I have had a few holleys on several old Vettes and Camaros. It just seems like you have to tinker with them quite often. I have read forums where people switch to Edelbrock to get an adjustment free carburetor. I mentioned this at my local speed shop, and they laughed at me. Their response was to get an edelbrock if I am driving a "granny car" and a Holley for serious power. Right now, I have a big block 1968 Corvette that I drive on the street. I like to flex it's muscles from time to time, but I will most likely never take it to the drag strip. If I did, it would be on grudge night just to see what kind of times that I could get.
My questions for anyone who has a knowledge and experience with both Holleys and Edelbrocks.
1) How do the power and responsiveness compare between two equal CFM carbs?
2) Are Edelbrocks virtually hassel free as advertised?
3) In general, is the money saved on an edelbrock worth it?
4) Pound for pound, dollar for dollar which one is simply the best all around carburetor?

 

Well I have done a lot of adjusting in the past on the holley carbs and I don't mind them at all ,In my opinion they work well when calibrated correctly. But I built a mild 302 for a friends mustang and he insisted on going to an edelbrock carb , out of the box I did not have to do any tuning, put it on and it has run flawlessly for the past three years . I kinda like that .

 

My first Edelbrock came on my Vette, when I got 'er. Had to change metering rods to pass smog check.
I tried Hollys on my stock car, they would stall in the corners, but a baffle kit in the bowls solved that prob. I went to the Carter AFBs, and with the huge seconaries, my little 283 would really roar.
I'm goin' with AFBs on the 454 that I'm puttin' in the "Starship".
Seems like most people don't like the AFBs, but they work really well for me.

 

Maybe I've been lucky, but my Holleys have been pretty trouble free. In my experience, the biggest difference is the sticker that comes with them that you stick to the side of your toolbox. I have a Holley Street Avenger 750 in the Vette now, and had an Edelbrock setup on my 70 z28 Camaro. If I am using Edelbrock for the rest of the fuel delivery, I like Edelbrock. If I am just replacing the carb to get more flow, I like Holley.

Now Q-jets, don't get me started. My boat has a pair of 454s with Q-jets, and I can't keep the floats from sticking up no matter how much I clean them. They have less than 100 hrs on them (about 5k miles on a car engine), but boats sit alot with gas in the bowl... they will varnish. Since our toy cars often sit for a while (like winter), the same problems show up in some Q-jets there as well.

Happy Holidays!
bill.

 

Oh ya........
I wouldn't take a "Roach-nester", if ya gave it to me!

 

I would look into Barry Grant. Used to, wouldn't have one, but of late, they have made very good advances in durability and performance. [8D]

 

I have used both through the years, and They both have been good Carbs through the years. Edelbrock's (Webers) are good cheaper carbs, and Holleys have tended to work better on some of my higher performance engines. The Edelbrock on my 52 has been a very good trouble free Carb. Depending on the application I would choose either, and as far as tinkering with the Holley's I have never minded that at all... and they are easy to adjust.

 

Holley has been making carbs longer than just about anyone, and the have all those adjustments and add-on baffles and etc. so you can get them to work well. "Adjustment free carb?" is just like a one size fits all suit. I would be a bit hestiant to expect a lot from it.

 

what do you all think of "Demon" carbs? See alot of use on the hotrod TV shows.

 

A buddy of mine is using the Demon on his 72 Camaro. He has had nothing but good things to say about it.