This is a very special Father's Day weekend for 87-year-old Harold Walton. All four of his kids will be on hand to help him celebrate, but perhaps just as importantly, today will be the first time he gets to show off his prized 1936 DeSoto Airflow at
a car show.
"My dad was kind of a Dodge dealer in Oberlin. I remember seeing that Airflow... I saw the coupe and that sloping back on it really impressed me. I wanted one from then on," Walton said.
He came close a couple of times, owning a '36 DeSoto Airstream and later, a '37 Chrysler Airstream. "They weren't nearly as stylish. They were more conventional-looking," Walton said. But those were the cars that the parent companies
turned to when the futuristic aerodynamic shapes of the Airflows didn't catch on as hoped.
The Airflows also were targeted by other car manufacturers.
"They were way ahead of their time. There were so many rumors from competing car companies," Walton said.
One involved the then-new hydraulic brake systems, which one story said made an Airflow's front bumper guards dig into the road, catapulting it end-over-end — a highly unlikely scenario.
Hot Rod Power Tour 2011: Muskegon, MI, to Detroit.
10.06.11
For most of the tour I rode or drove in one of the new vehicles supplied by GM Performance Division. Both the Traverse and the Suburban served as our mobile office along the Tour, where we uploaded blogs, edited videos, and shot photos. Their cushy seats, smooth ride, and air-conditioning made the drive a breeze, but the point of Power Tour is to experience hot rods on back roads and highways, so I elbowed my way into the Rustoleum ’69 Road Runner for the drive from Muskegon, Michigan to Detroit. Dennis Pittsenbarger had piloted the Road Runner for the previous 1,400 miles, so I sat shotgun.
When we started at our hotel it was cloudy, but dry. Just after we loaded our luggage into the massive trunk, we had our first mishap. The Edelbrock carb, installed just prior to Power Tour during the car’s 22-day build, began acting up. After we pulled the air cleaner we found that the choke was completely closed. Since we were staying in the same hotel as the guys from Edelbrock, they gave us a tuning lesson. Problem #1 solved. When we tried to fire the 440 up to leave, the 40-year-old ignition switch went on the fritz. Then it started raining. Thankfully we were parked near an incline and only had to push it a bit, and at every stop along the way the key worked without a hitch.
Edelbrock Carburetor Installation and Troubleshooting Part 1 - Before You Start
Edelbrock Performer Series and Thunder Series AVS carbs are the most reliable, trouble-free carbs available today, however proper installation and ...
Whats the difference between a Holley and an Edelbrock carburetor?
May 22, 2009 by Tucker | Posted in Maintenance & Repairs
I have a 1989 Dodge Ramcharger with a bored out 360, currently has a 2 barrel Holley carburetor, I was told I should change it over to an Edelbrock 1406... why?
Two different manufacturers of devices that do the same thing.
Holley is their own design. The basic design of their carburetors dates from back in the 50's although it has been updated several times over the years. Holley carburetors are the carburetor of choice for racing applications because they can be precisely tuned to the application. This can be both a good thing and a bad thing. A professional mechanic can tune a Holley carburetor for maximum performance. An amateur because of lack of diagnostic tools, dynomometer, and skills will struggle to get it right.
The Edelbrock carburetor is not a new design either. A few years back they bought the patents from Carter carburetors. Their carburetor is based from the old Carter AFB design. The basic design of this carburetor is also from back in the 50's and has also been updated several times over the years. Edelbrock carburetors work better out of the box and are good for street applications. They are easier to adjust but can't be tweaked like a Holley.
One of the most important thing to consider with either carburetor is to not get one too large for your application. With a carburetor bigger is not better. You will get better performance if it is matched to the application.
For a street 360 cubic inch engine that never sees more than 6000 RPM, a 600 to 650 CFM carburetor is all you need. Getting one larger will hurt your performance instead of help it.
Mad Jack | May 22, 2009
Because someone don't know what they are talking about or they need a few extra bucks.
Lonzo | May 22, 2009
Holly's are max horsepower tunable expensive complicated carbs....edelbrocks are great...ive owned several of both....with edelbrock i take it out of the box..put it on drive away.....holly put it on after spending way too much then fiddle with it for the next few months trying to get it tuned...ending up with a hundred dollars of jets sitting in a box..
pedro7of9 | May 22, 2009
Mad Jack is correct.One of the good things about the Edelbrock is the lack of gaskets below the fuel level in the float chamber.Holley's run great but if they ever start leaking fuel they are a real pain to try to fix.
Andy | May 22, 2009
How do I tune my Edelbrock Carburetor? How many turns on each screw?
Apr 18, 2009 by G | Posted in Maintenance & Repairs
I have a 1983 Chevrolet Monte Carlo with a 650 cfm Edelbrock carburetor and about 300hp. Please don't send me a link to the Edelbrock carb Manual. I already looked at it and don't understand it.
I don't have a vacuum gauge =-/
its hard to say how many turns cause all different size engines will be different, but to cut a long story short try this link, about half way down the page it will show you how to do it manually although they do use a dwell meter, i can't say i ever have though but the site may help you to understand the basic set up, if u have already seen the site then email ( you can see the link on my profile page ) and i'll run through it...
i'm a mechanic and in smash repair for 14yrs..
Dave S | Apr 18, 2009
you hook up a vacuum gauge to the intake and equally turn the screws until you get the highest vacuum reading on the gauge. buy a vacuum gauge then.. they only cost 20 dollars. you cannot properly tune a carbuerator without one. there are other ways to do it but unless you are technical you won't be able understand it or do it properly. you could try this but you need to do it with a vacuum gauge. tighten the screws up all the way, then back them off 2-3 complete revolutions. start the car and EQUALLY turn the screws up until the car runs steady then back the screws down to the point where it stumbles. turn the screws up equally until the motor runs smoothly. this will put you close. but you need to do it right.
mike d | Apr 18, 2009
Edelbrock carburetor do I have to pump it at the start to get a "mist" into the system like other carburetors
Jan 27, 2008 by neil.willis24 | Posted in Maintenance & Repairs
My new edelbrock carburetor on a ford thunderbird 390 (1963) doesnt start untill ive spun it over for 30 seconds, can I pump it, should i pump it like my previous Holly that helped make a "mist" to start up. also the plugs are always wet and dont want to fire up at the start.
neil
all carbs you need to push it to the floor once to set the choke and a couple more times after the initial turnover to get the spray of gas into the carb as the fuel pump has to turn with the engine to get the gas flowing to it and then deliver it to the carb, I don't know if you got the electric choke with yours or got the carb with a manual choke but the electric choke one is much easier to operate.
mister ss | Jan 28, 2008
Usually, pumping the pedal halfway to the floor will set the choke and squirt a small amount of gas into the carb throats to enable starting easier when cold. If the plugs are really wet with gas when starting, you've got too much fuel being let into the engine and have other problems.
paul h | Jan 27, 2008
Check that the choke is not to tight. Also I had one that the needle seat was not shutting down and after I turned off the motor it would leak fuel into the manifold and blow black smoke at startup. The majority of carburetors when set properly need to be pumped at least once maybe twice for a cold start. Some may need to for a hot start also, but that depends on your particular carburetor. With wet plugs sounds like you are getting to much fuel into the cylinders and it may need to clear some out in order to start.
77Impala | Jan 27, 2008
Yes, on a "cold" engine you should have to push the accelerator once to get it to start on any car with a carburetor. Only fuel-injected engines are designed to start cold without priming. If the engine is "warm" it should start without touching the pedal.
From your description, I would recommend checking the float level. Needle and seat problem is also a possibility. You could check this at the same time. One thing I loved about the old AutoLite 4100 Carb that probably came on your car was that you could check the float level while the car was actually running.
Edelbrock carbs tend to be very generic. It will probably need some fine tuning for your particular application. Is it a Carter AFB clone?
catmandew | Jan 27, 2008
edelbrock carburetor?
Dec 18, 2008 by thebig_89 | Posted in Maintenance & Repairs
I drive a 1984 ford f-150 with an inline 6. I was given a edelbrock 600cfm carb. it is 4 barrel. will it fit?
With the correct adapter, it can be fitted to work. For additional help, go to www.edelbrock.com or call 1-310-371-2222
Clifford Performance does a lot of 6 cylinder in line modifications and can be reached at http:/cliffordperformance.net or call 1-888-471-1161
stush30@verizon.net | Dec 18, 2008
will a Edelbrock Carburetor be ok to use in my 1987 chevy caprice with stock parts?
Jan 03, 2008 by JONATHAN | Posted in Maintenance & Repairs
im looking into getting a good carbueter like edelbrock but wanted to know if it will be ok on a engine with stock parts? also how much do u think it will cost to install it? and will i need any extra parts?
Better get a stock carb,much cheaper,minimal adjustment,and it will bolt right on.Not enough HP for the money on a stock engine.
Idleness Is A Fuel's DesireEdelbrock recommends a pressure of 5.5 psi for its Performer carburetors, compared to 14 psi for a stock '89 GM 305ci throttle body unit and around 45 psi
Idleness Is A Fuel's DesireEdelbrock recommends a pressure of 5.5 psi for its Performer carburetors, compared to 14 psi for a stock '89 GM 305ci throttle body unit and around 45 psi
