The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Request opinion on Stromberg 81

The one found on the 136" Flathead V8, for use in a multi carb set up? Would 2 of these work on a 235?

They would probably work better than over-carbureting it with two of the Rochesters or Carters built for single-carb use on a 235. The only downside would be trying to find two well-matched examples of a carb produced for an engine that was last made in 1940. The 3-bolt base pattern will require an adapter for the Chevy intake manifold. The name should be spelled "$tromberg" when you start trying to find repair parts, also! A pair of small-base Carter carbs for a 216 would be more common and less expensive, IMHO.
Jerry

The Stromberg 81 is a carburetor that is highly prized for use on many of the 30's Ford hotrod builds (read as being VERY expensive!!!).

The model 81, like the models 48 and 97 all have warpage issues (the castings may be straightened by heat and pressure, but it has to be done) which create fuel leakage problems.

As far as I am aware, no manifolds exist with the 3 bolt pattern for the 235 engine (not positive on this). Using the adapter creates air velocity problems which will contribute to poor A/F ratio.

Another issue is parts. While gaskets for a 97 (readily available) will fit the 81; the accelerator pump will not fit. The fuel valve for the 97 will fit, but the fuel orifice is too large for the 81, creating flooding issues. Jets are readily available for the 97, but the jet orifices needed for the 81 are not readily available. And don't believe the old wives tale (actually, an old husbands tale, the wives are smarter) about soldering up the orifice and redrilling. Gasoline will erode the solder like the Mississippi River erodes levies.

And if you still REALLY want to use them after all of the above, and are independently wealthy, I make parts for them !

Jon.

Thank you very much for the info. As it happens I allready have a matched pair of SAE 2 Carter W-1s. But I also have one of these little $trombergs in my parts bin, and the theory of the question intrigued me.

Thanks again.

As a general rule (and remember, "general" rules were made to be broken by us privates ) the number of "barrels" should be an even divisor into the number of cylinders.

Two two-barrels on a four or eight (or even twelve) cylinder.

Two one-barrels or three one-barrels or three two-barrels on a six cylinder.

Of course, it is also VERY necessary to size the carbs of whatever configuration for the engine displacement and RPM.

Jon.

An adapter for a 3 bolt carb to a 2 bolt was a rather popular item back 50 something years ago. Warshawski Bros as well as other vendors sold them. A Ford/Holley with the load the load a matic disabled and replaced with a manifold vacuum port did wonders for a 235 6 cylinder. The same 3 bolt Holley came on a lot of 302 engines, but it is a too much carburetor for a Chev. A carb from a 54 239 Ford worked fine on Chevrolets as well as the smaller GMC engines. I have never heard of the barrel rule with cylinders. All I have ever seen on 302 engines was a 3 bolt Holley or a 4 bolt Stromberg.

I was surprised to find a tiny 3-bolt Stromberg carburetor on my 61 GMC fire truck with the 401 V6, and it appears to be factory stock! I suppose restricting the size of the carburetor works about as well as some sort of governor system- - - -just like NASCAR and their restrictor plates.
Jerry

Jerry - I think if you look again, you will find your 401 has a 4-bolt 2-barrel Stromberg type WWC. The WWC was about the same internal size as GM used on the 2-barrel passenger engines (Pontiac 389 is a good example). Chrysler used the WWC on their 383 passenger engines.

Jon.