them out more carefully this weekend.
Interesting. So, if I were to be intake shopping for my recently acquired '53 with 235 perhaps a dual intake w/ the Rochester B would not "b" the way to go? In no way doubting, just that you see so many set up just as such that I am surprised a dual is so common if performance is lackluster.
They will work fine on the top end if driven correctly. hard to make progressive that’s why you don’t see to many setups that use them all. If you could use them all progressive and you were cruising on a hwy at 55 and started squeezing the foot feed it would take them all but it would not be breath taking by any means of your imagination. When my son was in HS I built him a 50 2 dr sedan. Stock 59’-235, Vega 4-speed w3.10 low gear and 3.55’s in the rear using a 56 drum to drum. We had 3 YF’s straight linkage and it worked good. Mileage killed him as he had a job and paying his own way. Put the single back on.. wish I’d kept it.