I highly recommend you keep the quadrajet and take on the rebuild yourself.
They are good carburetors and they are not above being rebuilt or renewed by someone with reasonable mechanical skills and understanding.
The biggest start point is to see how much 'play' is in the throttle shafts...particularly (and usually) the primary throttle shaft.
Here is a really interesting video on rebuilding one....from teardown to rebuild although he doesn't really discuss the throttle shaft issue.
(just follow the series through 1 by 1...very helpful and interesting and there are a few other good unrelated videos as well)
To be quite honest, if you get a carb kit for it...carefully disassemble it and VERY, VERY thoroughly clean it and re-assemble it....you'll be surprised at how much better it runs.
OR as a lesser start point...remove it from the engine...soak it, clean it heavily with carb cleaner from both ends and then use compressed air to thoroughly blow it out.
Regardless,....keep the quadrajet!!...its a very good carb when its set up properly.
Good luck and Wie Gehts!!
Coley
