Don't sell your car short, it can be a very capable performer! If your current wires are fine, leave 'em, and read up on Larry's Power timing thread. Both options are FREE! If you have a 2 bbl carb, consider a stock 4 bbl intake and Rochester Q-Jet carb, when you have the funds. If your single exhaust, consider duals:Brow:
My car has a Buick 350 bored .060 over (that's what the seller told me, not sure though) a stock 4 barrel intake and a 600-cfm Edelbrock carb, longtube headers with true dual exhaust that goes into magnaflow mufflers and dump under the backseat, and a little bumpier cam than stock. If I can make my car perform better with just timing I'll do it!
Whoa whoa whoa, there is a big issue!! If you're wanting performance, you need to switch that carb!! 600 is not enough for these engines. A good friend put a 600 eddy on his 30 over 350 and we messed with it endlessly and it just never had the guts it should. Swapped to a correctly built qjet and that car came alive. Better acceleration, economy, all around performance. The 600 eddy is an ok carb, but its been beat to death on here how its not the right carb to get the most out of these Buick tree fiddy's. Do a search, you'll see what I mean. And definitely follow Larry's power timing thread. There's been more "free" horsepower as a result of that thread on here than anything. Haha.
The carb was on the car when I got it and it's very reliable so I never thought anything of it. I'll do some research on a good carburetor for a Buick 350!
Yes, they do run ok driveability wise, his did as well. But it was not letting the engine run to its full potential at all. I'd definitely consider that as your next upgrade when possible.
I have other friends with old cars and they all embarrass my car haha. What cfm and brand would you recommend? It's my daily driver to high school so it still needs to be reliable enough to get me where I need to go.
The popular choice for a warmed up street able SBB is a modified quadrajet. There are a few resources on this site that do a really nice job building them, and price wise are very reasonable. I'd recommend you pm Mark (carmantx username) or Ken at everyday performance. Both know their stuff and can set up a carb for your application.
No problem, that's what we do on here. Plus I see a spitting image of me 15 years ago in you which I get a kick out of! I was in the very same boat (16, 72 skylark, learning the intricacies of a buick). Brings back some good memories!
It's a lot of fun driving the oldest car in my school and learning so much about cars from other people. This forum is amazing for any questions I have or for any suggestions.
Get a 750 cfm Q-Jet, DO NOT go any smaller than a 750 cfm carb on a 350 Buick! Its what Buick put on there originally:laugh:
Could I go with an Edelbrock or Holley? Sorry if a Q-jet is one of those, I'm not really familiar with carbs. Should I go vacuum secondaries like I have on there now?
A qjet (quadrajet) is the factory 4 barrel carb (spreadbore) that came on these cars. They are a unique design, operating differently from either the edelbrock or holley. Its been found by many on here that a modified qjet works brilliantly on Buick engines. Again, mark (carmantx) and Ken (techg8) on the board build custom qjets for many members here with great results. These aren't carbs you're going to buy out of a jegs or summit catalog. Check out this thread as a matter of fact http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=289840
There are basically 2 types of carburetor bolt patterns. Spread bore, and square bore. Q-jets, and Carter Thermoquads are spread bore carburetors, Holley, Carter AFB and Edelbrocks (Carter AFB clones) are square bore carburetors. The bolt patterns are different, and so are the intake openings where the carburetor mounts. Since you stated that your intake is a stock 4bll intake, you must be using an adapter plate to mount the 600 CFM Edelbrock carburetor. The stock intake only has the spread bore bolt pattern. The Q-jet, properly calibrated will be the best all around carburetor for street performance and economy. There really is nothing to think about for your application. All you need to do is get one built specifically for your engine. There are 2 guys right here on V8Buick that can do that for you. Mark (carmantx) and Ken at Everyday Performance (look in the vendor section of the board) Aftermarket aluminum intakes are drilled for both bolt patterns. If you buy an aftermarket intake, get one with the spread bore opening. It is very easy to run both spread bore and square bore carburetors on such intakes.
leave the wires, take the fender Had my first Skylark at your age. Lots of great memories,:bglasses: Enjoy!!
The edelbrock or holley will require modifying to run right on your engine. For a street car the Q jet is hard to beat!
As someone else who is also helpless without the kind folks around here to offer advice id suggest you forget nearly everything you have ever read in a car or car parts magazine. Yellow parts and big fancy names aren't the short cut to speed. Those other guys use those just to keep up with a stock Buick. KISS it and use the Buick approved parts and places. Their born to run right out of the box.
There is a lot you can do to dress up the under hood appearance without taking away from performance.
You really know a lot about carburetors! Would something like this fit my car well? http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stor...10002&langId=-1&productId=85730&storeId=10001 I could save up my nickels and dimes and try to go for this to get some more performance out of my car.
Yes it would fit, but it would be the biggest waste of money because remanufactured carburetors are notoriously bad choices. All you have to do is have either Everyday Performance (Ken) or Mark (carmantx) build you a Quadrajet calibrated for your engine. http://www.v8buick.com/forumdisplay.php?172-Everyday-Performance-LLC http://www.v8buick.com/member.php?13537-carmantx
