Quote:
Originally Posted by scicala
Sorry, but respectfully I disagree that EBU carbs were used at all in the '55 model year. The 272 in '55 required a different (larger) venturi size (1 1/16"). I don't think engineering would release a carb too small for peak power. I have never seen any documentation for this other than "I had a friend that had '55 that had an EBU carb on it". In my opinion, if it did have one installed, it was done after the assembly line. Sal
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I bought my '55 in 1972. The original owners had just pulled it out of a barn where it had sat for seven years. It had never had anything done to the engine or anything else. It had a 272 with Ford EBU on it.
A couple years later, I ran across a junkyard that had three rows of '55/56 Ford cars each a block long. I looked at most of them and noticed that nearly all of them had Ford EBU carbs and as I recall, I counted less than a handfull that had Holley 2100's. It intrigued me at the time, because they looked exactly the same other than the EBU's having a Ford oval, but the Holleys had the Holley model number and patent info there. I wasn't aware of the difference in venturi size at the time.
In later years, I bought another '55 which appeared to be in original (uncared for) condition. It also had a Ford EBU on it's worn out 272.
I agree that Ford engineering originally intended for every new '55 car with Y-block have the newer Holley 2100 with 1-1/16 venturis. And I am assuming that quite a few came out of the factory with leftover EBU's due to shortages of the 2100, which had just gotten underway, based upon what I have seen. Could all these cars have had the original Holley carb swapped for the EBU some time between '55 and the mid '60's & early '70's. Yes it is possible. Not probable, though.
I noticed that the amount of gunk plastered on the front of my EBU carb perfectly matched the amount of gunk on the riser portion of the intake manifold. My Dad said no one has ever disturbed those mounting nuts on the carb and I agreed. The other one I had, same thing.
I doubt you'll find anything as far as official documentation allowing use of the EBU on the 272 engines, unless maybe someone saved an internal memo from engineers to factory to give them a go-ahead if stock of the 2100's was depleated.
But from what I've seen with my own two eyes, no one will convince me that they DIDN'T install EBU's on new 272's at the factory.
Besides, There is really no noticeable difference in accelleration or performance between the EBU and the 2100. I got a 2100 core and rebuilt it in the '80's and tried to use it. Junk. I took it off after a week and been running one of my EBU's ever since. They're fantastic. I mean no disrespect to anyone who doesn't believe, but I am 99% certain of it.