What is the difference between these to carbs? Is it that ones a single barrel and the other is a double?


I have 2 carbs and I think they are both 1920's one off a 1976 valiant and one off a 1972 duster. Which of these two is the better performing and built carb?

Thanks,
Joe

Pics to come I swear.

You know what the 1920 model is. Which one is best? What year is your car?

The 2300 would be an aftermarket option for your car. Better exhaust would also be a good idea. You would need a different intake manifold to make effective use of it. You will need a mopar throttle lever to get full throttle. It will need to be tuned appropriately to work well on a slant six as well.
For almost any car that has license plates on it, the 350 CFM version of the 2300 will be considerably easier to tune than the 500 cfm version.
The 500 CFM version is notoriously difficult to tune properly on a car that sees any road time.
I can't make that more clear without pointing out that my built engine went like a scalded cat with a 500 cfm Holley on it. It could idle, it could go like mad at wide open throttle. (WOT) It hickuped and burped at anything in between. It also got hideously bad economy.

With the 350 cfm version, other modifications will be needed to get it to run well. It can work well, but will not deliver the economy of a 390 Holley vac secondary 4 bbl. The small Holley 4 bbl is capable of getting better mileage than the 1 bbl, so long as we're not talking about a Feather Duster or a Dart Lite configuration.

The 390 vac secondary is a completely different can of worms when you get to building for power or economy. Look up distributor recurving in the FAQ. It is mandatory to make it work right. Learn lots about carbs if your going for the stop light to stop light gold.

Mechanical secondary 390's are more involved. Be prepared!

2¢

CJ

_________________
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Good words. Thank you...I'm still unsure which of the two I should go with.

My two cents: For simplicity go with the 1920. For tons of power and adjustability, either the 2300 or 390 cfm are good choices, but exhaust upgrades are necessary. If you want performance AND mileage increases over stock, a Holley/Weber 32/36 is the ticket. But it ain't for the faint of heart to get it tuned

_________________
If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.

Well, the most important thing to consider; you are the person driving the car.
Take an objective look at what you will spend most of your time doing with the vehicle.

I stand on mine. I wring the squeezings out of it. I drive it like I stole it. It almost never spends time on the street. I have a company rig to drive, so it's been in the race trailer for the last several weeks.

When I am on the street, I drive it fairly conservatively. Moderately for rare instances seperated by wild abandon at WOT. When anybody is watching other than cute girls, or anybody I want to show tire smoke, then I'm pretty sane. But other than that, I drive like an idiot. (Sorry DI, but I've rode with you!)

If you daily drive the rig, stick with the 1 bbl. Improve the exhaust at the head pipe. A 2" will wake things up. Increase compression, and search on valves.

To get the best bang for a two barrel, think compression, gears, stall, exhaust, transmission, and most importantly brakes!

I converted to disks up front, 8" Ford Rear with 350 gears and a locker, rebuilt the tranny with V8 guts, put more stall in, and run a Carter 4bbl on an Offy. Let's see. Dual Dutra Duals, 2-1/4" head pipes, high flow muffler, Big Stroke, decked the block .125" and cut .040 off the head which carries Ford 300 Valves. Did I mention Toyota pistons on massaged 198 rods? Big cam, and a mix of race fuel for the high dynamic compression. 110 is only $8.50/Gallon. How far are you willing to go?

I ran a 390 Holley on my basically stock 8:1 SCR engine. Broke all the rings coming home from MATS a few years ago trying for mach numbers.
With the 390 and Offy on a Feather exhaust and a recurved 9R Distributor I was getting 24 mpg. It would have been a much happier camper with more than stock compression. 1bbl cars were quicker than I was without compression to compliment the larger flow capability my other mods made.

I get less than 24 mpg now. Right around 20.

CJ

_________________
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

In sharp contrast to the above my 4spd OD 65 Dart with 1920 jetted down to 55 goes 70 miles per day at highway posted speeds with a very light throttle touch, idle vacuum at 22, & posts 30 mpg regularly. My daughter's identically equipted 65 posted 28 mpg going from east to west coast & driven similiarly when carrying about 600 extra lbs.

So what's your choice to best fit your needs in terms of "performing"....screaming tire burning power or good mpg or somewhere in between?

_________________
1965 Dart 110k, 225, Carter BBD Super Six, 2 1/4 single exh., sbp manual scarebird front disc, 7 1/4 rear 2.94 sure grip, 14 x 4.5 OEM wheels, 833 OD with hyd. throwout bearing, HEI, electric fan, ram air/heated air, Accusump. http://plymouthcarclub.com/

Thanks for all the stories and advise...my valiant is my daily and I'm looking for a mix of good mpg and performance. The exhaust is next on the list but I'm having carb and vacuum issues. I'm still unsure which carb to use...the stock 1976 holley single barrel or the stock 1972. They are built differently...the 76 the float is under the top of the carb and the 1972 the float is bolted to the side. Any ideas?

Joe

Try investigating which year carb you can buy parts for.....my 65 Dart Holley float appears to be rather scarce as I tried each of the shops recommended at this site & they don't have it......maybe your search for available parts would make your decision?

_________________
1965 Dart 110k, 225, Carter BBD Super Six, 2 1/4 single exh., sbp manual scarebird front disc, 7 1/4 rear 2.94 sure grip, 14 x 4.5 OEM wheels, 833 OD with hyd. throwout bearing, HEI, electric fan, ram air/heated air, Accusump. http://plymouthcarclub.com/

The 76 carb is a 1945 and the 72 is a 1920. Im willing to bet the choke stove you have on the car now matches the 1945,so I would go with that.

[/quote]

The 76 carb is a 1945 and the 72 is a 1920. Im willing to bet the choke stove you have on the car now matches the 1945,so I would go with that.[/quote]

the 72' Holley 1920 are not electronic choke like the 73'+ carbs are. If you care about emissions you'll need a different fitting on your charcoal canister. There is a thread somewhere about it. I'll find the link later. Otherwise I would go with the 1945.

_________________
'73 Scamp (the girlfriend): 225ci super/6 2BBL conversion (Almost done!)
'90 Subaru, wagon (the wife): H4-cyl 2.2L

1977 Mercedes-Benz 300D, 5cyl diesel(For sale!)