Finally got it found a great deal on one and waited a few weeks for it but it was worth it, now all I need is the right valve covers and water pump and a few small parts and I will be ready to fire this engine up.
I plan on firing the engine for the first time and breaking it in on a 4bbl, I was just testing this on there. The carbs are 48's that I rebuilt with new including throttle plates and shafts with oversized bushings. I think I will be ok on tuning them "Can't be any harder than a side drafts on a VW". I have been looking for this manifold for months though.
I fired my car with a brand new cam on a fresh engine on all 4 carbs. They tuned in pretty easy and I was able to break the cam in no problem. After driving the car I found that I WAS having an issue with my firewall throttle linkage pulling back all 4 carbs so the secondaries were getting hung up and fowling out plugs. I think I got that all squared away now though.
Mine is all new as well but I want to break the cam in on the 4bbl, call me a wuss but I can't afford to rebuild again with other problems I have now with my daily driver. What are your engine specs? Just trying to get an idea what to expect on mine.
I have a 1956 265 bored .125" (283") with a 097 cam '57 heads with a port and polish, stock crank and new internals. Nothing crazy just basically what you'd expect from a stock '57 Corvette engine.
Those are real cool intakes.. Just got mine a month ago or so. Can't wait to get the 283 fired up and dial in the carbs but it'll be months before that happens. I plan on firing up the 283 and tuning it in with the stock 2-bbl that's on there right now then when the motor is tuned in right, switch over to the 4x2 when it's all rebuilt. So, you're not a wuss for wanting to fire it up with a 4-bbl first then switching.
Mine is not as cool but I wanted to be sure I had enough power. It is a 350 4 bolt main. 10.6:1 with bowtie heads, I got a really good price on those parts as a running engine but I pulled it apart to throw gaskets at it and found it to be a little worse for wear. My 401 Buick was the same so I chose to rebuild the chevy first and build it with parts I can swap over to the Buick when I get to it.
dieselc where did you get the bushings and shafts for the 48's? Were you satisfied with the quality of parts. I have found that the shafts vary a lot. I am going to run the same setup but with an Edelbrock on my 324 Olds. Right now I am setting up a set of 48's on a 283 hence the ?
Mine are stromberg parts from Lucky's hot rod shop VTW, they fit perfect. I would suggest getting the reamer tool, I did not and had to find a drill bit that was close to it in size. Summit racing also carries the stromberg shafts.
I just sent my 97's to Uncle Max and let him do his thing on them. They're perfect right out the box...literally!