Carbie selection

[sandasharpe]

I've ran 600 holleys and rochesters on 253s and 308s on gas as others have said both are good if tuned properly I've never driven a 253 with a standard 2 barrel is there much difference

I remember getting in a new VC (Blue motor with Rochester Carb) and being impressed with how much more go it had over the red motor and returned better real world fuel economy as well. It was a big improvement over the 2 barrel

[Taily]

I remember getting in a new VC (Blue motor with Rochester Carb) and being impressed with how much more go it had over the red motor and returned better real world fuel economy as well. It was a big improvement over the 2 barrel

That is more to do with the higher airspeed through the smaller primaries in a quaddy. The quaddy on a 253 was almst overkill at WOT but the design of the carb was its saving grace. Those who tell you they wont feed a healthy stroker are yet to meet someone who can set them up well. Quaddies will flow well over 700cfm and can be easily coaxed to provide a better progressive fuel curve with a couple of small mods, especially for a stroker.

If you're in or around Sydney I can put you onto a bloke who is a guru with these carbies around the Blacktown area.

Failing that a Holley is a simpe carby you can mod/work on at home if something goes amiss but don't fall into the trap of over-carbing your engine, you'll lose airspeed through the venturies (think loss of torque) and it will rev OK but pull like a dog.

[Big Rob]

I remember getting in a new VC (Blue motor with Rochester Carb) and being impressed with how much more go it had over the red motor and returned better real world fuel economy as well. It was a big improvement over the 2 barrel

True, the 253 in my WB goes real well. I was expecting a motor swap (for the stroker I have ready) to be the 1st thing I did to the van when I got it, but it's running so well that I may leave it there until the van is done.
The 4 barrel (and whatever late model updates) makes the 253 a much better motor than the early ones.

Taily, you are 100% correct about the flow through the small primaries on the Q-jet. Most of the time it's behaving like a good 2-barrel anyway until revs and load are right for the secondaries to open. (If the Trimatic kick down coincides with the secondaries opening it really gets moving!)