I know this subject has been around from time to time but I am looking for some opinions.

I am in the process of selecting a carb for my 56 Merc. It has a stock 312 with dual exhaust and a later (1961) distributor, 4.09 rear and a T-5 5 speed trans. Should I run a 390 Holley or a 600 ? I want to stick with the Holley because I know them and prefer the look . The car will be a street cruiser but of course I want the best all around performance I can get from the package.

At this point I am leaning towards the 390 for torque and throttle response. Any ideas ?

Pete

Take a look at the 465 Holley or the 525 Demon. Especially since you have a stick trans.

Ol'ford nutCentral Iowa

56 Vic w/292 & 4 spd.

I'm running the 465 holley and I love it. Only problem is is that the base doesn't have a vac port, but I've got enough Holleys laying around to make the base switch this winter. 272, auto, pertronix, blaster coil, rv cam, large valves in the heads.

       

Gary, 55 Vicky, St. Germain, Wisconsin

 

I had to put a riser under my carb to clear the heater valve that fits in front of the carb. I take it that you are talking about a vacuum source for your PVC valve.

Ol'ford nutCentral Iowa

56 Vic w/292 & 4 spd.

Yes, I have a phenolic spacer cuz of the heat

       

Gary, 55 Vicky, St. Germain, Wisconsin

 

The vacuum port for PCV is built in on the 390 which is what I have on mine.

  

So Mark how do you like the 390 ? I have looked at the 465 Holley but the throttle arm has a very small lever that won't work well with the throttle cable that I am planning on using, so it's the 390 or the 600 for me.

Pete

YOU ASKED FOR OPINIONS so here is one. I have a 312 with a mild cam and FOM with a 3,31 rear gear in my 55 Tbird. I put a Holley 600 vacuum secondaries on it like 15 years ago and I never regretted it. The carb was model 1850 AAS and came with the Ford style kick down linkage ( You obviously will not need this). I have the 57 Tbird tach drive distributor with a pertronix I igniter in it and run full manifold vacuum to the advance. A four barrel carb will run on the front two primaries 90 % of the time, so what you really have is 300CFM two throat until you floor it. Then ask your self 390 or 465 or 600, what was I thinking? It is a very docile carb and very forgiving. With a T5 and 4.10, why even ask? Pete

525 Road Demon jr. is what I run, very good carb.  Looks good too. 

   God Bless.   Tim                           http://yblockguy.com/

350ci Y-Block FED "Elwood", 301ci Y-Block Unibody LSR "Jake", 312ci Y-Block '58 F-100, 338ci Y-Block powered Model A Tudor

tim@yblockguy.com  Visalia, California    Just west of the Sequoias

I believe the 390(model 8007) comes with a little bolt-on  "stud"adapter so you can clip on a throttle cable as opposed to the rod type linkage original on many 50's Fords.I am happy with my 390.Electric choke and either full or ported vacuum hookup for the distributor advance as well as the aformentioned PCV hookup.If you ask 6 people for their preference on carb manufacturers you will likely get 6 different answers.If you log on to the Holley website you can order a free catalogue with lots of info about their carbs(and other interesting parts)Hope this helps.