Did rochester make any significant improvements to the Quadrajet in later years? I have an early 70s Q-jet but plan to install a 200-4r tranny. A mid 80s year carb will have the necessary linkage to connect the TV cable for the 200-4r. Saving me the hassle of fabricating this part.

I was thinking, I could just overhaul a later model carb and have it tuned it for my motor; but are there any appreciable differences between an 1985 Q-jet and a 1972 Q-jet?? I'm not concerned about originality - I'm installing an overdrive tranny so a non-numbers matching carb certainly won't hurt any. Thanks!

 

The 80-87 Q-Jets were connected to a computer, and don't play well in a non- computer equipped vehicle.
Several vendors can supply the parts to run an older Q-Jet with your 200R4..

 

'81-'90 q-jets are in reality e-q-jets(electronically controlled) they are useless unless you're putting the ccc system into the car as well. i doubt you want to go that far...
you can graft the tvs-equipped throttle end onto an earlier q-jet throttle shaft.


bill

 

Cliff Ruggles likes the late 70's/early 80's carbs, while Doug Roe considered them terrible.
IMO, whatever you have or can get easily in good shape. Note that most of the internals do not swap between the generations.

 

That's not entirely true. Canuck custom cruisers kept the mechanical carbs until 86

 

I think some Chevy trucks had non-computer carbs until the mid 80s but they probably didn't get the OD tranny. Is anything better about a later model carb or are they pretty much the same up to the computer controlled versions?

 

I think if you go to the bone yard,
you could pick up the bracket that bolts
behind the Q-jet that holds both cables
from a 307 from a late model 80's Cutlass.
Scott, Oldspackrat, may have an extra 1 or 2.

 

As noted, the CCC Qjets require the computer to operate the primary side metering solenoid. The easiest and best way to connect a TV cable to an early Qjet is to swap the primary throttle shaft from a CCC carb into the early carb. I've been able to grab used CCC carbs for peanuts at swap meets.

 

I have an 80's non CCC carb ripped to pieces on my shelf. It came off a Custom Cruiser 85 model with a swirl port 307 and 2004R trans. Linkage looks very similar to my late 70's carb. A new Street Demon will work with the 2004R and give similar mileage and driveability. It is an improved version of the Thermoquad with all new and improved castings.

 

you'll find that getting parts for the later carbs, 170 series carbs. is more difficult. those series of carbs. used several differently tapered rods. you could be chasing your tail for a long time getting it set up to work well. the L taper rods were a regular dual taper rod, just like the older pre-170 series. lotsa luck finding them though.


bill