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Holley vs Edelbrock for a 390 big block

2K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  Irelands child 
#1 ·
Got 63 merc montery, motor will be completed in about a week but im torn between a holley or an edelbrock. Most likely need a 750 cfm for the new roller motor. Any advice ?
 
#3 ·
How big of a big block (FE?). How much cam, compression, gears, etc.?

Even a 352 can use a 750 if it's running a big cam, headers, duals, lots of compression. The bigger size motors (390, 406, 410, 427, 428) can make use of a 750 because of their larger displacement even in a less aggressive configuration.

The selection between Edlebrock/Carter of Holley is pretty much 6 of one to half dozen of the other if you understand how each can be, must be tuned. The Holley is more forgiving of tuning errors, delivering acceptable performance across a wide range of needs where the Edlebrock/Carter is on or off its game, it doesn't muddle through as well as the Holley.

Bogie
 
#4 ·
I've used 600 and 750 Edelbrocks and 600-950 Holleys on about any Ford from 302s, 351s, 390s, a 406, and on to a couple 460s. Both carbs work well though the Edelbrock is, to me, a simpler carb to work on in place and once set up, easier to maintain. No cup of gas all over the intake whenever you want to make a change, no secondaries vacuum chamber hanging off the right side, the E-brock accelerator pump is fully inside the carb, no bypass tube seals (earlier 4160 versions) to leak and cause fires and no power valves to wonder about.

Some, not all, Edelbrocks do tend to cause somewhat hard starting if left a few days as they will either drain back or boil off - but I have learned to live with that. They are quite susceptable to dirty gas (need a very good filter).
 
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