Thread: Holley Or Edelbrock

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I have a rebuilt small block 305 on a 1971 chevelle. This is for daily driving. I am considering on installing an intake manifold and carburetor. Which brand do you recommend Holley or Edelbrock. Thanks

There are a ton more people on this site much more qualified than I, to give advice on this, but my .02 is as follows.

HOLLEY. I dont like that Edelbrock carb. so similar to the Carter AFB series carbs. Everything is drop cast Aluminum and from the couple I have had experience with the adjusting screws dont do much at all, and the aluminum is very porus.

I say go with a holley designed carb as they are proven over the years. Parts are always readily available, and you can pick up some stuff for a good deal used.

I just put a brand new 350 in my 78 Monte Carlo and if you look under the hood it might as well be an Edelbrock Commercial Shoot. I've had noting but AWESOME luck with all the Edelbrock Performance parts that i've used. I've got the heads, cam, lifters, valve covers, intake, carbeurator, aif filter, headers, and as soon as their available where i live, i'm getting the mufflers too. Not to mention I just ordered the Edelbrock 70001 Nitrous Plate System. I've spent a TON of money on my engine, and i wouldn't trust it to anyone besides EDELBROCK. I've put many different brands of parts on the car (APC, Flowmaster, MSD, Accel, Bosch, Hooker, Hurst, Etc.) But the only sticker on my car reads . . . EDELBROCK . . . but you can use whatever you want, that's just my opinion.

i run a 600 cfm manuel chock edlebrock performer carb
with the edlebrock performer manifold,both were bought
17 years ago and i have been running them in my
57 for 17 years they have been excellent and i have
never had a problem they are on a 350 sbc. all the parts
are the factory out of box

This is just my opinion. I like the edelbrock intakes and the holley carbs. I have had good luck with the intakes, and the holley carbs are very easy to tune. I know folks with both and I think both brands do a good job. It's a toss up.

My definition of DAILY driver is one that gets washed when it rains and worked on when I have time. When I was a youngin it was a car? that needed attention "constantly" because I had to be the first one to get where ever it was I was going. In my opinion the Edelbrock carb is the best STREET carb. You know it means something when these EFI cars get more horse and better mileage, and I think the Edelbrock carb is more of a fuel efficient power maker. Call me out of date but I cant help it.

Thanks for the info guys. I am going with Edelbrock all around. I 'll keep you posted

I believe I'm going to go with Holley all the way around. Not that I have anything against Edelbrock. I guess holley tends to make more power, but on the flipside Edelbrock is a better driver and if that's what you're after then by all means I think you made a good choice. There's a guy I work with has a hotrod that he built he uses edelbrock performer intakes, and a 600 edelbrock carb. with a mild cam. He used a th350 and a 3.08 rear end. He's getting 25 mpg. For a 350 without emissions in a car like that I say that's pretty impressive.

Go with a speed demon. Ok it is a bit to pricy, get an edelbrock, you can get a good used one on e-bay for 3 times less than a new one. I've bought 2 edelbrock carbs on e-bay, both worked well, then I did the big switch to demon cabs, and I'm glad I did.

I'd have to say for a daily driver run a 600cfm edelbrock with an electric choke. Set it up you never have to mess with it. No blown power valves and good fuel economy. Holley's never seem to get the mileage that you can get with an edelbrock. Edelbrock has small primaries like a q-jet that is nice for the milleage. For a hardcore racer holley would probably be better.

For my nickel's worth, I like the Holley carbs just for parts availability and ease to work on. I've had a bunch of 'em over the years, and aside from blowing a power valve or two, they've done well and made good power.

The Carter AFB link to the Edelbrock isn't bad, though. And the small primaries/big secondaries should help with a driver. But then, I drove the 428CJ as a daily driver for much of the 1970s, and it worked out.

The electric choke is a winner, though. I fight the thermal auto choke on the Shelby when the weather changes - richer in the winter, leaner in the summer. But the big block is probably more of the challenge there than the carb is.

Edelbrock manifold/Holley carb would be my preference. But my friend with the Camaro is building a '69 Malibu for his daughter, and it will get the Edelbrock (or even a Rochester Q-Jet) instead of the Holley.

Here's the oddball recommendation of the bunch -

305 cu in Daily Driver: 500 cfm rating max, small primaries/large secondaries, vacuum secondaries or those controlled by airflow. - Not linkage controlled that can be forced open at low rpm. Manifold rated for mid-rpm at best, not high. In the old days this would be dual plenum rather than single. If you should mismatch the two components or mismatch them to the existing engine, the engine won't do anything particularly well. This doesn't answer your brand question, but brand isn't always the way to go except as a matched pair for convenience. Call or e-mail each brand with what you have and want. The recommendations should be pretty similar.

Just to throw you off, if you now have a Quadrajet 4bbl supplied as original, you can consider finding a QJ carb tuning/racing book and rebuild what you have. The QJ is actually a very effective racing carb if not messed up, but is fine for hi-po daily street use. Later editions get tougher to work with because of emissions compromises. For your purposes, changing 4bbl carbs will not do much. Changing from 2 to 4bbl and/or changing the manifold should.

Drive the car with a tach and decide where you really want the greatest power increase, and consider that you aren't changing the cam now, heads, or exhaust. Just don't get sucked into all-out racing parts on a stock daily driver or you'll be left with a listless motor that your previous setup could have passed by.

Here's the oddball recommendation of the bunch -

305 cu in Daily Driver: 500 cfm rating max, small primaries/large secondaries, vacuum secondaries or those controlled by airflow. - Not linkage controlled that can be forced open at low rpm. Manifold rated for mid-rpm at best, not high. In the old days this would be dual plenum rather than single. If you should mismatch the two components or mismatch them to the existing engine, the engine won't do anything particularly well. This doesn't answer your brand question, but brand isn't always the way to go except as a matched pair for convenience. Call or e-mail each brand with what you have and want. The recommendations should be pretty similar.

Just to throw you off, if you now have a Quadrajet 4bbl supplied as original, you can consider finding a QJ carb tuning/racing book and rebuild what you have. The QJ is actually a very effective racing carb if not messed up, but is fine for hi-po daily street use. Later editions get tougher to work with because of emissions compromises. For your purposes, changing 4bbl carbs will not do much. Changing from 2 to 4bbl and/or changing the manifold should.

Drive the car with a tach and decide where you really want the greatest power increase, and consider that you aren't changing the cam now, heads, or exhaust. Just don't get sucked into all-out racing parts on a stock daily driver or you'll be left with a listless motor that your previous setup could have passed by.

Considering your motor, the fact that its a daily driver, and that you have a chevelle, I would lean towards the Edelbrock in your case. Holleys dont have the greatest history of Easy starts, and Q-jets just dont have the "oooh, shiny" factor. However, I'll have to agree with DougB on the Q-jet. Properly cleaned up and re-jetted, they can be a mild to moderate performance carb. I personally put the Q-jet and edelbrock in the same catagory fully worked over. If you have the time, either will perform whats needed. Just the Edelbrock comes pre-worked

hello--sorry to jump in...I recently purchaced a edelbrock manifold c26 2x4 thinking my holly 1850's would fit. NOT. Therefore, I'm looking for 2-quadrajets that will bolt up to this manifold. I'm thinking around the 350 cfm range. Going on a ssb 327 mild cam, iron stock heads...Any suggestions? Oh, manual choke is my preferance. bolt pattern is approx 4 1/4 X 5 5/8..I would contact elderbrock but I'm sure they would recommend their brand..All suggestions welcomed..BTW--Have an extra holley 600 cfm 1850-4 if you go with holley...