Hello everyone,
My '70 442(convertible) 455 has been rebuilt with a very mild cam and bored .040 over. I replaced the stock intake manifold with an aluminum W-30 intake. Engine rebuild was top to bottom. Putting an OAI hood and aircleaner assembly back on, but looking for carb suggestions based on below:
1. Trying to keep a more stock appearance(aluminum intake gives away that's it's not totally stock already, so cat's out of the bag), but no chrome "look at me" carbs as it's gonna get buried anyway
2. Clearance is a problem as I understand from reading some posts
3. It's hooked up to TH400 w/A/C and most power options
4. 3.42 gears in back w/posi, otherwise stock
5. I found original carb was 7040257, but Sparky(and others) tellign me they are getting out of control and being faked a lot and my last name isn't Gates, Trump, Buffett, nor Sheen
Thanks for the help as always and if i'm off on something, please let me know.
-Ryan

 

I'm definitely not a carb expert , just posting what I've read and my limited experience.

Easiest for newbies and street usage is an Edelbrock IMO.
You install it, and go, and hardly ever have to worry about it again.

Holley's are alot more tunable and people favor them for racing, but can get out of whack.
Q-jets are more finicky but seem to be favored here. I've heard bad things about them everywhere but here.

 

Anybody else have suggestions? I have stock W/Z manifolds as a side note. Thanks!

 

With the Edelbrock carb you may have to run a space and run into problems with your air cleaner to hood clearance. So you might want to rethink your Rochester choice!. Let the others who have been there n done that chime in!

 

I was just doing some reading in Cliff Ruggles book-How to rebuild & modify Qjets & saw that about any mid to late 70s Qjet can be rebuilt & modified pretty easily & will work great for your application. A lot of people dog them, but that's because they don't know how to properly rebuild &/or tune them to their particular engine. If you're half way mechanical, get the book & read up on it & maybe try rebuilding one yourself?
Good luck.

 

Good ideas. Who else has done this? What CFM would you use? Thanks again for all the help, guys!

 

TTT...thanks!

 

Yes do the q-jet. tuned right will run up side down. 7-800 cfm. and they are easy to tune.

 

Thanks, I'll be looking Q-Jet now. Anyone know what model number will work for an 455 w/auto and OAI?