Some background. The rebuilt carb I got about a year ago (that was rebuilt by me again) was having a problem with the choke. After months of driving with a choke that sometimes worked, I decided to take the fast idle cam off since the rod to the choke valve was the incorrect size (couldn't get the proper gap between the valve and air horn). Well, I broke off the support that the cam screws into, exposing the inside of the ventui. Nice. So I cobbled (literaly) a carb up with an old body I had and using the metering block from the working rebuilt I screwed up. It worked ok, had choke in cold mornings, ran good. Withen the last few weeks, the car started running rich....real rich but only at idle. On my drives to work, it still got about the same gas milage. Tonite my float bowl started to drip...I tried to fix it by removing it and putting it back on carefully. No good. Now its a stream of gas coming out. I drive over to my folks house, knowing I have some gasket material laying around. Made a new gasket, put the float bowl back on, and then gas is everywhere, flowing out the vent, boiling by the throttle blade, running down on the hot exhaust manifold, you get the picture. Besides getting a carburetor, could the fuel pump also be a culprit in this? Maybe its just coincidental they went south? Any suggestions or something to look for?

If gas is overflowing everywhere, the fuel pump is working fine.
Carburators usually do not respond well to "slap-dash" rebuilding and recycled used parts. Sounds like you will need to buy a good kit an rebuild the unit carefully to see if you can get it to work.

Pay close attention to the float, one nick in the skin of a Holley float and it will soaks up fuel and "sink".
Needle valve quality and careful adjustment, set the float level low.
Look for loose or missing "welch plugs".
Use a straigh edge to check themetering block and bowl for flatness.
DD

If gas is overflowing everywhere, the fuel pump is working fine.
Carburators usually do not respond well to "slap-dash" rebuilding and recycled used parts. Sounds like you will need to buy a good kit an rebuild the unit carefully to see if you can get it to work.

Pay close attention to the float, one nick in the skin of a Holley float and it will soaks up fuel and "sink".
Needle valve quality and careful adjustment, set the float level low.
Look for loose or missing "welch plugs".
Use a straigh edge to check themetering block and bowl for flatness.
DD