POLL: Holley? Q-jet? or Edelbrock? Let's finish this once and for all!!!!

[Pont406]

...and a visual. 800cfm qjet, 4500 and an older version of 3310.

[special-K]

Different stroke for different strokes applies here.Different carbs for different motors.how many different ways can you build a motor?
The only 40 year old carb I've had is a Q-jet.It all depends on what you want from a carb.Holley has made so many different carbs you can't judge the whole company by one you've had troubles with.Like me,I'll never run another 600.Not sure which one I had now.But,I have a 670 waiting for a hot little 327 and I've had good luck with 650s,a 450,and even a 2-stage 2bbl.I have an Edelbrock on my '72 that was on it when I bought it in '01...works fine.The one that came on my Highlander I could never get 100% right.

[Shyguy]

Now I am even more convinced that there is not a conclusive answer to this question. It all depends on what set up you have and what you are comfortable with.

I had a stock '72 GMC with a 350 with a q-jet for 15 years. It worked great, I did rebuild it once during that time. I was lucky I guess, I had never rebuilt a carb in my life and did not know I should be hesitant about rebuilding a q-jet so I did it, it turned out ok.

My son says Edelbrocks are the way to go, but does run the others on occassion. My brother says Holleys are the only way to go.

I am putting a Holley on a 454, but am going to keep and eventually rebuild the q-jet that is on it now.

[prostreetC-10]

I did this poll out of curiosity more than anything. I think to keep things in perspective, we have to remember that 2 of the choices are aftermarket and one came on many to most of our trucks. I just wanted to see how it would really balance out and I hope the poll will continue so the results are even more accurate.

If you want to find beer you go to a bar. If you want to find Holleys.......you go to "any dragstip" USA. There is a reason why they are there. If I was to run this poll on "racing junk" the results would be a landslide. I certainly don't mind seeing Q-jet at the top because I bleed CHEVY ORANGE and Q-jet IS GM!!

Also want to thank the MODS for leaving the thread where it is! It would have not received this much response in the engine and drivetrain section!!

[prostreetC-10]

Originally Posted by Pont406

...and a visual. 800cfm qjet, 4500 and an older version of 3310.

Is that one on the right a 9029?

[Spoof]

I've only run Q-jets in the past, and now I'm EFI so I'm more of an interested bystander. That being said I'm a Q-jet fan based on familiarity. It's ugly and (to me) complicated, but like a wife of 40 years one still has an attachment due to shared memories. It surprises me that after forty years a Q-Jet can still be in the ring with modern carbs given all the advances in other areas of automotive engineering.

[Ram-Man]

I had a 1406 on my last motor and no complaints. It ran perfect out of the box. This time I picked up a Summit card for $221 with a coupon from Summit so I couldn't pass it up.

[prostreetC-10]

....and you do realize that's a Holley right?

[4LUG39]

growing up my dad was big into Mopars, so I rebuilt a ton of Carter carbs for him, so Edlbrock for me. I have never had a problem with them on any engine combo that I have run, From stock to full race engines,straight out of the box to Rebuilding one with 20+ years of hard use. When my dads buddys would bring their cars to the shop in the 80's so we could install the stranded 350/350 combo I picked up 15+ SBC's(265,283,307's) they would all want any carb other that the Q-jet they had on them. I have never run one because they all told me they were junk, but like it was said before Chevy put them on all their muscle cars from the factory. I have tried on more than one occasion to build a Holley and never been able to get them right. Too rich, blowing power valves and leaks. I gave my buddy two boxes of Hollys a few years ago that I had collected. He can make them work like no one I have seen before. I think it is all about what you like or know. If any one was truly superior there would be only one carb out there and we would all run it.

[jorgensensc]

I love edelbrocks and have run them on almost all of my vehicles. They are easy to run out of the box. They are also easy to rebuild.
With that said, I recently had an original qjet rebuilt by a carb guy that truly knows what he is doing. He rebuilt it and tested it before giving it back to me. It ran like perfection. Cost a little about 300 and that included all parts (except the carb). He fixed all the little problems associated with them too. So for an edelbrock that needs rebuild , 100.00, rebuild kit 50, jet kit, 35, i am already almost to the cost of have the original qjet rebuilt. I will tell you in all honesty that it has more power, runs smoother, idles better, and Has better throttle response than the edelbrocks I have put on. And it gets a little better gas mileage too (really minimal). As much as I love an edelbrock, the qjet is becoming my favorite.
Shawn
Posted via Mobile Device

[Critter]

Originally Posted by Allensracing

if you love to tune and tinker, get a holley.
if you want to bolt it on and leave it alone, get a edelbrock.
the quadrajunk is actually the very best carb for a daily driver if they can be rebuilt correctly. very few people seem to have the knack for them, so I personally avoid them.

That's exactly the way I feel about this issue. The problem is most shade tree mechanics think they know more about rebuilding/tuning carburetors than they actually do (myself included), that being the case they end up "tinkering" the carb to death. I am smart enough to realize this is one area that I need help with from time to time. By the way I voted for the Edelbrock because it appeals to me most, i.e. a small block Chevy street machine that is meant to be driven and have fun.

[Jacfourteen]

Originally Posted by prostreetC-10

....and you do realize that's a Holley right?

What do you think of the summit carbs? I had thought about getting one because I like the original holleys, but I like the "improvements" to the summit style holleys, like no gaskets below fuel level, don't need to drain to change jets, etc.. So do they run like an original holley?

[ebry710]

Edelbrock 1406. Easy to rebuild, simple design and works. Plus matching Edelbrock upgrades.

[Pont406]

Prostreet,
it's a 9029.

[70short/step]

the only thing that will be found out with this poll is that everyone likes something different. I have a Holley on both my trucks.....my 70 has a 327 with cam, headers and heads and a holley that has never given me problems for over 10 years. My 72 with the big block has a Holley spread bore, again with no problems. Ive had Q-jets too and the edelbrocks with no real issues either. but whatever works for you is what you will like and support.

[PatrickGMC70]

I voted for my original Quadrajet. Still going after 40 years has to count for something.

[prostreetC-10]

Originally Posted by Pont406

Prostreet,
it's a 9029.

Man......I AM GOOD!!!!!!!! lol

[prostreetC-10]

Originally Posted by Jacfourteen

What do you think of the summit carbs? I had thought about getting one because I like the original holleys, but I like the "improvements" to the summit style holleys, like no gaskets below fuel level, don't need to drain to change jets, etc.. So do they run like an original holley?

I do not care for them at all. They just really feel like a cheap carb. I must admit that I don't have a bunch of experience with them but the simple fact remains and that is that Holley abandoned the design and went back to what has worked for 40+ years. You cannot beat a 4150 or 4160 series Holley.......unless you look at the results of this poll. lol

I've always been a fan of buying a used or rebuilt high-end carb as apposed to a cheap new carb. From a business standpoint, their resale value sucks too.....but that doesn't really mean much to an end-user. That's just from my point of view.

[silverstreak]

Originally Posted by prostreetC-10

I do not care for them at all. They just really feel like a cheap carb. I must admit that I don't have a bunch of experience with them but the simple fact remains and that is that Holley abandoned the design and went back to what has worked for 40+ years. You cannot beat a 4150 or 4160 series Holley.......unless you look at the results of this poll. lol

I've always been a fan of buying a used or rebuilt high-end carb as apposed to a cheap new carb. From a business standpoint, their resale value sucks too.....but that doesn't really mean much to an end-user. That's just from my point of view.

I agree. I hope the new Summit version has all the bugs worked out by now. I had one of the Holley versions back in the early 90's. I could'nt get that thing to stop flooding up for nothing. I dropped the float level and could turn both idle mixture screws all the way in and the motor would still run.

[prostreetC-10]

It seems that they had a top warp issue similar to what the Q-jets run into. That is a lot of metal to keep straight if you think about it. A lot of "pot metal" to keep true and straight.

[Stubbs67]

I had a older Holley on my 68. rip. that carb hated me, I was 17 knew nothing about tuning carbs and as soon as the air filter would get dirty, it would backfire, causing the POWER VALVE to pop. Sold it and bought an edelbrock. quadrajunks piss me off too. I am fed up with carbs, this go around I am fuel injecting mine with a megasquirt.

[GASoline71]

Originally Posted by prostreetC-10

I did this poll out of curiosity more than anything. I think to keep things in perspective, we have to remember that 2 of the choices are aftermarket and one came on many to most of our trucks. I just wanted to see how it would really balance out and I hope the poll will continue so the results are even more accurate.

If you want to find beer you go to a bar. If you want to find Holleys.......you go to "any dragstip" USA. There is a reason why they are there. If I was to run this poll on "racing junk" the results would be a landslide. I certainly don't mind seeing Q-jet at the top because I bleed CHEVY ORANGE and Q-jet IS GM!!

Also want to thank the MODS for leaving the thread where it is! It would have not received this much response in the engine and drivetrain section!!

Great thread and poll!

Up until now I had no idear there were other carbs than a Holley...

Gary

[ebry710]

There nothing better then Chevy orange and Edelbrock chrome under the hood. Drag racers and stock car mechanics spend their lives tweeking there units to get the highest possible edge out of there cars. I doubt if my truck configuration would interest them much.
What I want is my 71' C-20 to work well, look good and give me free time so I can do my other passions (ie fish, camp, boat). Edelbrock is gives me simplicity, style and the technical support (along with 67-72chevytruck). It's a good system.

[Ironangel]

It is a matter of preference for the most part...."However" at 52yrs old Ive gained enough knowledge and more importantly "experience" in understanding how critical "tune-ability" and "tinker-ability" are to air/fuel mixtures "flow" and "the burn" The complexities of the Q-Jet allow for all of the above and thats to say nothing of the "mods" that can be made to the Q-Jet to make it run right with late model high performance Holley's or Carters and for only a fraction of the cost. The Q-Jet is the only carburetor that has withstood the test of time and came through the emissions death period in the 70s smelling like the "rose" that it is because GM never stopped using them. For me, these old trucks and hot rods deserve era correct engineering tuned to their utmost. Nothing gets me off more than smoking a $30,000 late model "Hardley" with my 32yr old normally aspirated(hand tuned) KZ1000. The same holds true with my 72 C-10 w/modified(Carter built) Q-jet atop a stock 72 350. Im not at all surprised that Q-jet leads the way...they always have in the past. The Q-Jet is "The Carburetors Carburetor" and after 40+ yrs, they still lead! Hey, it just occurred to me...four little Mikuni Maidens in a row is a "QuadraJet! http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...00000441197237 PS> Guess what carb Ford engineers used on their 69-70 Mach-1 428 Cobra Jets...Thats right, "QuadraJet!"

[prostreetC-10]

....and they're such a good looking carb too. Great way to top off all that hard work making that motor look good!.