Three 94's won't fit on an 8BA Offy intake?

Just finished building three 91-99 model Ford carbs and thought I'd put them on my Offenhauser three duece intake to see what they looked like and they don't fit!
The bowl screw protrusion by the inlet is hitting the next carb and this ends up making the base of the carb tilt outward and leave a gap at the base.
What am I missing here?

 

Use some spacers... as in spacing them the middle one up higher...

 

I kinda wanted them all in line, but if that's the only way. I hate to have to spend the $$ to get a different manifold, or worse three different carbs, as in Strombergs.

 

Offenhauser did not believe that 3 94's would work well on the flathead so... the spacing that you have there was done intentionally so that ONLY 97's would fit.

 

Cut that protruding bowl screw right off and sand and polish the aluminum smooth on both the top and body. You can seal the carb up with one less screw. It’s not even noticeable if you make it look nice. Make sure you get some thick gaskets.
Also, You are going to have a harder time with your linkage if you raise the center carb

 

Don't know of any manifold that 3 94's will fit on. There might be one, but not common. What we used to do, way back when, is grind the part of the bowl where that screw is off the carbs to make them fit.

 

How much interference is there? Is it too much to allow some "finessing" with a file? I'm sure I've hreard of this being done on Flathead 3 x 2s. Another alternative would be a slight wedge shaped spacer under all three that would tip them back a bit and raise the protruding screw boss up.

 

I thought about the wedge too, but the studs are still at the same angle. Wedge would have to be thin, probably expensive to make as well.
Here's the pics.

 

i think that you have to shave the front screw on the bowl off i think

 

Ralph,
I have seen risers that also offset a small amount. This could be set so one moves the front carb forward a small amount and for the rear carb to space it back a small amount. Use a straight riser on the center. All 3 carbs should line up still for easier linkage. I don't have the ad for them in front of me. May have been in Flathead Jack's catalog, memory not 100%. Try a search for Holley 94 risers.

 

My old Sharp would take the 94s easily.

At one time you could often find 94s with the front screw boss ground almost in half. You knew right away that they were once mounted on an Offy trips manifold. The screw still held the carb top but there was just enough room for them to fit.

 

...this was discussed recently....

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6240340#post6240340

 

Do you have any pictures of these spacers? I know the Edelbrock three duece intake will take three 94's, at least the new 94's.

 

looks like you might have enough meat to grind off the screw boss enough to clear and maybe a little off the opposing carbs bowl? or you can run 3 spacers and extend the mounting holes on the front and rear spacers enough so the carbs will clear.

 

Ralph,
I haven't had any luck finding those spacers again. I remember that they were cast aluminum with a flat plate looking top and bottom and separate holes through them that were tilted at a slight angle to create the offset. I'll keep looking. Hopefully someone else on here knows who makes these and where they can be bought.

 

HambBurgler,

There's a three duece intake in the HAMB marketplace that studog51 is selling. It has the wedges you are talking about. Anyone know where to get those?

Ralph

 

If you grind 'em like a couple have said, they will fit.





I ground the bowl screws a little and ground clearance grooves in the back of the second and first carb. Just go a little at a time and keep testing the fit.

 

If memory serves me correctly, the Edelbrock, Sharp, Fenton, and Weiand, all common and will accept 94's without having to grind the front bowl boss off. 2002P51 has the best procedure for making the 94 fit to your intake. This way you will still have the front screw to maintain bowl seal.

 

I just ground mine off. you can't see it,and it won't leak. Mine has been running for 11 years with no problems. Spacers double the use of gaskets, move yer linkage around, and add unwanted costs........ unless you like the hi-rise look. Just my thoughts. Norm

 

I would prefer it nice and level. I just have a hard time bringing myself to grind the carbs. Although I like the look, What the hell, it's only metal!

 

Grind 'em, that's what they did in the old days, if you are careful you might even be able to keep the screw, but you might have to put a little knotch in them for enough clearance for that