I have a 66 Skylark GS with a 401 nailhead. It has an edelbrock carb on it. The car also has a ST300 trans also. It runs strong, but the former owner said not to beast on it too much because it needs the proper carb on it along with some kind of solenoid that attaches to it. I have not read anything that discusses this setup yet. Is anyone familiar with this?
It should have a Carter AFB number 4180 or 4180s for a 401 with automatic trans. There's one on eBay, but $175 is awfully high for one in that condition. He is taking offers however. Try to find one with a base surface that is not heavily corroded.... that often happens once the metal base gasket goes bad. Other numbers will work, but get one for a 1965-66 401 or 425. Earlier carbs have different linkage. Here's a post with the different carb numbers for Buick: http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?98044-Carter-AFB-carburetors-assigned-to-Buick There is an error for '66 GS: 4179 is for a 3 or 4 speed manual trans, 4180 is for the automatic. Maybe you are missing the switch for the transmission kickdown and converter? It's mounted to a bracket attached to the manifold. It's located behind the carb linkage. The Edelbrock carbs work ok, but aren't tuned for best performance with the 401.
Thank you very much for the info. I will check for that switch. The trans kickdown does work. Maybe the former owner is mistaken about the importance of the motor trans combo.
Which Edelbrock? (Re: 66 GS w/401 Nailhead What carb?) Dear Tom, Walt, Tom, and V-8 Buick carb experts, I must confess, I hate carburetors and went with an EFI setup on my 1965 Special wagon because of my feelings. Still, in 2010 she was fitted with a Edelbrock Performer carburetor. There are claims that the Edelbrock Performer is a reproduction of the Carter AFB that would have been factory on your 1966 GS. Here is a link to the info: http://65gs.com/board/index.php?topic=3088.msg20850#msg20850 Now I never did get the Edelbrock Performer carb to perform well in my wagon, but since I hate carburetors . . . . need I say more! So before you junk the carb you have, you might look into it a little more. All you might learn is that the Edelbrock Performer isn't a Carter AFB reproduction, but even knowing this would be useful! Best of luck with your 66 GS! Cheers, Edouard
It has an edelbrock 1407 and I took 3 pics of the engine. I believe the switch you mentioned is on there. So is the setup just fine? I don't want to run the car hard, but sometimes you want to romp a little.
Hey! Sorry I'm late.... Quadrajet! Where as you might have a square bore intake on the car now, you can take advantage of the fact that some 66's were equipped with the much superior Quadrajet. It's a simple conversion, and I've written enough about it to make you sick...but hey, 4 years later my QJet still turns in the numbers and gets 20 mpg....with a tailwind.
It appears the way the linkage is hooked up it's pulling & not pushing so I'm sure the kick-down/switch-pitch aren't working.
Thanks for the info. Before I go touching anything,let me tell you what the car drives like. It drives very smoothly, when I was going about 35, I nailed it, it raised up and chirped the tires while accelerating. So to me, it did kick down,but the switch pitch is new to me so I dont know if there is anything else I should look for. Once from a standing stop,I gave it about 3/4 throttle and of course it squalled the tires and I let off of it. I've only had it for a week so this was pretty much while test driving it and on the way home. (Also thrilled my girl with it).I have it put up for the winter while doing some little things to it. So,having said that if it is pulling and not pushing,how do I reverse it?
Edelbrock has linkage adapters available. One of the guys here used the 'Throttle Lever Adapter #1481'. See his thread here: http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.p...(600cfm)-to-401-Nailhead-HELP!&highlight=1483 Your objective is to have both the gas pedal rod and the kickdown switch rod attached to the top half of the linkage. You presently have the kickdown mounted on the bottom. Your 1407 carb is a 750 cfm. A good choice!
Rebuilding three to make one good one? Or three separate customers? Sorry, I know it's a bad joke.......
Thanks for the info,I will get that adapter. Maybe some new ones will be at the swap meet tomorrow. Did you notice in my pics that there are many washers used as a spacer on the gas linkage? What is needed there?
Re: Which Edelbrock? (Re: 66 GS w/401 Nailhead What carb?) I ordered a new Edelbrock endurashine (chromed) Thunder series 650 cfm carb. for my big Nailhead. It worked fine for a year or two, then started acting up. I would pull it apart, clean it thoroughly, and reinstall it. It would run beautifully, then the idle would fall apart again. I (seriously) went through this about seven or eight times. Finally in desperation I pulled a ratty Edelbrock carb that I got free with the original '82 Chevy pickup that morphed into the present Buchev. It had been on a 350 sbc that was in the original truck. The carburetor had been sitting in a Ziplock bag in my basement for at least seven years - maybe longer. I bolted it onto the Nailhead and it has run beautifully ever since. Go figure! ou:
Re: Which Edelbrock? (Re: 66 GS w/401 Nailhead What carb?) Had a similar thing happen with the Electra; the Q-jet I had on it screwed up, so I ended putting the original filthy Carter AFB back on, which had spent 7 years in a box. Even reused the old gaskets, it's been on with no leaks since spring, and fires up on the 2nd crank. The car runs beautifully, and I don't know why, that thing should have leaked all over the place. I have a full Q-jet manifold and carb for a 66 425 out of a Wildcat for sale now; it's cheap, but postage from Canada could be a killer...
Re: Which Edelbrock? (Re: 66 GS w/401 Nailhead What carb?) I also have a Quadrajet setup and would install it, but I also have about three-quarters of a factory dual quad setup that I would love to install (honestly, just for the looks of the thing). When and if I can find a good rear carburetor and the linkage, on it goes. The agonizing part is that the manifold is factory NOS and has never been bolted to an engine. Perhaps I can find another used manifold. Or not.
