19 replies to this topic

[claysummers]

I am in the process of fitting a manual choke to a Holley 350. Where the choke butterfly actuating rod passes through the air cleaner base is blanked off somehow. It looks like there is a circular brass plate sandwiched between the filter base and air horn. I am trying to avoid removing the carb from the manifold, and was about to drill through the plate when I had second thoughts. It looks as though the blanking plate could be removed by splitting the components, but also appears I need to remove the carb to do so. Just being my usual lazy self and wondering if anyone else has been through this and can offer advice. Pictures to follow.


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[claysummers]

The car
It’s on a black 202


The blank

Never played with these. Seems they are screwed together upside down. As I said, I’m trying to avoid removing it from the manifold, but I’ve got a feeling I will have to.


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[LJ RB30]

Its got what looks like a 5c piece glued to block off where the choke link goes through the horn.

You got a few bits missing to get it working.

Google some 350 holley images & you will see all the choke mechanism & link that's missing.

They are pretty easy to work on 

[claysummers]

I’ve got all the bits thanks Trev. Do you think I could punch that disc out from the top or have to dissemble to remove? I want to get it off and fit the rod before I fasten the other bits on the side.


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[Bruiser]

If you try to punch that coin out from the top you’ll break off the 2 metal bits that hold the rectangular fibre part for sealing the hole off to unfiltered air.
It moves side to side as the rod moves. If you just drilled through from above, you won’t be able to fit it in there with the coin left behind
Maybe you could knock out the coin sideways, or soften up the glue with thinners or carb cleaner or acetone or something nasty
For sure fitting up the linkages and spring would be a lot easier on the bench anyway, it’s pretty fiddly.
Took me a few goes to figure out how the spring works and where it goes

[S pack]

So someone has literally epoxied a coin, or looks like two coins over the hole for the choke rod? Try dropping some acetone or lacquer thinners into the hole and let soak in to hopefully soften the epoxy.

[Bruiser]

Then head to the deli with your 10cents and buy a couple of sherbies

[claysummers]

Thankyou fellers. I don’t have that fibre bit Bruce, but makes good sense. I will fabricate something. I have the spring worked out thanks to YouTube but I will remove the carb and do it properly. I reckon I might be lucky to get one musk penny stick if it’s a 10c piece.


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[RallyRed]

They reckon there's money in old car these days.....

[Rockoz]

Ive put a 350 Holley on a few cars over the years.

Never bothered with connecting the choke though.

 

2 pumps on the throttle then hit the key was all they ever needed.

Is the effort worth it?

 

Cheers

 

Rob

[claysummers]

Mainly being an auto it helps to have the idle up a bit when maouvering from a cold start in my crowded driveway Rob. What you say is a common observation. It isn’t a huge effort really and I had the parts kindly donated. So now I feel obliged to fit them.

Also, the common reply to your observation is if the engine runs well from a cold start it is likely rich at operating temperature. I want to see if I can get 22mpg out of it which is what I used to get from a virtually identical setup with a Varajet II carby. Otherwise I have a 390 on the shelf, or even the Rochester Varajet II. They are a wrongly maligned carb in my experience.


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[yel327]

Have a look for a used 350 Holley. They aren't expensive, and get the bits off it. I see them at swap meets for $50 each.

[claysummers]

I’ve already got the bits, bar the fibre sliding sheet which I can make.

Bit of solvent and teeny vise grips did the job.


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[Bruiser]

They might be rare 5c pieces and worth $75 a pop

Is that the Mrs’s car, Clay?

Edited by Bruiser, 18 December 2024 - 06:35 PM.

[claysummers]

Yes the wife’s new car
She has even driven it, once. I’ve improved the steering since then. 205/60 tyres on negative offset 13” Splatts didn’t do it any favours but neither did the fact the pitman arm was loose on the shaft.

Thanks to Dave for the thinners suggestion I won’t need to remove the carb after all. And to Bruce for the description of the sliding plate. Made one up out of 1mm ally sheet that works well.



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Edited by claysummers, 18 December 2024 - 06:50 PM.

[LJ RB30]

That’s a nice looking car mate👍

[claysummers]

Thanks Trevor. We bought it sight unseen as we got to know the owner travelling around the southwest of WA last June after the FB EK National titles. Him in the immaculate 307 powered FB panno he built. Hence the sedan being surplus to requirements.

I found out some history on it. Built around October 1960 in Brisbane, Pagewood body, originally Pyramid Coral and Grecian White. Mod plated in QLD 1996 with 179 trimatic, HR suspension and disc/drum brakes, 3.08 LSD. Painted in 1997 VL Commodore Wild Mulberry with silver.

Some time after that it was sold to a fella in SA who bought it for his wife, but she couldn’t handle the steering and lack of AC etc, and in 2008 the last owner Trevor Jolliffe bought it to WA and replaced the 179 with a freshened original bore carby 202 black six, Crow cam and full bellhousing trimatic.

So the car was engineered in QLD, then roadworthied in SA, then engineered again in WA. Now I am going through application to modify yet again in SA, even though I have proof of previous rego here with the 179. It has a Hadifield chassis kit, early Rodeo front seat and custom interior.

Interior and paint are a bit tired as you can imagine after 27 years, but the upside is that there is nothing hidden. Trevor did about 10,000 miles in it in the 16 years he owned it. He is a retired master mechanic and the car is very good mechanically, apart from the minor steering issue, and lack of a choke, of course. It only weighs 1120kg in spite of the agricultural chassis kit so it gets along pretty well.


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[Bruiser]

Nice looking car
Don’t forget to tell her she looks good in it
Don’t let her beat you at the traffic lights either
Nice job with the aluminium thingo too

[claysummers]

Your advice hasn’t failed me yet oh wise one……


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[Bruiser]

Chuckle chuckle