Brake drums

[Guest]

having converted to disk brakes, is there anyone out there that would have any need of the old drums, and related parts that I took off ?
Also, I have now learned A LOT about installing high performance carbs on the 352 ( it was a HARD lesson ), so if anyone out there has done it, or thinking about it,I would have some advice for you, just ask.

[Alexander]

RE: Brake drums

I am rebuilding a 1959 Thunderbird 4100 now.

Tell us about your carburetor experiences.

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[Guest]

RE: Brake drums

Ok, here is what happened.
over the past year, I completely rebuilt the motor, from the motor mounts up. Everything, new or rebuilt, rewired, all done. the only thing was the carb. i wanted a little more than the original, so I bought a Holley, model 4150 double pumper. Everything that I could find, said it was a good fit for the 352. It was, and ran GREAT !
But..my mileage was HORRIBLE. After a while, I started to have some back firing thru the carb. And then, unfortunatley at a car show, after arriving and parking ( it was over 100 that day ), i decided to move it, jumped in, and it did not want to start. After about 20 sec, it did, but only ran about 5 sec, then died. THEN, there was smoke coming out from all around the hood. It had caused a carb fire, and the race was on to get it out, which we did ...VERY luckey the only thing ruined, was the air cleaner/filter.
what i found out, thru my VERY good mechanic, that there is a "power valve" in the carb ( I never heard of it before ), and although the carb is fine for the motor, THE POWER VALVE IS NOT ! It creates TO MUCH vacumm for these motors..which caused the carb to pull to much gas ( bad mileage, leaving to much gas in the carb after shut off, which caused the fire )as well as my wipers weren't working that well at all. He changed to a smaller power valve, and BINGO ! runs fine, mileage has jumped up ( will fill up again tommorrow, but i can tell it is MUCH better , and wipers working fine).
So, i just want to help someone else BEFORE they have a fire, the HP carbs are fine, but CHANGE the power valves.
So many of you are SO good to help all of us, i hope this helps in return.
Casey, if you read this, send me an email, I lost my address book when i got a new computer.

[tarps3]

RE: Brake drums

I don't know Dennis... you seem to be bad luck.
maybe you should just step away from the squarebird...very slowly now...easy does it....

Seriously though,
I am very glad you were able to extinguish the fire so quickly.

I emailed you with my contact info so we can discuss it off-board.

wow!

[Guest]

RE: Brake drums

Hello,
I just installed the same carb on my 59. I have popping through the carb off the line and when I accerlate hard at about 25-35. I understand this to be a lean condtion. The vacuum and centrifical advance are working properly. I just changed to a pointless ignition.
This 4150 carb makes little vacuum at idle so I capped off the port for the vacuum advance on the carb and I plugged in the vacuum advance from the distributor into the air cleaner valve which is below the throttle plates (towards front of carb). This helped but I still have a mild popping. So now I have purchased a set of pump cams to deliver a richer mixture.

Have you used these before? and if so have they help solve the problem.
thanks for the post.

[Guest]

RE: Brake drums

Is it possible to get the nuts that holds the wheel cylinders in place from your old drum set ill pay for them!

[Guest]

RE: Brake drums

Well, actually, you are talking over my head. I can't answer that, but if you haven't changed that power valve, I would. Seems to have made everything better, would hate to see happen to you, what happened to me, if you could avoid it.

[Guest]

RE: Brake drums

lockdown, i will see what is in the box, and let you know. you are welcome to them if they are there, i just haven't looked in the box since i picked it up from the garage.

[Guest]

RE: Brake drums

Sorry, the "talking over my head" response was for shorebird.

[byersmtrco]

RE: Brake drums

My 60 TB had a Holley 780 on it for years. Holley is not the product it once was. I believe they're made in Taiwan now . . . or the parts are.

I have had the best of luck with the Edelbrock AFB. Both my TB's have them. Total turnkey (elec/choke) No hessitation, no miss, no pop, just turn the key and go. Idle along all day or run W/O down the freeway. Awesome throttle responce. At 70 MPH (aprox) I average 16-17 MPG. Plus the configuration is similar to the Ford 4bbl. The big ol' air cleaner covers it if originality is an issue.

John

[Hawkrod]

RE: Brake drums

dphonohan, I don't know what you read but I can honestly say a Holley double pumper is absolutely not a good carb for a 352 and the Holley books should have told you that. A double pumper is strictly a high performance carb designed for engines with low vacuum signals and race type driving. A street car should always use a vacuum secondary carb. Also, a power valve is device that does not create vacuum, it is operated by vacuum. They are rated by how many inches of vacuum is required to open them. Double pumpers have very low number valves as they are designed for race engines with low vacuum signals. On a normal engine a low number valve will open too soon and use way too much fuel as you now know! I am sorry that somehow you ended up with that carb because it is a very poor fit for your application and the reality is the model 1850 vacuum secondary carb is ideal for a 352 and much cheaper than what you likely paid. The 1850 is kind of amusing because it is the most popular and cheapest Holley but the real story is it was designed for the 1959 Mercury and Ford cars and was OEM originally but is still being produced today! Hawkrod