I have a 1952 3100 that I call spot because every time I start it up it leaves a black spot under the tail pipe. The back story on this truck is that I bought someone else's failed project. There were enough good features to make it worthwhile. The engine is a rebuilt 1958 235 mated to a 1958 powerglide (cast iron). I originally tried to run on the two Rochesters on a Offenhouser manifold but that was even more of a problem. It has a 12V negative ground system with electronic ignition. The truck also came with the original intake manifold so i went back to a single Rochester since I had two that looked new.
I have to either settle for a bad idle/low speed operation or advance the timing which smooths it out mostly but then it has a flat spot around 40MPH.
Here are some of the things I know already:
1) Without lead in the gas I am not going to get that nice grey tailpipe and sparkplugs.
2) The 235/Powerglide combo is not ideal for anything that wants to travel faster than a piece of East German strip mining equipment, but it is what came with the project and it fit without altering the floor.
3) Rochesters are not my friend but again I tried to use what I had.
4) I jetted the carbs down from the original 58s to as small as a 47 with no appreciable difference.
5) The Power Jet is open and the gasket is not in the way.
With what I have described does anyone see any main "Red Flags" The engine has 700 miles on it and seems to have no problems other than It seems to run rich.
My next solution is to pave my concrete driveway with blacktop and forget about it.
I do have a power brake booster added that works great but with it and the vacuum from the transmission as well as the distributor advance am I skimming too much off this intake?
Any help would be appreciated.
Tom