1965 carb suggestions

[projo198]

Since this is my first post I suppose I should introduce myself! My name is James and I live in Kansas City (Go Chiefs)! On a work trip to Memphis last week I stumbled across a 65 Thunderbird with a 390 in St Louis and surprise; it came back with me on a trailer!

My question is this; the car came with a carb on it that leaks horribly, upon removal I believe it to be a Holley 4150 (manual choke). Another Holley carb was inside the car, but the throttle tower had a piece broken off that shows the list #, this one is an electric choke.

I was originally going to rebuild one of the 2, but to save frustration am considering buying a new carb and am tossed between t following options;

Holley 1905 (manual choke)
Holley 1906 (electric choke)
Demon 1901 (625)
Demon 1903 (750)

I know the first 2 fit, but am unsure which offers the Ford kick-down hardware. I am reading good things about the Demons, but want to know for sure that they will bolt to my 390 motor intake manifold.

Can you guys throw me some advise? Thanks!
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[DannyInNJ]

Since this is my first post I suppose I should introduce myself! My name is James and I live in Kansas City (Go Chiefs)! On a work trip to Memphis last week I stumbled across a 65 Thunderbird with a 390 in St Louis and surprise; it came back with me on a trailer!

My question is this; the car came with a carb on it that leaks horribly, upon removal I believe it to be a Holley 4150 (manual choke). Another Holley carb was inside the car, but the throttle tower had a piece broken off that shows the list #, this one is an electric choke.

I was originally going to rebuild one of the 2, but to save frustration am considering buying a new carb and am tossed between t following options;

Holley 1905 (manual choke)
Holley 1906 (electric choke)
Demon 1901 (625)
Demon 1903 (750)

I know the first 2 fit, but am unsure which offers the Ford kick-down hardware. I am reading good things about the Demons, but want to know for sure that they will bolt to my 390 motor intake manifold.

Can you guys throw me some advise? Thanks!

A good friend did exactly as you mention: installed a Street Demon 625. It came with the Ford auto trans kick-down plate, cost a little over $300 new with free shipping from Amazon. He got the one with the black fuel bowls as it works well at keeping the gas cooler.
The 390 stock manifold uses a "square bore" mount, and you will find (hopefully!) a phenolic (plastic-looking) plate between carb & manifold with coolant connection. It helps cool the carb from the heavy cast-iron manifold and I've "heard" of folks removing it only to find gas boiling in their fuels bowls (never actually seen it, though). Any square-bore carb should work. The factory carb was the old "shoebox" - an Autolite 4100 rated (I believe) 600 cfm. It used an automatic choke in '65 and vacuum secondaries.
My buddy LOVES the Demon. Said it took literally NO adjusting, ran great out of the box, even throttle-induced downshifts were perfect. I've ridden in the car often and it is definitely much quicker. I would think the 750 would be very oversized on the factory manifold etc., but if you start making other changes (manifold, cam, heads, exhaust headers?) . . . . . ?

 

[projo198]

A good friend did exactly as you mention: installed a Street Demon 625. It came with the Ford auto trans kick-down plate, cost a little over $300 new with free shipping from Amazon. He got the one with the black fuel bowls as it works well at keeping the gas cooler.
The 390 stock manifold uses a "square bore" mount, and you will find (hopefully!) a phenolic (plastic-looking) plate between carb & manifold with coolant connection. It helps cool the carb from the heavy cast-iron manifold and I've "heard" of folks removing it only to find gas boiling in their fuels bowls (never actually seen it, though). Any square-bore carb should work. The factory carb was the old "shoebox" - an Autolite 4100 rated (I believe) 600 cfm. It used an automatic choke in '65 and vacuum secondaries.
My buddy LOVES the Demon. Said it took literally NO adjusting, ran great out of the box, even throttle-induced downshifts were perfect. I've ridden in the car often and it is definitely much quicker. I would think the 750 would be very oversized on the factory manifold etc., but if you start making other changes (manifold, cam, heads, exhaust headers?) . . . . . ?

Thanks Danny! I actually just got off the phone with Holly and they validated what you said about the 750 being a bit much for the 390 motor. He said it would always run rich. I did have to buy the kick down parts separately, but they were cheap.

I ended up ordering one as you suggested through Amazon, with easy returns it's not much risk.

Thanks very much for the info, I'll post back here with my experience! Would love to hear this thing run this weekend...

 

[Dj-Dan]

A good friend did exactly as you mention: installed a Street Demon 625. It came with the Ford auto trans kick-down plate, cost a little over $300 new with free shipping from Amazon. He got the one with the black fuel bowls as it works well at keeping the gas cooler.
The 390 stock manifold uses a "square bore" mount, and you will find (hopefully!) a phenolic (plastic-looking) plate between carb & manifold with coolant connection. It helps cool the carb from the heavy cast-iron manifold and I've "heard" of folks removing it only to find gas boiling in their fuels bowls (never actually seen it, though). Any square-bore carb should work. The factory carb was the old "shoebox" - an Autolite 4100 rated (I believe) 600 cfm. It used an automatic choke in '65 and vacuum secondaries.
My buddy LOVES the Demon. Said it took literally NO adjusting, ran great out of the box, even throttle-induced downshifts were perfect. I've ridden in the car often and it is definitely much quicker. I would think the 750 would be very oversized on the factory manifold etc., but if you start making other changes (manifold, cam, heads, exhaust headers?) . . . . . ?

Hello, I recently put a new 670 Avenger Holley on my 64 and it runs great. I ran a wire from the fuse box to the new electric chock in a matter of minutes. Easy-Peacey!! I also put the electronic ignition and high coil on for more power. Once I advanced the Timing, that 64 runs like a bat out of Hell.

 

[projo198]

Hello, I recently put a new 670 Avenger Holley on my 64 and it runs great. I ran a wire from the fuse box to the new electric chock in a matter of minutes. Easy-Peacey!! I also put the electronic ignition and high coil on for more power. Once I advanced the Timing, that 64 runs like a bat out of Hell.

I believe there is an ignition-triggered terminal on the capacitor that will work for this as well!

 

[projo198]

Sorry it is actually on the alternator, not the capacitor.

 

[projo198]

Well I got the demon 625 carb on this weekend and she ran (horribly)! After a new distributor cap. Capacitor, coil and points she ran much bettter.

Found some more issues, but at least I know it runs now!