Setting up the carbs proved easier than I thought and just as Speedway advertises. Once we got the primary carb adjusted to provide sufficient idle to keep the engine running, it was a simple dance between the secondary carbs with the Uni-Syn and a screwdriver to adjust their idle settings. Back and forth between the three carbs got them all in sync while keeping the idle at a reasonable rpm (we had it down below 800 rpm and it ran like a clock). About 20 minutes after bolting the carbs down, we had them tuned and were running up and down the local "strip" smiling with glee every time those secondary carbs came on, bringing with them a sudden rush of acceleration and that "whoosh" of air as six barrels of carbureted fury suck air and fuel into the engine. The thought of a bolt-on carburetor ready-to-run out of the box based on a 70-year-old design just doesn't seem possible, but it did, and I did it. And if I can do it, Speedway must've made a REALLY nice product, because I can't usually tune a radio let alone a carburetor. So if you're engine compartment is in need of a vintage vibe, check out the Speedway catalog or go online at www.speedwaymotors.com.
Making Hard Lines Easy
I wasn't real happy with the rubber fuel hose setup and decided to take the time to make a few hard lines and clean up the tri-power install. I found a handful of Ford compression fittings to install at the carb inlets from Mac's Antique Auto parts and proceeded to scour the hardware store for the rest. I also decided to get rid of the bulky fuel block with a sleaker 3-in-1 fuel line made from 1/4-inch stainless steel. It was a little tricky welding the three lines together, but with a little patience, I was able to pull it off. The end result is much cleaner and a bit more professional than it was before with all those black hoses.
Here's the regulator with...
Here's the regulator with the pressure gauge on the left side installed, along with the stainless compression tube fittings on the inlet and outlet side-more on these a little later. A small fuel filter will be used just before the fuel pump to ensure no debris gets inside.
With the Edelbrock intake...
With the Edelbrock intake bolted to the engine and torqued to spec, we installed each carb with the mixture screws (the two small guys on the front of each base) a turn and a half out. This is a pretty good baseline setting that we'll dial in later. Each carb was then plumbed to the Edelbrock 3x2 fuel block. Note the absence of any linkage, save for what existed coming from the pedal.
The first step is to get the...
The first step is to get the engine to fire and idle at a decent rpm. After ensuring that the two end or secondary carb idle-speed screws were backed out sufficiently, we turned in the idle screw on the primary carb to help bring the engine to idle. Once fired, the idle-speed screw is further finessed until the engine hovers around 800 rpm.
The next step is to sync the...
The next step is to sync the carbs. This ensures that all three are pulling the same amount of vacuum at idle. A Uni-Syn Carb Sync tool is placed over the throat of the primary carb and is adjusted until the ball floats in the center of the gauge.
Here's the "secondary" or...
Here's the "secondary" or progressive portion of the Eelco linkage kit. This mates the two secondary carbs together and regulates when they open.
With all three carbs synced,...
With all three carbs synced, the secondary linkage can now be installed on the throttle shafts of the secondary carbs. Care must be taken to ensure that the linkage is attached without moving the throttle shafts off their "idle" settings, thereby changing the tuning that was just set.
Next, the secondary carbs...
Next, the secondary carbs are checked using the syncing tool. Both carbs required adjustment on the idle-speed screw, which bumped the idle rpm of the engine up slightly. By going back and forth between the primary carb and secondary units, small adjustments were made until all three carbs measured the same vacuum via the Uni-Syn gauge (synced) and the engine idled at a proper rpm rating. At this time, the primary linkage between the throttle pedal and primary carb can be attached.
It takes a bit of trial and...
It takes a bit of trial and error to set when the secondary carbs kick in, we adjusted ours to come on just before the primary carb reaches half-throttle. A bit of driving will tell us if that's where we like it. The easiest way to determine this is to set it to when the four-bbl carb's secondaries come on, but it really comes down to personal preference.