'60 TBird Carburetor

[Guest]

All the manuals I've seen list either a Ford(4100?) or Carter (Both 4-barrels) as the available carb choices for that year. My 60 Convertible has an Autolite 2-Barrel carb..my problem is that I cannot get certain info/spares (such as gaskets for carb-spacer&spacer to manifold (2-port vs 4-port and different bolt patterns)..any ideas?..where can I find more info?..would this have been an original equipment?..I just can't see anyone going thru the trouble to change the manifold/intake system just to economize with a 2-barrel carb..thanks..John:-(

[Alexander]

RE: '60 TBird Carburetor

Welcome to the site.

No two barrels were installed on the Thunderbirds. Even those cars equipped with 332cid engines for export had four barrel carburetors.

The correct carburetor for the 352cid is the Ford 4100 while the 430cid had the Carter.

People do strange things with cars. I have seen in a magazine a 1959 Thunderbird with an earlier Y block engine.

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[Guest]

RE: '60 TBird Carburetor

Hi Alexander,

Thanks for the welcome and the reply..I'm now wondering what engine I have in this vehicle (recently aquired)..how can I tell..are there any particular identification marks/numbers for the 352?..

Thanks again,
John

[Alexander]

RE: '60 TBird Carburetor

All the FE engines look pretty much alike. In fact, most no matter the bore have 352 stamped on them. A picture of intake manifold and engine would be helpful. Look for casting numbers on the intake manifold, cylinder heads and the front of the engine. I can look up the numbers to tell you what you have.

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[fomoco59]

RE: '60 TBird Carburetor

I also have a 2 barrel on my '60. The Intake has a stamped PN starting with C2, so I assume it's a '62 motor (or at least intake setup) from another Ford (Non-TBird).

[Guest]

RE: '60 TBird Carburetor

Fairlanes ,Galaxies, and large Mercurys from that era (58....late 60,s)also came with 352,s ...........but several used 2 barrel carbs as well as 4. Its the intake manifold that is different. One was set up for a 2 barrel..(spacer,ect)..the other a 4.

[Guest]

RE: '60 TBird Carburetor

I was able to get some numbers.

On the Block (Front, left-hand side) it says C2AE

On top of the manifold, again left side: 2C6: and directly underneath that C2AE9(next number4 or letterA--not quite sure which)25D

There is cast writing and another, lengthy, number on the manifold at the rear (left side) but I have to rmove a hose going from the spacer to the (vacumn?) manifold to get at those.

Thanks everyone..

[Alexander]

RE: '60 TBird Carburetor

That intake manifold is from 1962. It definitely came from a Ford other than a Thunderbird.

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[fomoco59]

RE: '60 TBird Carburetor

John,
Looks like you and I have the same setups on our 60's. The number on the rear of the intake is probably the firing order.

Alexander, are the 4100 Carbs still available?. I think I need one for my '59. I've rebuilt mine twice, still not behaving. Or is there another good replacement..

[Guest]

RE: '60 TBird Carburetor

I recently had my Holley (incoorrect but it came with the car) rebuilt by a guy who does nothing but rebuild carburetors, and he has been doing it for over 20 years. He told me the carb was made in 2002 and had a machine that trued the various pieces to take out any warpage or uneveness. You may want to get it rebuilt by someone locally or an advertiser in Hemmings or another hobby magazine. Nothing like having a carburetor that came with the car and all the fittings and linkage bolt right up.

[Alexander]

RE: '60 TBird Carburetor

You can get your 4100 rebuilt or get a correct one for your year from http://www.ponycarburetors.com/.

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[Guest]

RE: '60 TBird Carburetor

Thanks for the info..how about the engine itself? (C2AE)..any idea if it is the correct one for my 60 convertible?..will a 4100 carb fit that manifold or do I have to find the correct one?
Thanks,
John

[byersmtrco]

RE: '60 TBird Carburetor

Another carb option is the Edelbrock AFB. It's the Carter design. Very enhanced though. 15 yrs ago, I took one out of the box and put it on my 60.(It was my dads car at the time) I set the idle and it hasn't been touched since. It get's 17 MPG on the freeway, if you keep it under 70. I've had the same carb on a 72 El Camino and put them on various other cars for people. Never a problem. Plus if they ever got funny with smog laws for old cars (Here in lovely Calif) it's ARB approved. It's pretty much a straight bolt on except for the fuel line.

Problem with the 4100 is the throttle shafts wear (just like a Roch Quad/jet) If you want the orig carb, find a machune shop or someone to re-bush the throttle body and replace the shafts. Otherwise you're just putting a worn out carb with new gaskets on there. If you want total original that's the way to go.

John

[Alexander]

RE: '60 TBird Carburetor

If you have a 2 barrel manifold, you need to get a four barrel manifold, which are readily available used. Look at the spacing of the bolts of the carburetor. If they are spaces so that they would be the corners of a square, then you have 4 barrel mainfold. If they are in the shape of a rectangle (wider across than front to back)then it is a 2 barrel manifold. The Ford 4100 is the stock carburetor. Many Holley carburetors are bolt ons to the four barrel manifold.

It is easy to adapt to a 2 barrel carburetor to a four barrel manifold, so that is waht you may have. There are adapters for four barrel carburetors to two barrel manaifolds but they don't work very well.

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[Guest]

RE: '60 TBird Carburetor

I definately have a 2-barrel manifold..what I am really trying to determine now before going any further is what engine I have..i.e. if it's the original(1960 with a different manifold))..or a different year..or if it's even a 352?..as I said, the only number I've found on the block so far is: C2AE..does this have any meaning in identifying the engine?
Thanks,
Johgn