Hi all Hope I am not asking the proverbial piece of string question here! However just wondering what a ball park value was for an original neat clean tri power air cleaner to suit 1960 390 Cadillac engine? Obvious answer whatever someone was prepared to pay!? I would appreciate a ball park. Seen some on a popular auction website in the US for $1250-1500 was wondering if this was reasonable! Also if the linkages are missing for the carbs, any know how difficult it is to fashion up some new ones? Can a new kit be made up without costing you the value of the whole car? Thanks for your help!
most everyone tossed the big air cleaner to go to 3 small chrome ones ive heard a $1000 is not out of the norm 59 and 60 looked the same the 58 had a star pattern creased in the lid good luck on your quest
I have recently found one with carbs for 600 bucks. Seen them as high as 1500 but they better bolt on and work for that much
Are you trying to put a setup together? If its for a hotrod I wouldnt pay $1200us for it. You can get plenty aftermarket or stock intakes and build a set for less. Check the forsale or put a add in the wanted section here and see what you find.
Thanks for the info, I have seen that much just for the aircleaner - no carbs!! I will give you the rundown. Building my '49 Caddy, looking at giving the original 331 some extra pep with a cool look. Was thinking of adding 365 heads and a tri carb set up to make this happen. I am down under in Australia, where the fuel mixes with the air rather than the other way round or something like that or maybe its the way the water goes down the toilet bowl? I dont know anyway I digress. Its hard to find this type of kit here, and when you do it usually costs a kidney or two. I found a set of the original tri carbs here is Australia, was trying to guage if it was a good deal. I dont have to have an original set up, just hoping to get a tri carb look for a set of 365 Caddy heads. Cheapest option is fine by me! Thanks Hambers
I"m no expert, but I think here in the U.S. about $300. would be max for the original carbs, assuming that they will need a rebuild, and are not already restored ( make sure they are indeed tri-power, just not 3 Rochester 2-jets ). You could add about $100. or so for an aftermaket linkage set. For a manifold, either find an old aluminum aftermarket, or, just as good ( but heavier, and cheaper ) stock caddy cast-iron manifold. There were plenty made. No reason to pay restorers prices, nor any reason to have a restored, exactly correct set-up. As mentioned above, use three small-diameter air cleaners, which I think look far better, more "hot-roddy", for sure. One thing you might consider, would be to use 390 Cad heads, though. The valve centerlines are further apart, allowing larger valves ( IF they fit in 331 cylinder bore??). The 390's still use the siamesed center two exhaust ports, but have a cast-in devider, to increase efficiency. Mark
Feel free to send me ALL of those $300. original Caddy tripowers that you have available. Don't bother adding the A/M linkage. Jon.
Chief - the price you would expect to pay for a genuine air cleaner will depend on condition, but the prices you mentioned are certainly reasonable, possibly even low. Be advised there are MANY different factory tripower air cleaners. Chevrolet had at least 3 different. Pontiac had 17 different (not counting the individual "pie pans"). Oldsmobile had at least 4 different Cadillac had at least 2 different. Make sure you get the correct one. And while you probably are not looking for maximum performance, tests have proved time and again that the large aircleaners flow significantly more air than the small individual units. This means both more power, and better fuel economy. Of course, the little individual units will have more "eye appeal" to many. Just something to consider. If you like this style, the Pontiac GTO units will fit, have been reproduced, are readily available, and reasonably priced. Get the set for the 1964~1965 GTO (the 1966 set is different, and will not fit). As to linkage: Original vacuum linkage is both difficult and VERY pricy. If you wish to use aftermarket linkage, take a look at the factory dealer installed mechanical linkage sold by Pontiac. The 1961~1964 Pontiac large car linkage could easily be adapted to a 1960 Cadillac. By all means, resist any who would suggest the aftermarket linkage that requires an extended throttle shaft for the center carburetor, and places all of the linkage on the passenger side. The factory aftermarket Pontiac stuff is MUCH better. Jon.
there's long and short answers to your questions. for someone restoring a caddy that's a reasonable price--especially if the batwing's there an everything's original (carbs). I know where there's a complete unit for about that money. From a hotrodder's standpoint IMO much less. Maybe 6-8 complete but i see units (factory) with carbs only going for $600 all day long. (he says knowing that it would take more than that to buy the offy 3 x 2 in the shop with a set of 94's on it). I'm not sure on the 3 x2, but the 2 x 4 had specifically tuned carbs one was like a 490 and one like 505 cfm--but most people interchange for edelbrok 500's or Holley 600's (don't really fit if you ask me, but holly has a following) and it's close enough--the resto guys pay out the nose for the original carbs though. to a restorer the 2 x4 (sorry I digressed) is probably a $1000-$1500 set-up too. I sold my last 2 x 4 intake, after toting it around for like 4 years for $100 just to have some money to spend on other stuff. just my humble 2 cents
Thanks all for the input, always good and adds to what I have to think about! The reason I was looking at this set up was mainly for the carb's and manifold. Seemed I could pick up the carb's, manifold and air cleaner for a decent price and then on sell the air filter to offset the cost of the carb's and manifold. As the filters seem to be worth a packet to some. However from what I have been told here, might be easier and less running around to source an after market aluminium manifold and a set of 3 carbs and join them up. I am not looking for original Caddy necessarily, just a tri set up that will work with the engine and not cost me a kidney to buy. I like the tri set up over the double, and also the three smaller air filters. Sorry Carbking- happy to trade some performance for some coolness
Chief - like I posted earlier, if you like the small air cleaners, then you should use them. Again, that is why I suggested the GTO cleaners. The 1964~1965 repro GTO air cleaners will fit the 1959~1961 Cadillac 3x2 carbs (NOT the 1958 Cadillac 3x2 carbs which are different). Jon.
Thanks Jon, greatly appreciate your expertise and assistance. Will post an ad in the wanted section in the not too distant future Cheers Cam
I dare not challenge the Carb King....or do I? The Tri Power was not a Caddy option in 1961 - available on 58-60 only, and yes, the 58's were different. Delco rebuilds the Rochesters - bought mine about 3 years ago - my intake came from a 59 Eldo - they fired right up after only minor adjustments.
Challange away, especially when you are correct, as you are. My post of 1959~1961 was a typo, should have been 1959~1960. Wouldn't it be nice if the makers of "spell check" would come out with an option called "typing check"? Jon.
Sold one 4 years ago for $2,200.00 Intake, carbs, "Batwing" air cleaner, kickdown etc..complete unit ready to run.
I just sold a '58 tri-power starburst air cleaner (just the air cleaner) in great shape for $1500. I wouldn't have let it go for any less. This was just a few months ago. I imagine that a complete reconditioned set up with the correct carbs and linkage would run upwards of $3000? If you're not building a numbers matching car, I would definitely consider a stock tri-power manifold with carbs and linkage built to suit and finish with air cleaners of your choice. I have a few of the stock tri-power manifolds lying around, hit me up when your ready to start on this.
Look on the bright side.. a Caddy tri-power air cleaner is worth about a third (if that) of what Lincoln 430 one is worth! I like where you're going with this... would love to see tri-power on an earlier car.
One thing to remember when piecing together any factory multiple carb setup is that the intake manifold, generally being cast iron, was much more durable than other components. The intake is virtually always going to be the easiest to find and least expensive component of the setup. And yes, I am aware of a few factory aluminum intakes. Jon.
deals come and go. mine came as a running driving 54 GMC for $340. if I could do that once a week I would retire
anyone know who and where i can get an after market alum. intake and valley cover? i have a stock 55 dual fours intake i was thinking of using in my 53 cad pickup.
Was there a difference in the casting of the bridges (where the bolts go, and where they all always crack) between each port. I'm not sure but I think one or another year, probably the later year, had thicker casting in these areas. Can anybody set me straight?
Wow, was just searching back on my initial post and found these later replies. Thanks for the extra info, still working on my rebuild and trying to accumulate parts. S L O W ...... Is it possible to get the tri Rochesters to fit an Edelbrock/Weiland aftermarket manifold? Or are these only for the 94's/Strombergs etc? Is it even necessary to use one of these over the standard factory intake? Considering I am in Australia, I am hoping to not have to post a cast iron manifold here - it could well end up the most expensive part of my build!! If there is no reason to do so, looks like I will be in the market for a tri set of carbs and the factory manifold. Oh carbking I looked at the air cleaners you suggested and they look fine, maybe not as cool but certainly ok!
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