Holley carb

[bluezeeland]

Guys,

How would an Essex take a Holley 390 carb (with a correct intake manifold, obviously) to fit in the engine room of 3000S ?

Has anyone experiences with this, towards gas flowed heads, faster cams and is there need for alterations to suspension, brakes or else ?

What is the BHP gain with all the above kit ?

Thanks your views

Frank

[jellison]

I've seen manifolds for this setup on the web (when Mr Stahler was deciding on how to tweek his projects lump).

Do some googling, you should find out all that is out there - like S/C manifolds and which Holley etc.

[Slow M]

bluezeeland said:

...What is the BHP gain with all the above kit ?...

Frank,

Think of the camshaft as an analog computer for dictating engine variables that dictate power. Then, carbs are a matter of efficiency and/or use. I.e., some Holley carbs require retrofit kits for road racing, as their float/bowl design isn't optimized for coping with high lateral G loads.

If you're looking for maximum power, you may want to speak with some of the Essex engine builders, and see what the upper limits are, of the exact type of carb you plan to use.

Is the 390 effectively half of a 750 or 800? Around 1980, my brother had an 850 double-pumper on a 4 bolt main 427 Chevrolet that made in excess of 525HP. Maximum RPM was over 7,000. CR was over 13:1. As Holleys are rated in CFM, you can extrapolate. (crude but should give you an approximation)

390/850 = .46
525HP x .46 = 240HP

So, in theory, a 390 should be able to support up to approximately 240HP.

Best,
B.

[jellison]

Slow - theory sounds about right. But to run a 390 I think the Essex would need alot of internal mods, if not be up around full race to be able to handle that CFM.

http://www.essexengines.com/tuning%20the%20essex%2...

http://www.oldskoolford.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?...

http://tvr.m-fix.co.uk/techquestfuel.htm

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ford-essex-v6-swaymar-4b... Guy clearly VERY Deluded!

Hope these help Good luck.

[jellison]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ESSEX-V6-INLET-MANIFOLD-...

[bluezeeland]

Hi Guys,

Thank you for the replies

Yes, Bernard, the potential figure is probably around 240ish, but indeed as Jellison says with internal mods to the lump itself, (staged, gas flowed heads, fast road cams and probably a bottom end rebuild)
Now, the essex can take that figure, i'm only worried for how long, iow what will the reliability be, considering this a road car and used as such (apart from the fact that the final cost will be 2.5K(?))

Frank

[jellison]

indeed, a full spec race modded lump would be a lot and then add the car and inlet.

Mate building a 3000M racers could maybe justify it but on a road engine, I'd flow the heads, skim them and change the cam, then rejet the std carb. Maybe get from 140ish bhp up to 175-180+ that way.

[bluezeeland]

Morning Jon,

Yes, thats the way to go, and probably preferably on a road-car.
Saw the intake on ebay, which got me thinking, iow kicking an idea around.
cheers

Frank

[DavidY]

Terminator on PH used to run a big holley on one of his 3000S's, maybe worth contacting him for more details

[pridaux]

jellison said:

indeed, a full spec race modded lump would be a lot and then add the car and inlet.

Mate building a 3000M racers could maybe justify it but on a road engine, I'd flow the heads, skim them and change the cam, then rejet the std carb. Maybe get from 140ish bhp up to 175-180+ that way.

Hi Frank when you drive mine you can see if its worth it this is what Colin Did on mine and it does seem great i know when i took Peter Filby out in her to the airfield to take the pictures he said he did not think she was standard?
Andrew

[Terminator]

DavidY said:

Terminator on PH used to run a big holley on one of his 3000S's, maybe worth contacting him for more details

I still do, it's a 2-barrel, rated at 500cfm but it's nearer 350 cfm, far more suited to a tuned Essex than a 4-barrel.

http://www.holley.com/0-4412C.asp

[bluezeeland]

@ terminator; is that then on the standard intake manifold (with adaptor ?) btw will you be at Zolder and/or Spa

@all; I think, all things considered, that I will go for the stage II heads and faster cams, probably September, along with a diff overhaul (salisbury is getting a thad, 'noisey')

[Terminator]

Yes, on standard manifold (but gas flowed) with the correct flange adapter. It was fitted 24 years ago and the two engineers who did the machining work are now, sadly, dead.

If I do go to Zolder/Spa, it will be in the Aston, as usual

[bluezeeland]

Gas flowing the intake was indeed one of my thoughts too, anybody know whom i should turn to (preferably somebody alive....)

[Slow M]

bluezeeland said:

Hi Guys,

Thank you for the replies

Yes, Bernard, the potential figure is probably around 240ish, but indeed as Jellison says with internal mods to the lump itself, (staged, gas flowed heads, fast road cams and probably a bottom end rebuild)
Now, the essex can take that figure, i'm only worried for how long, iow what will the reliability be, considering this a road car and used as such (apart from the fact that the final cost will be 2.5K(?))

Frank

Frank,

I think it's very wise of you to have set a budget for this part of the car. I'd say that if you list the tasks you are comfortable doing yourself, and get prices for the rest, it will leave you a budget for parts. Then, list the needed parts (bearings, tappets, cam, gaskets, seals...), and it will leave you with a number you can apply to "go fast bits."

Best,
B.

[bluezeeland]

Hi Bernard,

sometimes there needs to be some method in the madness.....

btw; hope your weather is better then ours, 5" of snow here.......

cheers

frank

[the other tim]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111006120245?ssPageName=... The last one made £222, last night this one had a bin price of £160 (i think!!!!) K&N and Pipercross both do drop base filters for 4 barrel Hollies


Tim

[Slow M]

thegamekeeper said:

390 Holley is perfectly suitable for Essex as long as it is set up properly. In period the Capri tuners who prepared championship winning cars were Swaymar. They developed inlet manifolds for Essex engines to fit Holleys, designed to eliminate the mixture differences between cylinder. There were 2 versions of this manifold, the one for Capri/Scimitars and another specifically for TVR. This was called the low plenum inlet manifold and was to allow for the limited bonnet clearance on the TVR. If you buy the wrong one you can,t close the bonnet.

Up to about 7,000 rpm the Holley actually produced more power with the correct cam than triple Webers, only above that were the multi carbs better. Given most road engines don,t rev that high the Swaymar set up was probably the ultimate single carb/inlet available at the time.

People who say they dont work are those who have never had them. I have one on one of my cars ( admittedly with some "trick" bits) and prior to that it was on my on my 3000M. There are not many people in the UK who have jets etc for Holleys and even less who can set them up but once done they dont go out of tune and DO produce a noticable power difference. You get nothing for nothing and they can have a bit of a drink problem if you get excited but how many miles a year will you do.

Only my opinion based on my Experience

How much difference is there, between the two versions? Do you know anybody who flow tested the two, in relation to one another (as in: same bench, same conditions, or back-to back)?

Best,
B.

[Slow M]

Sorry, meant to ask: How much HEIGHT difference is there?

Best,
B.