My sons shop is considering having a new "old" ford Y block tri-power manifold or tri-power for the Windsor series small block put into production(maybe both). They would be made for Rochester or Stromberg carbs (no Holleys, as you know, you can get those). What do you guys think? Good or Bad idea? Looking for some opinions from H.A.M.B. members. Thanks
i would be interested in seeing sompthing like that for a smallblock ! don't know how much interest there would be though ?
i don't know of a 3-2 intake out there for a 351, would be good to be able to get one, put it together
As much as I like Y blocks, I'm not sure that it would be a moneymaker. They are fairly easy to find used. If he decides to do a Y block version, I would suggest doing the '57-'59 port size (so-called "large" port), as they are the least common. You can find early 3x2 small & medium port manifolds with relative ease...at any given time there are usually 1-2 on eBay. The Edelbrock 357 is the best-flowing 3x2 large-port intake out there & would be my choice to study. It sounds as if you are aware of the Blue Thunder 3x2 manifold for Holley carbs for the SBF. I have seen them used on 351Ws with Price Motorsport adapters. If your son's shop did produce an early-carb 3x2, they could just make the SBF version as well & recommend the PM adapters for the 351W, or possibly make their own....cheaper & easier than doing a dedicated 351W casting, perhaps.
Lots of them on ebay are junk. We were going to produce brand new ones if there was enough market for it.
Yes, your right. Blue thunder is currently behind on there orders by months. MOON cannot get them but about once a year I am told by the rep. We thougt maybe people would like them better without adapters specific for the older carbs. He has built a few that way, with custom adapters. They look good as long as you don't mind having that extra layer and more places for vac leaks.
Too small of a market... Y blocks and Windsors are not the first choice for Hot Rods to most builders. If your in it to make money, bad idea. If your in it for being the guy who did it go for it.
I haven't built a Y block in a few years, but did do some dyno (break-in & tune) on a couple of tri-power set ups. To my knowlege the 573 Edelbrock was the best, although hard to find because they didn't make very many. The next best was the Edelbrock 553. I am not familar with the 557 Edelbrock.................. I would think a lot of people would be interested on putting 97's/94's directly on the manifold without any adapters. Running a Rochester just never looked right on any Y block or for that mater..............Ford. IMHO
Instead of competing with existing Y-block products, why not make something a little different. Maybe a 2X2 for the y-block with later model Rochester or Holley 2bbl bolt flanges?
We really would not be competing. The only thing currently avaiable is used or for Holley carbs. No new Stromberg or Rochester manifolds out there that I know of.
I think tri-power for the small block would be a seller. I know i would buy a few. Actually, I would love to see something like this in production. And who ever said that SBF are not the first choice for hotrodders, I agree but it is surely up there. I am seeing a lot more SBF in cars as the years go buy. The Hot rod mentality is still alive and well.... find an affordable v8and get to work. 302's are plentiful and can make good power. Rob
I think the 3x2 for the SBF would sell well.Only ones I have ever seen are the rare factory sets.One reason you don't see many SBFs in a hot rod is because you can't get the kind of stuff for it that you can for a SBC.Y-block,I don't know.I like them and would consider a 3x2 if it had a better carb choice than the 3 bolts.
If you were building a period correct car the SBF would (generally) be at least a mid-sixties style rod anyway which would very likely have had the latest and greatest equipment on it....so why try and stick leaky old Stombergs on it since its very unlikely that more than a very few people "back in the day" would have used them on these motors in the first place? ....almost reminds me of putting Old's covers on a SBC. The tri-powers from over the counter at Ford and from the aftermarket used 'modern' tri-power Holleys back then that look (or perform) nothing like the older ones from the 40's-50's. In my opinion the older Holley (94's) and Rochester carbs wouldn't look right on a 'period correct' SBF.....now if your just going for an "old look" then I supposed it'd be OK.....but it kind of screams poser to me. Judging by the number of 351W manifolds that have been available over the years compared to the number of manifolds made for the rest of the SBF family its a safe bet that demand for 351W intake's always have been on the soft side. Save your money.....
I actually said 357, not 557, but we're talking about the same manifold. For some reason Edelbrock called this casting 357, FM573, and 573 at various times. The 553 (also FM553) was for the '55-'56 heads. 56Don, you might want to look at the Blue Thunder 3x2 for the SBF; it's similar to the FoMoCo/Shelby units of the late '60s & uses late Holley or Autolite carbs. http://www.bluethunderauto.com/id52.html I don't know who might have it in stock; as the OP noted, Art Francis owns a relatively small business, and they do only occasional casting runs of certain products. You can check with Barry Rabotnick at Survival Motorsports http://www.survivalmotorsports.com/ or John Mummert at http://www.ford-y-block.com/ who are both BT dealers.
what is a price motorsports adaptor? i have a 351 windsor and have not been able to find a three-two intake, a 351 is wider than a 302 so the 302 intake will not work on a 351w, thanks
I have absolutely NO idea about market. I would like to suggest, however, that if you do the casting; give some serious thought to the carburetor flanges. Three 97's or three Holley 94's are marginal at best for use on a engine the size of a 351. As others have stated, a flange for Rochester gets you into larger carbs which may be used on a 351. And while one poster objected to the Rochesters on a Ford, the small 4-bolt Rochester pattern would also fit the Stromberg WW. Like the Rochester, the WW is a larger carb, and would permit better results than the old three bolt flange. Or possibly set up the molds to have inserts to cast the flange footprint for either? Just some random thoughts. Jon.
Here. Great stuff but not for the faint of heart or light of wallet. http://www.pricemotorsport.com/ -Bigchief.
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