Dropping back in.

[Buffboy]

Frank, I hear you about the Edelbrock, a copy of the AFB. I went to an AVS Carter on my Road Runner in 1983 after rebuilding the 3rd Holley for the 8th(?) time. It came off of a 1971 police interceptor with a 110k on it, didn't even rebuild it, just bolted it on, never had to mess with it after. It does need a kit now, the accelerator pump finally gave up but the car will be sitting under its cover a while longer so I haven't fixed it. I had such good luck with that, I put a Carter AFB on my 79 Dodge Shortbox Pickup when I built the 360 in that (1987? not real sure of the date). Pulled the top off of it to adjust the float a few years back but other than that, no other maintenance has been needed. Still runs great. The rest of the pickup isn't doing so well(body is rusting off) but nothing wrong with the way it runs. I was a little bummed when Carter went out of business but the Edelbrock is still around. IIRC Edelbrock has started making the AVS too(the best carb Carter ever made). After a long layoff, I had a chance to reacquaint myself with Holleys when I put the 4 barrel on the 240z. Seems like I was always fussing with it but way less than the stock dual carbs and no need for avgas to keep it from vaporlocking. Nobody else made a 4 barrel that small(390cfm) so I didn't have any other options anyway. I sold the 240 last year.

After messing with those Predators on my friend's Chevelle I was going to try one on the Road Runner but didn't have clearance and didn't want to cut the hood. I still think about putting one on the pickup just to try out. My buddy with the Chevelle moved to Sioux Falls and was killed in the car accident(not in the Chevelle). I mostly stopped working on muscle cars after that but I'm starting to feel the urge again so that may change.

[Chas.]

But will it outrun a Honda with a loud muffler?

[awp101]

But will it outrun a Honda with a loud muffler?

[sore shoulder]

Torque, my 425hp/850ft lbs (at the rear wheel) Powerstroke truck makes torque.

[marlinman93]

Yes, Buffboy is right. It's more about the look I'm going for, even if a single 4 bbl. would perform better. These are 450 cfm carbs, and I even contemplated going with dual Holley 2 bbl. carbs, but they're not any smaller and they'd just look weird.
As long as it rund well, and looks great, I don't care if it performs better with a single 4 bbl. on the street, it just wouldn't have the cool factor!

[marlinman93]

Well I thought I'd update this old post since I just completed the old Austin after 4 more months of working on it.
Spent the first couple months of winter last year going through the engine to upgrade heads to aluminum Trick Flow, and change the cam, timing gear drive set, and rockers. Then freshened up the bottom end with new bearings just for good measure while it was apart.
Then in January I began doing all the bodywork, stripped it to bare metal, and shot epoxy primer on it. Three weeks ago I sent it to a friend's shop for new paint. Only the 2nd paint job the old girl has had as it was still original paint.
Here's the new color; 1975 Corvette dark red metallic:


Right after this picture the wheelie bars came off. Just don't need them for a street only hotrod:


Still a few tiny loose ends to finish up, but it's a driver now.

[Hobie]

Neat!

[airedaleman]

Top drawer, man! Enjoy...

[JerryB]

Real proud for you Val.

[Shasta]

Ordinairly, my taste runs toward a stock vehicle, but I gotta say, that 60's gasser look of your ride is awesome! Good job!

I seem to recall you also have a 2nd gen Camaro?

SHASTA

[gamekeeper]

STILL THE COOLEST AUSTIN ON THE PLANET!!!!

[Griff]

Very well done Val! I just landed a 4-bolt 350 for my '91 Camaro along with Edlebrock heads, intake & carb and another complete 350 for the bits that won't work off the stock 305.

Work interfers. Man! It seems that it was just a few months ago that you started this one! Oh yeah, better tie up that chute cord!

[Pitchy]

Are ya burning mothballs?

[sore shoulder]

I bet the English never thought of doing anything like that to it.

[Pitchy]

Are ya burning mothballs?

The reason i asked that was you said ya were going old school so i figured you were putting mothballs in the tank like they used to do for racing.

[marlinman93]

Naw Pitchy I'n actually still running on regular gas, don't even have to run premium in it! That switch to the high flowing aluminum heads last fall helped the engine combo run regular easier with no detonation.
Retirement has allowed me to finish the car in record time, even while putting over 3,000 miles on it last summer. 18 months from time of purchase as a totally stock 4 banger. About 8-9 months of that were actually working on it.
We had our monthly get together here Sunday with some pretty good weather, so took it out for it's re-debut after the engine and body upgrades. About half the gang didn't recognise it.
Here's a link to a little ridee down the street my buddy wanted to record. Dead cold engine, and it was a little fussy until it gets really warmed up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_jPGnVtz0w

[Pitchy]

Now that is cool, thanks
I`ve always thought a rod would be cool but could never afford one and a Harley both.
Was just joking about the mothballs, had a old buddy that ran them in everything up till the day he died a couple years ago.
Gotta be sure they`er the old kind of mothballs to work, but i never found it necessary to fool with.
Ya sure know how to build them, very cool.

[Dave B]

Very Cool!!!

Dave B

[marlinman93]

Thanks Pitchy and Dave B! It's been a lot of fun to build and drive! Of course they're never completely done, but probably not much else to add or change.

Hey Griff! I've got an old '71 Camaro sitting here too! We've owned it since 1973, and did a complete restoration on it over the last 10 years. Now it just sits and only gets out once or twice a year.

[Old Time Hunter]

Awesome! Choke needs to be adjusted

[gamekeeper]

I bet the English never thought of doing anything like that to it.

If only we had there would still be a British car industry..

[marlinman93]

Awesome! Choke needs to be adjusted

Yeah, but I'll have to install one in one of the carbs first!

[marlinman93]

Round two! Still have the Austin, but a neighbor decided he wanted to dispose of the '63 Falcon he's had in a barn for 20 years. So home it came too!


After a nip here and there, and a few things swapped around.




The Falcon's straight six and 3 speed went away, and was replaced by a 468 Chevy big block, with tunnel ram and twin 600cfm Holley carbs, a Super T10 4 speed, and an 8.8" Ford rear, with 3.73 posi. Front suspension was tossed, and a complete frame built under the car. A Ford van front axle replaced the old suspension, and steering is a Ranger steering box, with '95 Camaro tilt column. Custom gauge panel I built to fit into the old housing, Mustang II buckets recovered to eliminate headrests, and a Taurus SHO folding leather back seat. 6 point roll cage ties it all together.

And the old Austin got a 3 page feature article in Gasser Wars Magazine this year!

[Griff]

Too cool! Nice job on the Falcon! Congrats on the article for the Austin, that'll make one's chest puff up a bit!!!

[marlinman93]

It's a firsts for me Griff! In 50+ years of building cars, I've never had even a small picture in a magazine, let alone a feature article.

[JohndeFresno]

Good to see you here again!

Wow - 400 HP - certainly not a Jack Benny carriage!

[gamekeeper]

I love that Austin 10....
The Austin factory ( where I once worked) is no more, gone but not forgotten.

[Griff]

It's a firsts for me Griff! In 50+ years of building cars, I've never had even a small picture in a magazine, let alone a feature article.

I had a feature article written about me in a national mag around 15 years ago... So, how many copies of yours did you pick up? (I got about 10 extra copies)!

[JohndeFresno]

It's a firsts for me Griff! In 50+ years of building cars, I've never had even a small picture in a magazine, let alone a feature article.

I had a feature article written about me in a national mag around 15 years ago... So, how many copies of yours did you pick up? (I got about 10 extra copies)!

My family gets a lot of exposure at the Post Office.

[plowboy 45]

Man I love them ol gassers, and you got 2 fine lookin un's
I see you know how to make a ford run

[marlinman93]

Good to see you here again!

Wow - 400 HP - certainly not a Jack Benny carriage!

Thanks John! The Austin is a bit different than when originally posted. Lost the 327 SBC I put in originally to a spun rod bearing, and it got replaced with a 350 4 bolt main, bored .030" over. So a bit more torque, and HP now.
The 468 BBC in the Falcon is a beast, and puts out around 550 HP. Running a set of Edelbrock aluminum heads, with Crower Roller rockers, and a Crower cam. A bit much on the street, and planning to de-tune it next year, so it's got maybe 500 hp, and not 4-5 mpg.

[marlinman93]

It's a firsts for me Griff! In 50+ years of building cars, I've never had even a small picture in a magazine, let alone a feature article.

I had a feature article written about me in a national mag around 15 years ago... So, how many copies of yours did you pick up? (I got about 10 extra copies)!

Only 3 copies Griff. But I did have a friend who works in the copy machine industry, make me up a set of large posters from the 3 page article, so I can frame them!

[marlinman93]

Man I love them ol gassers, and you got 2 fine lookin un's
I see you know how to make a ford run

Thanks! I'd have put a big Ford in the Falcon if I knew anything about Fords. I get a 50-50 mix of love the Chevy, or hate the Chevy at everywhere I take it. I guess as long as it's creating discussion, it's all good. Better than people just walking by and yawning.

[JohndeFresno]

...The 468 BBC in the Falcon is a beast, and puts out around 550 HP...

What a screamer.

[marlinman93]

I love that Austin 10....
The Austin factory ( where I once worked) is no more, gone but not forgotten.

Sad that a British company like Austin, with such a long history, is gone. BMW bought the Mini Cooper name, but did not buy the Austin name. Because the owners of the Austin name retained ownership, it's rumored they will someday introduce another vehicle under the Austin moniker. But I'd be surprised if it happened, and even more surprised if it was British made.
So is the old Austin factory torn down, or is something else in the old building?

[piller]

Man I love them ol gassers, and you got 2 fine lookin un's
I see you know how to make a ford run

Thanks! I'd have put a big Ford in the Falcon if I knew anything about Fords. I get a 50-50 mix of love the Chevy, or hate the Chevy at everywhere I take it. I guess as long as it's creating discussion, it's all good. Better than people just walking by and yawning.

My Dad was dyed in the wool for Ford. He helped make a few run in his day. He once had a Ford that was some type of family sedan, 4 doors, with a 410 High performance motor in it. When the car was cold, the double pumper carb would flood it out, but when it was warm, he embarrassed a bunch of kids with cars that showed the work that had been done to them. He didn't like vacuum secondary. As far as the love/hate thing for Chevy or Ford, it is sort of like the love hate fight over Marlin vs Winchester, or at least in my opinion. If you know how to work on one, good for you. As far as which one is better, well, let the stopwatch be the judge.

Both cars are really cool.

[marlinman93]

Thanks Piller! The only vehicle I own that's got matched engine and body is my '69 Suburban. It's still the old 350 Chevy it came with, and is my daily driver all year round.
I've always liked vacuum secondary carbs myself, especially for street use. They only open the secondaries when the engine is ready, so no bog or flooding like a double pumper has. I run mechanical on my Austin, but only because the old Pro Dominator Holley intake is designed for them, and not enough space between for the Holley vacuum pots to fit. It was a bear to tune the twin 450's on the engine, and get them to run smoothly through transition from primary to secondary opening on the street. Worked great when mashing the throttle on the drag strip, but stumbled when gently opening the secondaries on the street. They work good now, but took new squirters, larger 50cc pumps, and different cams for the Holley linkage to bring the squirt of gas in at the right time.

[gamekeeper]

I love that Austin 10....
The Austin factory ( where I once worked) is no more, gone but not forgotten.

Sad that a British company like Austin, with such a long history, is gone. BMW bought the Mini Cooper name, but did not buy the Austin name. Because the owners of the Austin name retained ownership, it's rumored they will someday introduce another vehicle under the Austin moniker. But I'd be surprised if it happened, and even more surprised if it was British made.
So is the old Austin factory torn down, or is something else in the old building?

This link explains what is happening to the old factory and has a photo of a Austin 10 being built in 1945.
http://www.google.co.uk/url?q=http://ww ... xgvn5aY3_Q
By the way, I'm NOT one of the guys in the photo.....