The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Duel Weber 32/36 or 38's

I have been doing alot of researching and reading on these carbs and can't really come to a conclusion. I see some run a single 32/36 and claim great gains over the stock 1 bbl. I have read a couple of claims of duel 32/36's are great!

I know Langdon's is now selling the 32/36. Is that recommended for duel applications? That is a progressive carb and seems to be the choice for duel applications.

What about the synchronized 38? Would that be too much on a duel setup but great for a single application?

My application is a 1958 235ci with a 261 cam and fenton exhaust.

I am a beginner with the 235's however I can not comment on the 38's however I did purchase Tom's setup. The thing for me was I took in his experience and after talking with I was convienced it was the proper setup. I know he is trying to sell his setup but through a few conversations about different stuff he just made a lot of sense. My application seems similar to yours. I guess I will find out soon. I am running a 1956 w/ fenton intake and exhaust, dual progressive 2bbl. carter webber with a stock 261 cam, mini HEI and a t-5 tranny which Tom talked me into. I guess my point is I am going on trust because the research I did. To each is their own but so far I am happy with what I got. Good luck

The 32/36 is a 300+ CFM carburetor. I know very little about carburetors but I'd guess that 300 CFM would match up better with a 235 than would dual 32/36 at 2x300 CFM.

The dual Carter-Webers sold by Langdon (at a good price) match up nicely with a 235 (but are too small for a 261).

" The dual Carter-Webers sold by Langdon (at a good price) match up nicely with a 235 (but are too small for a 261)"

Sorry but I must disagree. Regardless I do know that the cfm of a 2 bbl is measured differently than a 4 bbl so those two cannot be directly compared, meaning only that if that is how you think of CFM it is mistaken. Regardless what is being totally overlooked by any CFM basis is the fuel distribution difference of a single whatever and dual whatevers. The two more evenly spaced carbs will outperform the single centered carb of an even larger size. Then two with only a 10% difference in CID it is odd that they are too big for a 235 and yet are too small for a 261. Make me believe that!

I would suggest that Apache Freind direct his carb questions to Carb King on this site and get the straight skinny on carbs. He has answers and the rest of us only have opinions.

you can approximate the two cfm ratings (and be good 'nuff for gov'mt work) by taking the two bbl rating (taken at 3" hg. pressure) and multiply it by 0.7 to get what it would be by the four bbl standards (taken at 1.5" hg pressure). Or take a four bbl rating and multiply it by 1.4 to get the equivilant two bbl rating--thus the highly glorified holly 500 cfm two bbl carb becomes a 350 cfm carb in four bbl talk, much like some large base Rochester GCs. this information can be found in the Rochester carb book written by Doug Roe a Rochester engineer-can still be bought at Amazon--for older rochester information try to buy one of the older printings 'cause the latest printing (has a an electronic q-jet picture on the cover) starts favoring the later carb stuff. earlier printings have good Model "B" stuff.
As for sizing, the old Corvettes had THREE one bbls (non-progressively arranged) and used only automatic transmissions(where no favoring could be had by slipping a clutch) and worked beautifully--I've driven an old 'vette, and had the set up on a stick shift 261 also-they did a good job in both situations with stock jets.

My statement was based on empirical evidence using 4 different new or rebuilt carburetor set-ups on the same 261.

- single, original Rochester - OK but lackluster performance
- dual, original Rochesters (from 235s and from 261s) - too much carb at low RPMs, but nice at the high end.
- dual Carter-Weber (which Langdon first recommended and then said he did not recommend them) - beautiful carbs for starting and at the low RPM, but no oomph at high-end accelerating
- Holley AA-1 two barrel (with adjustable jets) - made for 270-302 GMC engines - works real nice at high and low RPMs

I'd like to hear anyone's personal experiences.

My guess is that the dual 32/36 would be too much. Maybe Carbking will give his expert opinion on this?

I just lucked out and won an EBAY auction for an Edmunds 2x1 intake, with linkage and duel Stromberg BXOV-2 carbs! I'm going to put that on instead of the modern carbs. Good discussion though and I appreciate the replies. I will post some pictures when I get the setup cleaned up and installed.