Help ! do I ditch the spacer?

Just pulled the Edelbrock 750 #1407 and I found the open carb spacer cutting off the sides of the spread bore<stock> intake. If you check out the picture you will see what I mean. The carb was running realllllllllly rich and I will dig into that tomorrow. Should I ditch the spacer, or try to find a different one that matches better. I had problems on a different car with the fuel boiling in an edelbrock using the stock intake so part of me thinks the spacer helps that. The engine is a 73 Olds 455 with performer cam otherwise just stock with a hone, re ring and 3 angle valve job. I do have a 70 GS motor on a stand in the garage waiting a rebuild to replace the olds when the time comes! Going to get this back on the road in time for the last big race of the season up here! What would you do? Thanks for your help! Kevin :3gears:

 

Here is my car last week! First time down the 1/8th mile!

 

Id flip the sucker over and see if it left a nice imprent. The file, cut or dremil the stuff out of the way. You want the spacer, just bigger holes. Should be easy enough to mod.

 

Or you could buy a new one and left me have that one.

 

I'd ditch it.

 

It's an aluminum spacer, just the gasket makes it look plastic. I think that might be a PITA for me to modify. Will the edelbrock square bore line up with the spread bore manifold without a spacer in there or will it hit?

Thanks, Kevin

 

Those carb adapters stink, IMHO. Nothing lines up like it ought to. Back before I wised up, I had a Holley squarebore on an adapter on a Q-jet manifold - stoopid, stoopid, stoopid....now I've got a proper Q-jet, and wouldn't have it any other way!

You can't run an edelbrock on a Q-jet manifold without one, because the primaries are too close together, they'll hit the center of the manifold.
You've got a couple of options:
1. Get one of those squarebore-to-spreadbore adapters, but they REALLY stink, the primary flow has to make a sideways kind of shimmy to get to the manifold.
2. Do as suggested, and open up the bottom of the spacer you've got to match the manifold. Should be pretty easy if you use power tools.
3. Trade the Edelbrock for a Q-jet.

I'd do #2 as a stop-gap until I could make #3 happen.

 

I have the quadrajet that is from the 70 GS SF Block motor. It has been sitting forever. Should I get this rebuilt and if I use it will the choke and linkage line up on the 73 Olds manifold? Thanks again. Kevin

 

Id bet it runs better with it then without it. Even blocked off some.
Now one fully opened would run even better.

 

Go back to Q-Jet or get the right adapter. Personally I would opt for Q. In my own experience, once they are set up properly, they are practically maintenance free and very strong runners.

 

I don't know about Buick/Olds throttle and choke linkages, but if you could at all get a Q-jet on there, that's the absolutely best way to go. I'll bet you could trade the Edelbrock for a Q-jet somewhere. Lots of folks have the false idea that Q-jets aren't that good!

Adam and bsharris are right, you can get a Q-jet to squarebore adapter, but if you look at one of the 4-hole ones at Perp Boys, you'll see what I mean about them...the primary holes are drilled at quite an angle, which makes the flow do some strange things.

You can get an open one, which shouldn't be too bad, especially if you blended the openings of the manifold:
Moroso #64960 = $53.88 at Summit
Mr. Gasket #1932 = $16.95 at Summit

EDIT: Why the price difference?It's just a piece of aluminum... ou:

 

Found an open trans dapt spacer, better than the old one. Definatley thinking of getting my 70 q jet rebuilt. Thanks guys! Kevin :Comp:

 

Yea Q-jets are the best when built right.