I ordered a QJet from one of the big QJet rebuilders (they sourced the core). It arrived today and I'm concerned about possible shipping damage.




Should I:

1) Start the shipping insurance process with UPS
2) Send it back to the rebuilder
3) Bend the throttle attachment point back myself
4) Take it to a shop to have them straighten it out
5) Don't worry, it's normal

?

 

Yeah if it were me id just bend it straight but be prepared to get ripped apart for not buying it from Lars...

 

My first thought is, ..... You purchased a carburetor from one of those big rebuilders??? Really?
WOW, your brave.
I think you should take several pictures of this carburetor from each side, above and below and post them up on here. Then with any luck Lars will see them and point out the obvious issues.
That's what I think.

 

Was the box damaged ? if not then it was put in the box like that. Report the damage to the vendor and see how they want to handle it.

 

Same has been said already. I would send it back.
Get a refund and put it towards almost any factory core and rebuild/have rebuilt.
You WILL have nothing but troubles getting one from any of the 'big builders'
There are few I would trust with mine if I couldnt do it myself.
If you are at all mechanical, a little knowledge and time and they are easyish to build. Lots of help here if you get in a bind.

 

The box looks perfect, and the packaging looked fine too. It seems most likely the carb was that way when it went into the box.

 

#3 for me, if you are keeping it.

 

Is this a joke...? You obviously gotta' be kidding...

 

That looks like reason enough to return it for a full refund!

 

Threads like this are really heart breaking for me. A man can spend a lot of money going down a path from bad advice or just a lack of good information. Ive been there so many times I wont bother to mention. Many of us have been there, you all know what Im talking about. The good news is, in this case you have an amazing resource concerning Quadrajets right here in the forums.
Lars rebuilt my carb and then did another or a friend of mine and I could not be more pleased with the results. My advice to the OP, send a message to Lars Grimsrud with as much detail about your carb and engine setup as you can, be respectful and honest and follow his advice. The end result will be well worth your money and his time. In my limited experience with Qjets, it seems many are a mixed bag of several different carbs put together to make something that looks like it might work, might not. He can tell you what you have and advise you to course correct if needed.
Just my 2 cents, I hope it works out for the OP because I believe ALL these cars from the era are worth preserving. At least worth the effort.

 

Bend it back and see how it runs, that carb is close to a half a century old it likely has other perceived damage If it doesn't perform to your satisfaction, send it back.

 

THeres way to many ******** here anymore that wont give you advice and thats why Im cutting back on being here. Dont be a snowflake and read my whole response

One, move the throttle and see if what caused the bend, bent the throttle shaft. If it binds then yes, send it back because it will alway be and issue. IF not, bend it back yourself. I was going to say it was a stupid question but thinking of the possibilty of the throttle shaft getting buggered made me reconsider.

Two, you should have bent it back yourself before asking because, really...it looks insignificant.

three. Real quadrajets arent produced anymore and no one is going to tell you that the manufacturers mix parts and are just a rebuilder, not a restorer. THey put in parts that may be incorrect, but if it moves, it ships. It may not work correctly at all.

four, Lars answered above, and you can tell by his response how he feels about himself. Given that he is full of himself he does know more than most about the quadrajets and can get it working the way it was originally built. He has fair prices and his work is good. Hes just an *** about it. Im sure he gets tired of all the bullshit that he sees about folks getting screwed by remanufactured carbs and that they are all butchered together. Actually they shouldnt even be sold and should be investigated for fair trade practices but thats my opinion on parts quality in todays market.
we all get frustrated about our professions. Your best bet is to contact him directly and get his advice.

five. your response on post number 5 should tell you the quality of the rebuild internally on that carb. Send it back. Im sure it wasnt cheap. Depending on your year Lars may not work on the original carb but may give you advice on what to use instead.

good luck

 

Yeah. I've been on social/forum media long enough to know that I'll get quite a few useless or stupid answers, but that some will be useful. Thanks to all who offered advice.

 

Lars is far from an ***, I've met him. And he doesn't kind-of know his stuff, he does know his stuff. He should be full of himself.
I suggest you e-mail Lars at v8fastcars@msn.com before doing anything.

 

Lars reputation around here should allow him to act anyway he wants...

 

I honestly don't what all this is about. I've seen Lars post his extremely informative threads on customers carburetor rebuilds time and again.
And time and again he puts forth so very much information on the topic. And for no financial gain to him whatsoever. The guy does nothing but help fellow old car enthusiasts.
And I have never met the guy, never had a beer together. I just know what I see.
So, if someone thinks he has an attitude, well, I guess I missed that.
if you want a Quadrajet set up correctly. He's THE guy.
And when he leaves this hobby, God help all you Quadrajet guys.

 

Unfortunately there are tons of vintage car folks that think buying a rebuilt, restored, or equivalent looking part Will have good results. The truth is that many many parts that are sold by Corvette or other suppliers are junk, they may not fit or worse, just plain don’t work! People that read the Forum on regular basis will see all the posts about issues with exact replacement parts that don’t function. I have got to the point of looking for NOS parts that I can have on hand when my car has a problem. A perfect example is the fixed antenna on my 73. The cable was cut so I buy a new cable / connector (all one piece), along with a new mast. Of course the new mast does not cover the mounting base threads. I call Tech Support and they could care less. Now I have rust accumulating on the threads. How hard is it to tell the manufacturer that something doesn’t fit? The suppliers just don’t care. I can’t imagine some company trying to restore a 50 year old Quad, when they can’t even make an antenna mast fit there own
base.

 

It is crazy how many specialty rebuild places sell basically junk.
I can't remember even 1 person getting what they thought they were buying.
the carb may run fine but it is not "the" specific great carb as an original.
anywho, care should be used when needing a carb.

 

There are three people in the world that I'd trust to rebuild my Q,jet. @lars, Cliff Ruggles, (who literally wrote the book, but isn't taking new clients), and me (armed with Cliff's book and rebuild kits, @lars' white papers and rebuild threads, and my prior experience rebuilding carbs).

OP, if you are the least but handy, you are likely to have better results going the DIY route. I guess pointing out that you should return that commercially rebuilt carb for a full refund makes me the *******.

If you just want your car to work, there are lots of off-the-shelf solutions better than that carb, but most say 'Holley" or "EFI" the side, or both.

 

Not in the slightest. This is by far the best technical car forum on the net. The knowledge of these cars is unparalleled. I wish there was a way that all new C3 owners would just come here first for tech advice before starting a project or buying a part. You gave sound advice. Anyone with a Q-jet should heed your suggestions.