One of my brainy ideas is to put a two barrel GM throttle body injector on an aluminum manifold where a three mounting hole Stromberg is supposed to be. GM has three holes, but of course they don't line up. So I was thinking of obtaining a 3/4 to 1 inch aluminum plate and drilling holes for the throttle bores, three recessed holes to bolt the plate to the carb mount pad, and tap three holes to mount the GM body. Then someone suggested plastic or wood. Wood would be easier to work with and it shouldn't be too hot on the manifold (no heat riser). Anyone think wood might be a problem? Thanks Abe
You're making a thick carb adapter, not a spacer. I would use aluminum. If it were simply a spacer hardwood would be fine.
we used hardwood all the time ( ash or maple ) . after your done machining it , seal the throttle bore areas with gasoline proof epoxy and also make sure your heat riser works properly otherwise you can smoke it .
I like to use phenolic myself. Machines easily and is a poor conductor of heat. Depending on how much strength you need and possible thin sections, you may be better off with aluminum.
Use a good grade of alumnium. Had a throttle body adapter that was cast. It would allow the gasket to blow. Took the adapter to work and one of the tooling guys made me one from some stock. It lasted.
I have used long strand fiberglass filled bondo(kitty hair). I make a form for the outside and put it on a flat sheet. Another flat sheet is pushed down on the mess before it hardens. Use masking tape or mold release so it comes apart.
Has anyone tried using Pyrolytic graphite? It is a insulator in the z direction and a conductor in the x and y direction. So it would insulate between the carb and the manifold. There might be some benefit in the conducting ... maybe putting heat in or pulling hest out. Any thoughts?
Most everyone seems to be missing the fact that he wants to drill and tap the adapter to bolt the throttle body to. It's a fine thread metric bolt. If he wanted to use something other than aluminum he would have to add an insert to the back side further complicating the thing. I personally would use aluminum. It's easy to machine, threads won't pull pull out unless you get stupid with it and it works well.
Wood will work OK, be sure to seal it up really well. In my time I have even made carb adapters out of cardboard, lack of money and late at night were probably my excuse on that one. Didn't work as well as other materials but it worked to get me where I was going at the time. Anyway wood will work, not as well perhaps as other options but it will work OK.
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