850 Thermoquad worth the effort?

[gzig5]

An acquaintance has an 850 Thermoquad Competition Series #4846 that is still new in the box that he'll let me have for cheap. He has no use for it and isn't into selling stuff on the net. Would this carb be worth the effort to try on my 70 340? I know that rebuild kits are available but the tuning parts seem to be hard to come by? My understanding is that the TQ can be a great carb but tuning is a bit different than a Holley. Car currently has a Holley 650 DP on it. Seems OK after I rebuilt it but I've only got 35 miles on it since I got it running and the trans is slipping so I haven't been able to give it a good workout. Currently has J-heads, LD4B intake and as far as I can tell a relatively stock cam. Will be getting new heads (new TF, W2, or ??), RPM air gap, and as hot a solid lifter cam as I can comfortably run on the street. I have the room under the hood to run a 1" adapter.

 

[CudaJunction]

Holley dp will always run better in the long run. TQs run good but you have to be a carb tuner.

 

[yellow rose]

If you don't want that carb hook me up with your buddy. I'll buy that thing in a New York second.

I'm serious.

Let me know.

 

[rumblefish360]

Looks like this?
It tunes with the first year TQ parts. Very hard to find. It is a little different the regular TQ’s.
TQ’s can be tricky until you learn them and get used to them. There not as tunable as a Holley. These are a race carb. It is not a standard run of the mill production TQ for starters, the primary only has one booster ring which Leeds to the possibility of a rougher ie and a reduced throttle response when compared to a OEM unit. Also there metering of fuel is different. One solid fuel, the other not.

I don’t want to start a bidding war with YR, but I’m prepared....
LMAO

I’d personally LOVE a second one.

I LIKE the TQ a lot. Standard car production units work really well for a street or street strip machine. I’d only campaign one if I got paid to do so. The Holley is just way way way more tuneable. For sure, I will run one in the street. IMO, there really quit at home in ether places.

 

[pishta]

Not if you don't know how to tune them. Guys who tune them like them, guys who don't hate them.

 

[cuda620]

I’ll buy it too if you don’t. Correct you gotta know how to tune em. A child can tune a Holley, but it’s never right. Imo.

 

[rumblefish360]

I’ll buy it too if you don’t. Correct you gotta know how to tune em. A child can tune a Holley, but it’s never right. Imo.

That is because you need more time & experience with them.