A Brief History, Tour and Installation
Photos/Video/Story: T-Bone – Click the pic for the VIDEO on Blacktop TV
We have always been a fan of Edelbrock here at Blacktop Magazine. In-fact it’s hard-pressed to find someone who isn’t a fan. For the past 75 years the Edelbrock family has been producing incredible performance and speed equipment for racers, enthusiasts and now to original equipment manufacturers. It all started in 1938 when Vic Edelbrock Sr. produced the “Slingshot” intake manifold for his’32 Ford Roadster; daily driver and 112 mph Muroc Dry Lake constant winner. It was the first product to feature the Edelbrock name.
You may have read in our Hellwig helper-spring installation story that we were headed to the Edelbrock HQ for a private tour of their facility and offices. There we learned quite a bit about the evolution of a company committed to quality and performance. Started with performance heads and intake systems the company grew to include wiring, exhaust, brakes, suspension and more. Today they focus on what they do best “underhood performance”.
In the tour Smitty showed us the engine dyno rooms, the “Fun Team” garage, machining facilities, and assembly rooms where they bench test each intake, carburetor and supercharger. We then went to “Vic’s Garage” where Vic Jr. has immortalized his father’s workbench and tool box and several vehicles that are recreations of some of the vehicles his father has owned and campaigned throughout the years before his untimely death in 1962. There is a pair of nearly identical deuces to represent the original roadster Vic Sr. would take to the dry lakes. One with fenders as he would drive daily, the other all stripped down as they would arrive at the track.
Enough of that, let’s get to this carburetor installation.
Some of you may know we’ve been having a bit of trouble with the old ’56. I never really knew how well the car would run any day I took it out. For weeks it would roll smoothly down the road and then if it sat for more than a week, it could run rough, idle high or just plain be a pain in the A$$. We’ve tried different approaches to the problem then had the boys at The 401k Club Hot Rod Shop adjust the timing and boy did that help. But not quite right. They have suggested in the past that with a new carburetor and a vacuum adjust distributor, they could get that ’68 390 FE with GT Heads to really scream. I have also been asking around my buddies in the Mercifuls So Cal Car Club and other enthusiasts of their advice on carburetion. Most everyone suggested the Edelbrock, saying: “It’s a bolt-on and go right out of the box carb that is very dependable.” Only the racers who like to tinker with jets and adjustments were diehard to their favorites. But for street cruising and dependability with minimal fuss, Edelbrock was the way to go. So away I went.
We called on our buddy Craig Maiorana (star of this season of Chop Cut Rebuild with Dan Woods) to come on out to our garage to help with the install. Pizza and Ginger Ale was all it took to get his expert wrenching skills. Not that it was a tough installation, I like to have someone there to help with any adjustments if needed.
Off with old, on with the new.
Before we did anything, I disconnected the battery since we will be unplugging the electric choke. Not sure if it is necessary, but with fuel and electricity, I thought it best.
We stripped the old carb off car with ease, and placed the new gasket and Edelbrock Street Performer 1406 series carburetor. It is best to hand tighten all four nuts on the mounting plate, check the linkage for any obstructions then tighten in a cross pattern. We run a 1” riser, which helps keep the fuel cool as it acts like a head dump and keeps the linkage from hitting the intake manifold. Highly recommend this. I opted for the regular finish to match the other components.
We run a 1968 Ford FE 390 with GT heads, Chet Herbert mild cam, and Edelbrock Performer Intake Manifold. The power brake booster is vacuum supported from the manifold and the C6 transmission runs a vacuum line from the carb. We have an electronic choke and a Mallory Unilite Distributor with mechanical advance.
With some new 3/8th inch fuel hose we tied into the steel line off the mechanical fuel pump in the front left side of the block. We wrapped the hose up over the water-pump and along the valley of the intake on the passenger side where we inserted the supplied fuel filter and tied it into the fuel port on the carb. We added a new hose from the PCV valve on the Edelbrock Classic Series Valve Cover to the front of the new carb. The transmission vacuum line connects to the front of the carb in the lower vacuum port. We wrapped the brake booster vacuum port plug with sealer tape and screwed it in the rear port of the carb. This would have been easier if we did it before attaching the carb. Attach the power wire to the electronic choke, and ground the choke with the supplied ground wire connected to the body of the carb.
Craig suggested we turn the set screws on the front of the carb down all the way then back-off two complete turns. This is where we will be able to start the motor and test for any other adjustments. We found that the carb was already set to those specs right out of the box.
A twist, stomp and roar.
I ran to the trunk and re-connected the battery. Grabbed the keys and a couple of turns of the starter and steps on the pedal to fill the line and carb, and the engine roared to life! WOW! I couldn’t believe how smooth it ran just out of the box. It was really that easy. A quick test-run around the block and it’s good to go. I threw the keys to Craig and we were off. A great idle (for once) incredible throttle response and it runs like a whole new car.
Now the top of our motor is all matching with Edelbrock products! Classic style valve covers, air cleaner, a Performer 390 intake manifold and now the Street Performer 1406 series carburetor! So what’s next? We are going to get some new hard fuel line to clean up the engine compartment that will go from the fuel pump to the carb with a banjo fitting on the carb.
Check out the video on our YouTube Channel and be sure to visit www.Edelbrock.com to find the right product for your needs. If you’re like me and do mostly street cruisin’ with occasional track runs, this is a great set-up.