I’m look for a new Carb but I wanted some input before I rush out and get one. It’s for a Pontiac 400ci. I did the CFM calculations and it came out around 646cfm.
Who makes the best carb for the money?

Hello Joe,I have a quadrajet on my 1968 400.Works great.I sent it to Jet Performance in CA.They charged me 240.00 to rebuild it to my specs.Engine
dynoed at 427 hp and 509 tq.Stk heads,edelbrock intake.Mike

Thats going to be opinienated answers, everyone seems to have their favorite...
but you can get one from Recarbco, quadrajets were originals to these cars, but Edelbrocks and Holleys work well too...
I`ll tell you what my friend said when I asked that same question 3 yrs ago
"buy the one you or someone you know can work on"!
I ended up w a 650 Holley and I`m happy w it...wasnt too much , I think it was around $275...
I dont think it makes much difference which brand , but you`ll get all kinds of opinions!
Mine is a 400 Pontiac engine also

so, if your familiar w one , buy it, if not find out which one "your friend who will be working on it" likes!

That is a very good point.Bjorn

Thanks gernes, but I cant take credit for it , just relay the message....LOL

One added nice thing about the Q-Jets (and why they worked so well for a "corporate" carb is they are a spread boar so you usually are running on the smaller primamry venturi, and then under WOT you hit the BIG secondaries!

So better gas mileage and better performance all in one nice package. I know my Holley sucks more gas than my Edelbrock did... and I assume the Q-Jet would be better yet (if I could keep my foot out of it)

But yes, get one you are either familiar with or some one you know is... or feel comfortable with
I hear the Demon carbs (Holley design) are an improvement and easier to work on etc...

Brett - 67 Drop Top 455!

my opinion....
holly are great if you are able to test them and have the knowledge to adjust them properly. then i would recomend them over any other out there. if you are looking for originality, rochester q-jet has your name on it. if you want something that is easy and fast to adjust, i would recomend edelbrock. i think they are a copy of the rochester q-jets, only with easier adjusting. but a 600 cfm would be too small, go with the 750 cfm for your 400.

There is no "perfect" carburetor (although the Carter thermoquad comes close, if you have enough engine).

Much more important than brand is configuration (square bore or spread bore) and environment (street, street/strip or race only).

I have posted a set of guidelines (a group of questions about your plans for the vehicle) to help you pick what you need in a couple of threads. In you can't find them here, they are posted on our website.

Also, while not trying to promote a "different" Pontiac, I will be hosting seminars at the GTO nationals in St. Louis in late June on both the Pontiac tripower and the Carter AFB as used by Pontiac.

Jon.

Thanks for all the good advice, A friend of mine has a 650 Holley and all I need to buy is a rebuild kit for it. I think I might try that and if I don't like it i'm only out what it cost for the rebuild kit and gaskets.