'55 President 259 specs needed

[Huck]

I bought a '55 President in 1962. It had a 2 bbl. carb on it and the original 4 bbl and manifold was in the trunk. I was going to college and had no extra cash or time to find out if the 4bbl was any good. The 3 spd, OD and duel exhaust was enough fun anyway. My high school car was a '53 V8 automatic.ZZzzzzz.. Anyway, now I'm being scolded buy a Ford fanatic. He thought I replaced the 4 barrel. Here's what he says.... Holybygollygeenedbob, are you telling me you took of the four barrel to run a two barrel?!?!?! My goodness, and I thought I knew you better than that. Back in those days, those four barrel engines usually had different heads with more compression, a bigger cam with higher lift and more duration, along the dual exhausts to allow the engine to breathe better, and not blow out a muffler when at high rpm under wide open throttle. Also, usually cars would get better gas mileage, not that it mattered much at one sixth of a dollar per gallon, with the foul barrel engines because of the higher compression. Also, the primary two barrels on the four barrel carbs were considerably smaller than the only two barrels on a two barrel carb so, it would atomize the fuel better to achieve better mileage and prevent raw gasoline from 'washing' the cylinder bores of lubrication.

Is there any truth in this? Please defend me, fellas!! Thanks, Huck

Gary Hildebrandt

[StudeRich]

Well sorry, you can't be defended for not putting the Carter WCFB four barrel carb. on! They are excellent Carbs. last longer and I have always found the chokes work much better than the Stromberg 2 Brl.

However your friend may be correct about the modifications some engines had with their "four barrel" version engines, BUT not Studebaker! [:0]

They never changed a single thing between the 4 Brl. and 2 Brl. versions, the Dealers even installed them with no other change. The only difference is the late 50's models sometimes included dual exhausts with the 4 brl. ie: the "Power Kit".

The good news is: you did not defeat the purpose of all these performance features that were on some 4 brl. engines in Brand "X"'s, because there are NONE on a Stude.! [:0]

It is kind of a non-issue though, if the car is long gone and it's all just history!

StudeRich -Studebakers Northwest Ferndale, WA

[StudeRich]

Well sorry, you can't be defended for not putting the Carter WCFB four barrel carb. on! They are excellent Carbs. last longer and I have always found the chokes work much better than the Stromberg 2 Brl.

However your friend may be correct about the modifications some engines had with their "four barrel" version engines, BUT not Studebaker! [:0]

They never changed a single thing between the 4 Brl. and 2 Brl. versions, the Dealers even installed them with no other change. The only difference is the late 50's models sometimes included dual exhausts with the 4 brl. ie: the "Power Kit".

The good news is: you did not defeat the purpose of all these performance features that were on some 4 brl. engines in Brand "X"'s, because there are NONE on a Stude.! [:0]

It is kind of a non-issue though, if the car is long gone and it's all just history!

StudeRich -Studebakers Northwest Ferndale, WA