61Toy

New to the Forum, 1st Post

I'm in the process of remotoring my '61. The car has been in the family sense '76 when my dad brought it home in boxes. The car had been raced and then torn apart to be restored but never made it past that point when he bought it. My dad rebuilt the car as a driver, I'd call it a good 5'er, not a show car. The motor he put in it was built correct and dressed up right but not "vette" numbers. The car sat more than ran before he gave it to me (ya I know, GREAT DAD) 12ish years ago. My dad had a mechanic go through the car before he gave it to me and he messed it up. Wouldn't hot start, didn't tighten the front wheel bearings, list goes on. So it sat for 10 years and freeze cracked the block in three spots in the lifter valley. There is no feeling like draining the oil to get your car back on the road and seeing green.

OK enough of the back story.

Through a friend I found a 283/270 that had been polled out of a '61. Bought the motor and T10 trans as a unit last fall. Now that the weather is is improving to the point I can work in the garage again I'm trying to install this beast. While trying to install the new linkage I found the carbs don't look like the pictures on the instructions.Doing as much research as I could, mostly here, I think the rear carb is wrong. I believe the rear carb is a 1x4. I was of coarse told the motor ran when taken out but the car was in worst shape than mine when bought. Even if I can jerry rig the linkage and the motor runs right the difference in height between the two carbs, around a 1/4", means the air cleaner wont seal.

I haven't been able to find a rear carb for sale by its self and the price for even the cloned pairs is not in my budget for the time being. I have the WCFB off the old motor. Can my two WCFB's be made to work? From what I've read here I know the choke would have to be removed/blocked off from one carbs and the weights for the secondary's would need to be smaller. These don't have the brass tubes going over the top like my front carb does but I don't know if that maters. I know I'd Have to send them out somewhere but it has to be less than what I've seen. I don't need spit polish right now just a running vette. As a side note the previous owner of the motor replaced the solid lifters with hydraulic, don't know if that maters but saw it mentioned in other posts on 2x4 setups.



Fuel filter is on order

knockbill

Yep,,, early and late carb,,, front is a 2x4, rear is a single... (note the 15/16 stamp in between the front bores)
1 x 4 carbs are 1" bore

61Toy

That's what I thought. Can my two 1x2"s be made to work while I look for the proper carb or save enough to get clones. The carbs on the 2x4 look like they need a rebuild anyway.

knockbill

Possibly,,, probably be easier to find a 1x4 manifold, and use one carb,,, be easier to set up, and get the engine running...

61Toy

I thought of that too. I have a 1x4 setup off my old engine but I am trying not to tear into this motor if I don't need to. Plus the little kid in me really wants the 2x4 setup. This is the third time I've tried to reply, I keep clicking the wrong button. I guess I have to post instead of reply.

MikeM

From memory...........................

I don't know why you'd have to remove a choke.

Don't know why you have to have the brass tubes in order to just drive it.

Don't know why you'd have to change any counter weights in order to just drive it.

All this from someone who hasn't messed with these things in 55 years.

vettepoor

I agree with Mike. I have a miss-matched set of wcfbs on my 57; rear carb is correct with choke, front is from a 57 power pack set up. Runs like a scalded dog even with different weights. Only issue I see with yours is unevenesss for air cleaner - might need to run separate cleaners like earlier setups. I’ve been on lookout for a “correct” front carb, but if it ain’t broke...

61Toy

How did you setup the throttle linkage? The attachment points on my two carbs are quite different. Ill look into the air cleaners. worried about hood clearance.

vettepoor

Here is a pic of my setup using stock progressive throttle linkage.

68hemi

I have never liked the 58-61 dual quad air cleaners as they “hide” the cool factor you want and twin air cleaners like the 56-57’s have will solve your air cleaner problem.

knockbill

I have the same problem(?) as the OP,,,, I built a 67 283 truck engine for my 56 a while ago,,, and rather than sorting thru buckets of WCFB carcasses to build a 2x4 pair,, I just grabbed one with a choke and put rebuild kit in it, so I can drive the car around,,, As far as hood clearance goes,,, I have a Pontiac air cleaner on mine(avatar), with a thicker AC and it clears fine... Either of WCFB carb models you have would fit under a C1 hood... so you can match em to make life easier,,, or use separate ACs on an odd pair...
Chryslers used them also, just the base plates are different, so there are some parts there that interchange, just don't tell NCRS!!... I used to grab all the WCFBs I saw at Carlisle for a buck a pop 30years ago!!!!

61Toy

Looks like you drilled the front carb lever to keep the linkage lined up. Are those the early air cleaners?

vettepoor

Yes, those are repops of the originals. When I found the setup, the previous owner was able to use the single large air cleaner, I just wanted the two smaller ones.

61Toy

Did you have the front carb and just needed the rear?

61Toy

Time to brake out the catalogs.

knockbill

The rear carb has the choke,,, front carb is the secondary .. I haven't tried to build a 2x4 set up, yet...
Paragon catalogs show a lot of the parts to clone a pair,,, they have proper weights, levers rods etc... I cant remember if I have any 15/16 bore carbs,,, been while since I dug them out...
But as others have said, you can fake it with single carbs, if they are jetted right...

Frankie the Fink

You can buy that busted choke housing cover and brass vent tubes from Chuck Smith & Co.

61Toy

Placed an order from Paragon earlier this morning. Hopefully everything will be in by Monday and I can drive up there Tuesday, they're a hour north of me, to pick it up. Ill ask about carb parts.

61Toy

The broken choke was me thinking I could lift the motor with only two attachment points for the chain and not break anything. My other carb has a good choke. I've read a bunch of other posts where you talk about your various 2x4 setups. Do you think this will work? From the sounds of it I dont need vent tubes?

Frankie the Fink

It will work. The vent tubes aren’t required but look good when the air cleaner is off.