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Old Mar 14, 2015 | 05:49 PM
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Default wcfb cfm's

Trying to find cfm rating for original dual quads on 1960 270 hp vette. I have carbs from the single 4 barrel 1960 Corvette.Need to know if they will supply the same amount of gas (etc) as the dual quad carbs that were used on the 1960. Nobody I've asked knows if there's a difference in the cfm's, only that the original dual quad carbs had a lower profile due to a thinner throttle base. Thanks
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Old Mar 14, 2015 | 05:52 PM
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Yes. Carbs the same size.

Buick WCFB's were bigger.
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Old Mar 14, 2015 | 06:02 PM
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Mike, many thanks. I've been trying for weeks to research the cfm's on the wcfb's. I should have started with the forum!
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Old Mar 14, 2015 | 08:34 PM
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The 2x4 WCFBs flow ~385cfm each, = about 770cfm at wide open throttle for both.
The 2x4 WCFB carbs are slightly smaller than 1x4 WCFB. The 1x4 WCFBs were ~400cfm.
The Chrysler (Plymouth) and Cadillac 2x4 WCFBs were also slightly larger.

Oh ya, just in case you have never seen a 2x4 Cadillac (I don't have pictures of a Ply/Chry 2x4 setup).









Each carb on a Cad had a choke, unlike only one carb on a Vette/pass car 2x4 setup.

Last edited by DZAUTO; Mar 14, 2015 at 08:41 PM.
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Old Mar 14, 2015 | 10:03 PM
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If you are wondering if the 1x4 Corvette carbs can be run as one of a dual quad clone pair then the answer is yes, people do it all the time....
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Old Mar 14, 2015 | 10:47 PM
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Default Interesting setup. What's what?

Are the two round things under the tips of the triangular dingus air cleaners (oil bath?) and the triangular thing a plenum? Or am I all wrong? Just curious.

Steve
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Old Mar 14, 2015 | 11:33 PM
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Originally Posted by SI67
Are the two round things under the tips of the triangular dingus air cleaners (oil bath?) and the triangular thing a plenum? Or am I all wrong? Just curious.

Steve
Steve,
Chevrolet PASSENGER cars were available with 2x4 carbs in 56-57 (56-61 for Vettes). That air cleaner assembly on the Cad is commonly referred to as a "bat wing". As you probably know, the Corvettes with 2x4 carbs had the neat, low profile, louvered air cleaners. The Chevy pass cars and Cads had that big ole ugly batwing air cleaner. Back in the day, almost everyone removed the batwing from their 56 or 57 Chevy and discarded it and replaced it with much "cooler" small chrome air cleaners. Well, today, original batwing air cleaners are worth a small fortune ($2000-up!!!). The batwings on Chevy passenger car 2x4 setups were black and the Cads had gold ones (as above). Both air filters were in fact oil bath.
Personally, I'd love to have a Chevy batwing for the 2x4 setup for the 383 in my 51 Chevy.
Even though the Chevy and Cad batwings look the same, they are not, because the Cad carbs are spaced further apart, so they are not interchangeable.
The Plymouths with the 2x4 setup had batwing air cleaner, but I've never seen one. A few 56 Pontiacs had 2x4s with a batwing, but I've never seen one of those either-------------------they gotta be rare.

Last edited by DZAUTO; Mar 14, 2015 at 11:44 PM.
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Old Mar 15, 2015 | 04:38 AM
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Default Thanks for the "batwing" air cleaner info!

Tom,

Yes, I knew the air cleaner setup on the dual quad Corvettes but was completely unfamiliar with the passenger car batwing. I appreciate the detailed info.

Steve
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Old Mar 15, 2015 | 07:17 AM
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Originally Posted by adurso19@yahoo.com
Trying to find cfm rating for original dual quads on 1960 270 hp vette. I have carbs from the single 4 barrel 1960 Corvette.Need to know if they will supply the same amount of gas (etc) as the dual quad carbs that were used on the 1960. Nobody I've asked knows if there's a difference in the cfm's, only that the original dual quad carbs had a lower profile due to a thinner throttle base. Thanks
You have to remember the rear 'flappers' regulate the "draw" on these carbs. The counterweights, and engine demands, balance the flappers to regulate the air flow.

Hence these carbs are somewhat self-adjusting based on engine requirements. Some cars (many?) prob never see the full CFM that these carbs produce. So, I wouldn't get too fizzed up over CFM numbers. I'm running my 'real deal' 270hp dual quads now and they aren't much different than the clones I just sold. Those had a Chrysler rear carb and an unknown front carb bastardized from a 1x4 passenger car (it had previously had a choke).

You can see where the left side kickdown lever on the front carb was cut off and on the right side where the holes were plugged for the choke.

These carb ran like demons and are now on another forum member's car.
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Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Mar 15, 2015 at 07:20 AM.
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Old Mar 15, 2015 | 10:36 AM
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Frank:

In your second pic, what is that black hose coming off the front carb for?
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Old Mar 15, 2015 | 10:39 AM
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Originally Posted by DZAUTO

The 2x4 WCFB carbs are slightly smaller than 1x4 WCFB. The 1x4 WCFBs were ~400cfm.
You are correct. My mistake.
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Old Mar 15, 2015 | 04:45 PM
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Default wcfb's

Originally Posted by Frankie the Fink
If you are wondering if the 1x4 Corvette carbs can be run as one of a dual quad clone pair then the answer is yes, people do it all the time....
Frankie, Thanks, I was concerned I would have to modify the single wcfb's as a dual quad setup. Now I'll just be concerned with the gas it's going to use !!!
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Old Mar 15, 2015 | 05:01 PM
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Default wcfb's

Originally Posted by DZAUTO
The 2x4 WCFBs flow ~385cfm each, = about 770cfm at wide open throttle for both.
The 2x4 WCFB carbs are slightly smaller than 1x4 WCFB. The 1x4 WCFBs were ~400cfm.
The Chrysler (Plymouth) and Cadillac 2x4 WCFBs were also slightly larger.

Oh ya, just in case you have never seen a 2x4 Cadillac (I don't have pictures of a Ply/Chry 2x4 setup).









Each carb on a Cad had a choke, unlike only one carb on a Vette/pass car 2x4 setup.
Thanks for all the info and the great photos. I never knew Caddy's had a dual quad setup. The dual chokes seem to be something that would confuse the engine on warmups, not to mention all the extra gas on every start up. Oh well, it's a Caddy.They must know what they're doing. Thanks, again Tony
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Old Mar 15, 2015 | 06:28 PM
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Originally Posted by adurso19@yahoo.com
Thanks for all the info and the great photos. I never knew Caddy's had a dual quad setup. The dual chokes seem to be something that would confuse the engine on warmups, not to mention all the extra gas on every start up. Oh well, it's a Caddy.They must know what they're doing. Thanks, again Tony
The 55-57 Cads had 2x4 (I think only on the Eldorado), then in 58 the Cads had a 3x2 option (I think on any model).
The above Cad is only the third Cad 2x4 setup I've ever seen. I saw the first one about 1963 in a chopped and channeled 34 Ford 2dr sedan.
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Old Mar 15, 2015 | 10:02 PM
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Originally Posted by Steve59
Frank:

In your second pic, what is that black hose coming off the front carb for?
That is my RPO-242, home brew PCV valve system to replace the old road draft tube on my '61
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Old Mar 15, 2015 | 10:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Frankie the Fink
That is my RPO-242, home brew PCV valve system to replace the old road draft tube on my '61
That is one of the best PCV setups I've seen on a 2x4 setup.
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Old Mar 15, 2015 | 10:23 PM
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I even used the original road draft tube conversion can...
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