edelbrock 1405 conversion

[ken-renda]

After struggling with a WCFB I'm ready to throw in the towel and look towards Edelbrock 1405 but wonder how complicated it is. The WCFB is in a 1954 Commander hardtop with a '59 or perhaps '60 289 cu in engine (not sure of production year), but it is a 289 in a '54 car. And it looks like the carb will have to be raised just over half an inch and Mr. Gasket 98 does that, but is it that simple? Would prefer to not replace or remachine the manifold. Also the air cleaner is mounted to the right side of the motor and will there be sufficient clearance to continue using the side mont air cleaner? Failing the conversion the WCFB might have to stay in place. I would like to hear from those folks who have made such a conversion. Ken, Deltaville, Va

The WCFB continues to belch black smoke about 30 seconds of smooth run, and it is not the choke...I'm am either going to send it to Tbow or convert to Edelbrock 1405. If anyone has not get seen this before , please do so and let me know what you think especially if you have installed a 1405 on a 54 Commander, ken

[Flashback]

I would stick with the WCFB. If it's right it's a good carb. I think the carb you are talking about using is shorter than the wcfb, and that would leave a little room. I think there is a air horn adapter similar to the one used on the offenhauser kit, that has a larger opening than the wcfb and Stromberg. The one on mine is too small. Here's a shot of what it looks like.

[PackardV8]

I'd estimate we've had at least fifty threads here on this same subject. The latest was less than two weeks ago. Try the search function, maybe?

jack vines

[ken-renda]

I'd estimate we've had at least fifty threads here on this same subject. The latest was less than two weeks ago. Try the search function, maybe?

jack vines

Went back several months, and while a great deal on conversions was found, did not find info regarding 289 in a 54 car so that issue remains plus I would like to hear any advice/recommendations from those who have converted.

[shifter4]

I'd say stick with the WCFB . A quality rebuild is available from several places. A rebuild by a dedicated
carb company includes shaft/bushings etc , as well as proper recoating of the pot metal. When its finished
it bolts right back where it came from with no modifications required. These things worked fine when new.
Here is one company that has been around for quite a while : http://www.nationalcarburetors.com/

[ozarkman]

Wouldn't a 1403 work better?

[sbca96]

The mounting holes line up, but the "butterflies" do not, at least going to the
'spread bore' type 600 series. I have not messed with the 500 series which I
believe is a 'square bore' like the WCFB. My neighbor has a 500 for sale, I'd
listed it on Racing Studebakers a little while back (its rebuilt even).

My experience with a WCFB was similar to yours it sounds, I rebuilt it a few
times but it would flood when starting, flood when stopping, turning and also
if you looked at it crosseyed. I hated that carb. I put a junk yard AFB on it
and never looked back. Years later when I could afford a new carb, I bought
an Edelbrock. Keep in mind the Edelbrock is simply a Carter with the 3 step
metering rods, instead of the 2 step Studebaker used. I think in the 70s the
airhorn grew on the Carter, which the Edelbrock kept.

Tom

[RICKJ]

I had similar WCFB problems on my 56 Hawk with a 289 , even after TBOW sent me some new parts , it still leaked and was hard to start. Granted it was 50 yrs old and rebuit only with after market kits
I switched to a Holley (4160??) with electric choke and it has never run better
Had to use a 1/2 spacer to adapt the bore sizes (readily available at Advance or Autozone) so the butterfyls would open fully
Do not use the side mounter air cleaner any more , top diameter is larger than a WCFB, just used a nice chrome Holly air cleaner
Would not go back , new carb starts right up ,and runs real strong .
I preferred a reliable driver over a show correct car anyway
Rick

[PackardV8]

The mounting holes line up, but the "butterflies" do not, at least going to the
'spread bore' type 600 series. I have not messed with the 500 series which I
believe is a 'square bore' like the WCFB. My neighbor has a 500 for sale, I'd
listed it on Racing Studebakers a little while back (its rebuilt even).

IIRC, the 500 CFM and 600 CFM use the same mounting pattern and throttle butterflies. The only difference is in the primary venturi diameters and the jetting.

If one follows all the threads here over the years, there are about as many having difficulties of one sort and another with Edelbrock, AFBs and WCFBs.

What is difficult to understand is why it is somehow easier to invest $300-400 in a new Edelbrock carb, adapter, air filter, fuel line mods, throttle linkage mods, manifold mods, sometimes extensive tuning labor, but it somehow hurts too much to pay a professional shop the same $300-400 to remanufacture the WCFB.

As always, the above just an observation. Your car, your money, your decision.

jack vines

[woodysrods]

I am looking to do the same thing with a #1406. What intake can I get? As my 289 curently has a 2 bbl.
Brian

[Tom Bredehoft]

Part of the unanswered question is will the 1406 fit under the hood of a '54 CK. No one has addressed this. I cannot.

My experience with T-Bow rebuilding my WCFB has been excellent. He told me that my carb was the worst he had ever rebuilt, (28 years as a animal nest under the hood). It works perfectly, except in cold weather, needs longer to warm up, but I have the heat passage blocked.

[ken-renda]

IIRC, the 500 CFM and 600 CFM use the same mounting pattern and throttle butterflies. The only difference is in the primary venturi diameters and the jetting.

If one follows all the threads here over the years, there are about as many having difficulties of one sort and another with Edelbrock, AFBs and WCFBs.

What is difficult to understand is why it is somehow easier to invest $300-400 in a new Edelbrock carb, adapter, air filter, fuel line mods, throttle linkage mods, manifold mods, sometimes extensive tuning labor, but it somehow hurts too much to pay a professional shop the same $300-400 to remanufacture the WCFB.


As always, the above just an observation. Your car, your money, your decision.

jack vines

Jack, for my part I have several hawk type studes from 54 to 63 all with original carbs and I would keep them orignal except I'm tiring of the continuum or carb problems. I have gone the route of professional rebuild and problems soon return and in my case I travel on narrow country roads often without shoulders and would not like have the car fail in this circumstance so I often go overboard on repairs/replacemnts etc. As you point out, there has been alot of discussion on this issue which indicates others are having old carb problems that may be deeper than merely having a professional rebuild it again. Ken, Deltaville Va

[woodysrods]

Part of the unanswered question is will the 1406 fit under the hood of a '54 CK. No one has addressed this. I cannot.

My experience with T-Bow rebuilding my WCFB has been excellent. He told me that my carb was the worst he had ever rebuilt, (28 years as a animal nest under the hood). It works perfectly, except in cold weather, needs longer to warm up, but I have the heat passage blocked.

My wifes car will have the 289 in it with a 56 Hawk hood. So clearance shouldn't be a problem. My 56 has a 53 hood on it so what you are saying is I had better bolt the carb and air cleaner on my SB Chev "BEFORE" I finalize the new motor mounts???
Thanks
Brian

[sbca96]

IIRC, the 500 CFM and 600 CFM use the same mounting pattern and throttle butterflies. The only difference is in the primary venturi diameters and the jetting.

I was under the impression the 500 had all the same size bores, and the 600 had
larger secondaries. I have my neighbors 500 cfm now so I can compare, too busy
putting up a Christmas tree to make the wife happy, so I havent done that yet.

Here is a picture supposedly showing a 400 cfm on the left and a 500 cfm on right.



So perhaps you are right. I didnt know there WAS a 400 cfm, so its very possible
the carb I saw was a 400 and not a 500. I thought the 500 were all small, the 600
was larger secondary, and the 700 was all large.

Tom

[leyrret]

I don't think edelbrock makes a 400cfm. They were available as Carter aftermarket. It has a smaller secondary but primary bore is the same 500-625 after market version though it uses a smaller venturi in the primary. This probably the most desirable for a street engine but rarer than any other version.