The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Is there a carb adapter plate available?

Wondering if there is a carb adapter plate for adapting 216 carbs to 235/261 manifold?

The reason I ask is I’d like to put a Fenton or other dual carb setup on a 261 but use two 216 carbs. I can’t find any dual carb intakes that take a 216 carb, everything I’ve seen has the 235/261 sized carbs. I currently have a great running 216 carb so I’d only have to buy another one and the manifold/linkage.

I do not know what might be commercially available today.

85 years ago, these were available from Carter:

[img]http://www.thecarburetorshop.com/Carter_adapters.jpg[/img]

Any of these, with the exception of 72-32, can easily be reproduced:

(1) identify the flange size(s) needed
(2) acquire 2 worthless carbs at a swap meet or junkyard (Rochester B's pretty well fit this category ) with the correct flange. Others that fit the category are Carter BBR, and Holley 1904. You might even use a Carter YF that has been stored at the bottom of a pond.
(3) place the cast iron throttle bodies in a power hacksaw, and cut the throttle body just below the throttle shaft.
(4) orient the the cut off flanges in the necessary orientation (straight, cross, etc.) and weld together.

Jon.

It's a lot easier to plug the holes in the manifold and re-drill them for the narrow bolt pattern. All it takes is a good machinist and a Bridgeport mill- - - - -I don't think I'd try it with a drill press unless the spindle has no runout/slack at all.
Jerry

Jerry - I agree completely, but the OP was asking about adapters; which is why I posted as I did. I have been suggesting folks to have a professional fill the existing holes, and then modify as required for decades.

Jon.

You can also get a dual intake for a 216 and have the ring lands at the end of the runners machined out for the 235 intake rings. I have a Weiand 2X1 that I did that just to be able to run a pair of early Carter YF carbs.

Another approach would be to rotate the carbs a few degrees, plug the original stud holes, and drill and tap new mounting stud holes. No adapter required that way. It would be necessary to get a little creative with throttle linkage geometry, but it's all eye candy anyway. You'll still have one too many carburetors, no matter how you go about the project.
Jerry

Not everyone is a machinist or has a Bridgeport mill.... just saying.

Make friends with someone who has a Bridgeport.

Ed

True! I don't have a Bridgeport, and while I do have both a couple of mills and several lathes, non have CNC controls.

And I am a "machinist by necessity".

I sublet quite a bit of machine work. Try to weigh my skills and my time required against the cost of a professional machine shop. Just ordered today 25 brass fittings for a French Stromberg (3 used per engine) on a racing Talbot-Lago. The machinist will make 25 at $10. each. I can make 1 in about 3 hours. So 3 come to 9 hours of my time that can be spent much more productively.

Sometimes, it might be best to find a good machine shop, and have the work done professionally.

I don't agree 100 percent with Jerry that it is all eye-candy (maybe 95 percent )

GUESSING that if an enthusiast would dyno their two carb setup against a well-functioning single carb optimized for the engine (not a Rochester B), they would find they actually LOSE performance. If done right, with a really good calibration, and synchronization, possible to gain 5~8 percent. Anyone gaining 10 percent should start looking for a job as a carburetor specialist for one of the race teams in a series that still uses carburetors.

What generally happens, is the enthusiast compares their new 2 carb set up against their worn-out Rochester and the new set up is much improved.

The above is why I am 95 percent in agreement with Jerry; gains ARE possible, but unlikely against a good single carb.

BUT, if the set up IS going to be eye candy:

To me (everyone has their own standards), slotting the carburetor throttle body (as some do), or using an adapter just screams "rat rod", NOT eye candy. Machine work on the manifold, while maybe not within the realm of the average enthusiast, gives a much more eye-pleasing set up.

But if one DOES wish to use adapters, the method I presented in my first post is an inexpensive way to do so. The old cast iron adapters are difficult to find, and quite expensive. The newer cast stuff, made out of some metal that I don't recognize, and am unable to machine (it crumbles) in my opinion should be avoided.

And for those that do want performance to go along with the eye candy, consider three carbs; OR design and fabricate a different cylinder head with a different port arrangement, set up for 2 carbs.

Jon.

I'm not going to be entirely enthused about multi carbs on stovebolts. I can assure you that a ported and polished model "B" will give years of quality performance. I may only gain fractional h.p. but it runs well and looks nice inside and out. However I may be a little like Justhorsenround in that you don't need a bunch of opinions. Hey it is your truck and have fun, that is what it is all about. Ed

Tony, I just re-read your question. What I stated previous is fine. But, you may have a different size Rochester on your bench. The throttle plate on most 216's is the same exact carb. as a 235 model "B". Of course if you have a very old carb (20's), you need to sell it and start over with two # 58 metered carb's. I suspect you may have a (BV), If you are at a high elevation let me know your elevation.

That's what ball-joint linkage ends are for: small shaft misalignment.