Should I stay stock or edelbrock?

[Daves72'GMC]

I'm having my '72 GMC Sierra Grande Custom Camper restored (Frame Up ) and it is all origional with 66,000 origional miles . The truck is down to the frame now and the engine is the origional 402BB and I had all of the machining done on the engine and it didn't need any boring or over sizing on anything. It will use all standard size bearings and rings etc. I,m staying with the origional exhaust manifolds and adding GM Hei and I don't know whether to stay with the standard carb. intake and cam or go a performance edelbrock package. Is the throttle linkage bracket a hassle.( seems like nobody knows what bracket to use on the edelbrock setup)Is this going to become a problem or should I just stay with the origional intake,cam and quadrajet carb?Will using edelbrock devalue my truck what are the pros and cons? Thank you everyone for your help. Dave

[Dean]

If your original quadrajet worked good before then maybe you will want to stick with it, otherwise I would go with the Eldebrock. Save all of your original stuff if you do and you will not lower the value any. I'm not a big fan of the quadrajunks and I have the Eldebrock on all of mine. I never had a big problem with the linkage or fuel line. Just make a new setup and save the original.

[CPNE]

I like the 1406's. I have one on a 72 BB, a 72 SB 2wd, and a 4x4 SB. I've also had them on a 68 2wd with the rod linkage.

If you have all the stock pieces for the throttle linkage including the bracket that bolts to back LH side of the qjet, it'll all work with the 1406. You will need to rob your qjet of the ball stud the linkage attaches to. I've never had a problem.

If you get the 1406 and stick with the stock intake, you will need a spacer for the spead bore.

Here is a pic, this is a 1407 with a manual chokeon a BB. It has an aftermarket intake and HEI, but the throttle bracketry is all off a qjet.

PM 71402BB for specifics.

[70ChevyLongbed]

It sounds so close to original that I think I would stay stock.

... and I usually would say go Edelbrock!

[Bowtie67]

If everything is original, I would stay that way, If you change out anything maybe a little more cam, Definately not edelbrock, use a crane or Compcams cam, this isn't seen and a mild upgrade won't hurt anything with all the same stock companents. If you change out Valve Covers don't go with the Edelbrocks for dressing it up instead see about rechroming the orginals or find a set of orginals and have them chromed. Unless you are seriously having issues with the Quadrajet I wouldn't change it, but rebuild it and not replace it , especially to an Edeljunk. see we all have our prefferences towards carbs. If your gonna keep the truck original keep the looks as close to original as possible. JMO

[Daves72'GMC]

I was going to use the 1411 or the 1407 with the electric choke 750cfm thats what edelbrock calls for my engine specs, but I still don't know what throttle bracket to use and where the bracket hooks up to the intake and carb. How does the 1406 hook up does anyone have a close up pic of the bracket setup. Thank you. Dave

[CPNE]

You want the 750 cfm. What is in my pic is the manual choke 750 cfm, whatever model that is I've forgot. Truck is still snowbound so I can't take any pics, but the stock throttle brackets and pieces do work with no modifications or backyard engineering. If it wasn't a slam-dunk bolt on I would not have done it.

[Daves72'GMC]

I had The origional quadrajet rebuilt , but it still has a slight hesitation when I push down hard on the gas pedal. I called comp. cams and they couldn't tell me what an RV cam was and I just want a cam a little bigger than stock. but I'm not familar with cam sizes.

[Daves72'GMC]

The only reason for the 750cfm was thats what edelbrock recommends for my 402 and I believe thats the same as the origional quadrajet 750cfm and The manual choke carb. edelbrock carb. you have in the pic I believe is the 1407 manual choke carb.which is what edelbrock recommends. CPNE Can you please take a close up pic of the bracket and linkage and send me a pic when you get a chance. I'm ready to put my motor back together but I don't want to until I figure out what cam,intake,carb. set up I'm going with. I don't want to go through the hassle of having to return the edelbrock stuff if it doesn't fit if I don't have to. Thank you very much for your help. Dave

[lewi]

The 1406 is an electric choke 600 cfm carberator not apparently the 750 cfm you are looking for.

[Daves72'GMC]

I have seen the 1406 on 402 BB's but don't know how well they work since they are 600cfm and how the throttle linkage and bracket set up is. Anyone else have any close up pic of the throttle bracket and linkage on the edelbrock carb. setup? Thank you. Dave

[CPNE]

I'll see what I can do. The 600 and the 750 cfm carbs have same linkage.

[smitty62]

Whatever you do, hold on to the Quadrajet and all that goes with it. After you have ran through all the Edeljunk and Hollycrap you will love the old Quadrajet even more--best carburetor ever made for a street SBC! Those that run it down don't understand it or how to tune it

[lukecp]

If your Qjet works good i would keep it. Great street carb, good mileage and throttle responce with the little primaries and lots of VROOM when you open it up!

However when they get alot of miles on them they start to get really finicky, and they are a fairly complicated carb. Edelbrocks are just so easy to tune!
Also, in my truck, the stock divorced choke setup never worked worth a crap, even with a reman. Qjet on top of my motor. With my 1406 Edelbrock, all i have to do is pump the gas to the floor twice in 0 degree weather, turn the key and it fires right up! And then i drive off, almost like a new truck.

Qjets are good carbs, i don't think i would pay $400+ for a new one. JMO.

[Daves72'GMC]

Thats the other thing the replacement qjet is $444 and the edelbrock carb. intake and cam and lifters is $510 what do you guys think?

[Daves72'GMC]

Whats a better dash pad, the one with the foam like the origionals or urethane?

[Bill72BB]

I've run a 1406 and a 1411 on my BB , I jetted and metered the 1406 6% richer and 8% on the secondarys ,the 1411 is stock .
The only difference I feel is the 1406 gets slightly better milage .
I have the 1411 on right now and because of gas prices may put the 1406 back on it. JMO.
I don't think you could go wrong with either one.

[Bowtie67]

Of coarse Edeljunk makes a Quadrajet. Leave the carb alone for now and see how it does, maybe you don't need one at all. As far as cam goes, if stock motor, Intake and exhaust, I think I would go for the XE256H cam part number 11-234-3 the XE262 sounds like it might work as well, just don't know what gears and trans you have. Some of those Camper specials had some low gears with a 4sp and granny 1st and second gear wasn't much better, jumping to third was a huge huge difference. JMO

[Daves72'GMC]

I have the turbo 400 and a Dana 60 (not posi)with the 354's in the rear end.

[69 air cab]

stay away from edeljunk........I've owned two in the last few years and they are junk. Go to autozone and pay $99 for a rebuilt quad.

[Bowtie67]

If your gonna stay with stock manifolds and Intake setup, I'd use the XE256, power range is from 1000 - 5200 and should pull very well. JMO

[69 air cab]

Oh.....and if you do buy the edeljunk be prepared to go to the gas poor house..........the 650 cfm will keep you at your local filling station...........take it from a user..............I talked to a guy this weekend about changing the jets for me. Also, I can't keep it adjusted........junk......junk.......junk

[lukecp]

My Edelbrock stays adjusted for years at a time.....i love it!
At most you have to set the choke when it gets cold and when it gets warm again. I didn't bother this year and it STILL works great!
BTW, you can change metering rods in about 5 minutes. Changine jets takes a little longer, maybe 20 tops.

The $100 rebuilt quad i had from O'Reilley's was a huge POS. I am sooo glad i dumped it for a Edelbrock. Iced over any time it was around 40 degrees or below.......it may have been my fault for not adjusitng the choke properly, but i got tired of screwing with it. JMO.

[celcius232]

Ah the continiung banter of Quadrajet versus aftermarket. I have had a Edelbrock 1406 on a 350 for two years with little to no problems. You have to set them up for your general operating altitude--I followed their manual and it has been spot on and vary repsonsive. The electric choke does take some seasonal adajustment, but I live in Montana. Quads are good if the throttle shafts are not leaking vacuum and they have not been abused, not a good chance of that fo a 30+ year old carb. Holley makes a nice simple thottle cable bracket that mounts to a corner carb stud and easiliy mounts the GM cable. Check the Jegs online catalog. Brian.

[toms68cst]

I was faced with some of the same questions last winter when I had my 327 out. I finally decided on the old-man show-room stock path for mine. I haven't even made the HEI upgrade on mine. My old dist' and points are perfectly serviceable.

My hot-rodder neighbors couldn't believe it when I even put the smog pump set up back on. I get a lot of satisfaction out of knowing almost every thing under my hood is original to my truck.

As long as you leave an easy way to go back to bone stock you can't go wrong with upgrades on your truck.

BTW, My truck is a retired cruiser. If it were a driver I'd be more apt to go for some upgrades.