In mid October, I asked about an additional modification to ’56 single quad application Holley 4000s for use in a dual quad set-up with a '57-up distributor. I’m still working on effecting modifications on those carbs for a 2x4 set-up for my y.



Yesterday, a y-block acquaintance visited me and after seeing what I’m doing on the ’56 Holleys, asked if I could help him with setting up two ’56 Mercury single quad application WCFBs on an Edelbrock 257 manifold.



I have not worked on Carter WCFBs (or AFBs) before and do not know what might need to be done to make two of them work together appropriately. Based on Forum info regarding the Holley 4000s, I’m sure the vacuum operated secondaries need to have their diaphragm spring tensions cut in half and a balance tube employed between the secondary diaphragm chambers to equalize the vacuum signal so that the secondaries open in unison.



While WCFBs were produced from 1952 ‘til 1967, I’ve read that the WCFBs with vacuum controlled secondaries were “exceptionally troublesome and were discontinued after only a couple of years of use”. I'm amazed that there are some 222 different models of the WCFB that were produced over the years! The '56 Merc units even had spark control valves like the Holleys! WCFBs were used on dual quad factory offerings by Chevrolet (’55-’61?), Cadillac (‘56?) and perhaps others that I’m not familiar with. I’ve read that the WCFBs require some specialty gauges and bending tools to work on them and are ‘not as straight forward to work on as the Holley teapots’. Sooo….



I’m not finding info. about 2x4 WCFB set-ups in the Forum archives. I have reservations about starting something that I may not be familiar enough with to deal with appropriately, especially when doing it for someone else and not myself.



1)   Does anyone know what changes might be advisable to jets, metering rods, venturi boosters, accelerator pumps or pump jets, or anything else I’m not thinking of on a WCFB?

2)   Would I be wise to direct this fellow y-block enthusiast to turn to Daytona Parts Co., The Carburetor Shop LLC, or someone else to accomplish what is necessary for rebuilding and modifying these '56 WCFB carburetors for use on a dual quad y-block set-up?



Thanks for any input on this. -Appreciated!



Regards,

NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

You have brought up an intersting project. I too have looked at doing this and working towards it. This is a little long..........

About 10 moths ago one of these conversions was listed on E-Bay around $1000 and sold. They stated it worked like a 270 Corvette package and the left side linkage showed this.

I currently use a 52 Cadillac WCFB on a stock 56 manifold and 57 dist and it works fine with a little linkage work. I have recently aquired a 56 Merc WCFB (312) which needs some choke parts and a 54 Lincoln WCFB (317) which I have had restored and my plan is to build a 2-4 system which would run on the back carb front barrels normally. My thought is to leave the front choke parts off like the GM and use the Merc on the front and the Lincoln on the back as they both have the secondary vacuum acuator and I want that look. The Merc (and Cadillac) WCFB's have the fuel inlet on the rear and the Lincoln WCFB has it on the front causing me a little heartache with the tubing. Funny as it is the Merc WCFB's missing choke parts are the same as the Chevrolet but not the Cadillac. I can also tell you the vacuum line on the Lincoln is manifold and not venturi. I haven't checked the Merc but I will now. I'm assuming the 317 54 Lincoln used a Loadmatic distributor also. Need to assure myself of that if I use it for the 57 dist vacuum line.

My Lincoln and Cadillac carb were overhauled in Lynwood, Calif. at Alfa Carb shop. They look as new. They also did my teapot after I took if off for the Cadillac. If I ever sell the car I want all original parts to go with it. They are the shop which overhauls ALL the Holley 4000's for a a California restoration suppler and know them well. They are very "old time" and ff you saw the shop you would know what I mean. They told me the replace ment accelerator pumps are not a good as the old ones if that makes any difference to you. I think their price is fair at $150 complete.

I'm even making plans to make a copy of the old 2-4 air cleaner. May not be able to get the decal but I know to paint it red..........Good luck with your project

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

Heres a link to the decal being reproduced.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140850883008&fromMakeTrack=true

Its not exact but close enough to fool the unwashed masses

I have a few of those dual quad Purolater air cleaner assemblys if interested.

Oldmics

I am in the process of working over two pairs of WCFB’s for an upcoming dual quad test.  While I have kitted some of these for stockers back in their heyday, I’ve no experience with them on a dual quad setup.  This will be a learning experience for me so any information anyone can share will definitely be of some help at this point.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Oldmics. Thanks for adding your reply. I have a single Purolator air cleaner for an air compressor so I knew what the decal looked like but did not knpw whether I was going to replicate one. Having those air filter units is great. I'm considering making one because of the way an air filter unit is placed on WCFB's instead of Holley 4000's like original. I'm sure a new bottom would need to be made and the air filter element would need to be lower so all would fit under the hood and look correct.

I did this with the WCFB I'm using now. I gutted a stock air cleaner and welded the insert top to the outside and place it over a Dodge slant six filter on carb top adapters. It looks bone stock to most and when I show it to other Holley 4000 guys they like what I did.

I also like the 2-4 set-up look of a 245/270 Chevrolet with the 2 chrome air filters.   

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

DLR

Would you tell me what model Purolator air cleaner assembly you have for the compressors?

I have the 1956 Purolator catologue with a lot of that information in it.I"m just curious.

If you are going to build the air cleaner from scratch there should not be any size constraint issues.

The dual quad manifolds OTHER than the stock Ford spread the carbs futher apart necesseitating a larger can circle for the carbs to fit under.

The NASCAR air cleaner by Purolator unit would not work with any other Y Block dual quad manifold other than the stock Ford unit UNLESS the carburators center to center spacings are the same as the Ford distance.

The top portion of those NASCAR/Purolator cans were also used on 56 Chevys and Mopars.I also know that 56 Mopar dual quad center to center spacing is the same as Ford and I BELIEVE that Chevy carb spread distance was the same as Ford in 1956.

 Due to the carbs being spread futher apart on the aftermarket manifold.You will just need to create a larger round air cleaner assembly to accomidate the wider distance.

Hope this helps.

Oldmics

Old Mic. Why do you you think the purolator decal is not correct?

  JUST A MIDNIGHT CRUISE DOWN THUNDER ROAD!!! TOM DRUMMOND MIDWEST DIRECTOR 57 FORD INTERNATIONAL

Tom

As you know I have the original NASCAR kit with the air filter and that decal.I also have another original survivor air filter with the decal.

Both of those original decals are the same which are different than the repro decal.

I would have to go back and do a comparison once again but I recall the font size is not correct on several different areas printed sections.

Coupla of other things were also not as the original but as I said I would have to go back and compare again to refresh my memory.

Which I will do! I will report back in a few days.

As I said Its a close likeness-just not spot on.

Oldmics

Old Mic, As I have told you before I have opened two of the 56 NASCAR boxes, one of the new aircleaners was shipped to Jim Osborn reproductions in Ga. And was pro. photoed and reproduced. This was in about 1973 or 74. That is the same decal that is being sold. Just wondered what was different with yours. Tom

  JUST A MIDNIGHT CRUISE DOWN THUNDER ROAD!!! TOM DRUMMOND MIDWEST DIRECTOR 57 FORD INTERNATIONAL

Tom & Gentlemen

Seems I have opened a can of worms once I start to investigate all of the information that I have.

What I mean is that there appears to have been several runs of this decal over the years.

I"ll start with the original and then move on to the discrepency points.The various production runs have different issues when compared to the original decal.

Original decal points of consideration for comparison purposes to repros would be

Orange backround with a decal size of 6" X 2 1/2 ".

On the decal where the printing states    WHEN DIRTY REPLACE REFILL WITH PUROLATOR TYPE AF-

Style of font on the "A" where the printing states   AIR FILTER

_______________________________________________________________________________

Differences would be

Current unit on eBay has RED backround color-should be ORANGE

While the decal on eBay is size correct I have a repro that is orange backround in color BUT is sized smaller at 5 13/16 X 2 5/16

On the original decal the printing states    WHEN DIRTY REPLACE REFILL WITH PUROLATOR TYPE AF-

On the eBay offering it is printed as TYPE AF-1    Should not have the "1",should be blank after AF-

The font differences of the letter "A" in the word AIR is difficult to explain.The eBay unit is correct with two different widths of the "A" legs in the word AIR . 

 Again I have two repros where both of the "A" legs are the same thickness.

The "A" letter in the word AIR are two different widths.

I went to the Osborne site to see his offering.Unfortunatly it does not show a picture of his decals.

So I have yet to see the perfect reproduction decal.

Oldmics