How much for 71 Thermoquad?

[gtgto]

Guy advertises 4973 carb on marketplace. I asked if it was complete and had no frozen parts and also if it needed a rebuild. Guy gets back to me and says it might be missing parts and it will definitely need to be rebuilt. Tells me $800. I replied back and said way more than I want to spend on a core missing parts. He then replied and told me its a rare carb and to educate myself on how much parts go for these days....Especially rare ones....went back and forth a few times and got nowhere. This is big business and no hobby for some.

 

[HemiSSDart]

71 thermoquads are in a category by themselves. I saw one for sale in excellent shape at the Detroit swap in January for $2500, a used one a coule weeks ago for $500 that was all original, and another in good shape this summer for $1200, so they are all over the place on price. Find out what parts are missing and get some pictures!

 

[RustyRatRod]

It's rare, but if it's missing parts....the 71 is an air metered carburetor. 72 and up were fuel metered. Chrysler replaced a crapton of those carburetors under service bulletins. That should tell you something. I wouldn't have one. Pain in the *** to tune....as if they're not already. But if you're a glutton for punishment, go for it.

 

[ch1ll]

People have become greedy with these parts I could see $400-$500 at the most but it depends on how bad you want it. Me personally I would buy one from a noted and reputable rebuilder that guarantees his carburetors. Place a wanted add. I would expect to pay $1200-$1500 for one which is alot but it wouldn’t be junk.

 

[Mtrhead]

Is it still available $800 is cheap

 

[gtgto]

It's rare, but if it's missing parts....the 71 is an air metered carburetor. 72 and up were fuel metered. Chrysler replaced a crapton of those carburetors under service bulletins. That should tell you something. I wouldn't have one. Pain in the *** to tune....as if they're not already. But if you're a glutton for punishment, go for it.

The guy did recommend me getting a 72 Thermoquad since they are cheaper and easier to tune and easier to find.

 

[HemiSSDart]

The guy did recommend me getting a 72 Thermoquad since they are cheaper and easier to tune and easier to find.

We had a 2900 original mile 71 Demon that already had a 72 TQ put on it. That was done in 1972...

 

[GTX JOHN]

I routinely pay around $500. for just a couple decent old core And I
consider myself lucky.

They are a nightmare to find parts for and work on BUT = They are a bit faster
than the 72 up.

Any of the Newer Thermoquads can be modified and tuned to run
really well. If you do not need the last couple of Hundreds ET stay
away from the 71 Carbs.

 

[RustyRatRod]

If you're even lookin at an 800 dollar carburetor, put a little more with it and go EFI. I'll be damned if I'd give that much for an archaic design that's missin parts. I got a whole box that'll be full of cat **** in the mornin. I'll sell it to you for $100 a turd. About the same thing.

 

[toolmanmike]

Restoring a car to 100 point original may be. If you just need a carb. No way!

 

[RustyRatRod]

Restoring a car to 100 point original may be. If you just need a carb. No way!

But you know, I'm sure you could come up with a copy of that TSB and the judges couldn't knock anything off for it.

 

[Bewy]

The 4973 is much more closely aligned with the original Comp Series carbs in design. For performance, I would have a 4973 any day over the later TQs, which are still good carbs.
The later TQs were designed for tighter emissions control.

 

[66fs]

My 71 TQ would be the last carb I would sell.

 

[Josh owen]

Wow. I have thrown 50-60 of these in the trash lol. Just got a bucket of them for free last fall to I think I still have parts laying around for some and maybe a couple main bodies. If I find them I'll post them on here for free because I will never bolt one on anything i build that's for sure. Each to there own but I woulda asked where he was buying his drugs from instead

 

[66fs]

Wow. I have thrown 50-60 of these in the trash lol. Just got a bucket of them for free last fall to I think I still have parts laying around for some and maybe a couple main bodies. If I find them I'll post them on here for free because I will never bolt one on anything i build that's for sure. Each to there own but I woulda asked where he was buying his drugs from instead

I loved guys like you. Q-Jets also. Throw away the best and keep the rest. LOL

 

[Josh owen]

Absolutely!! Love me or hate me at least someones thinkin about me better Jump on the box of junk when it gets posted then.

I will edit to say it's hard to beat the sound of a properly tuned TQ when the secondaries open up though

 

[66fs]

Absolutely!! Love me or hate me at least someones thinkin about me better Jump on the box of junk when it gets posted then.

I will edit to say it's hard to beat the sound of a properly tuned TQ when the secondaries open up though

They were not all created equal either, for sure.

 

[RustyRatRod]

I agree with not selling a 71 model if you have one. But to go out of your way and cut an arm off to pay for one if you don't have a numbers 71 model car is approaching stupid. Now if you have a 71 model car and that's what's missin, then go for it.

 

[lemondana]

Years ago, at our Lincoln Swap Meet I could have bought a nice one for 25.00. I passed because at the time, I hadn't heard anything good about them-DAMN! I screwed up.

 

[66fs]

Years ago, at our Lincoln Swap Meet I could have bought a nice one for 25.00. I passed because at the time, I hadn't heard anything good about them-DAMN! I screwed up.

Been there done that.

 

[66fs]

I agree with not selling a 71 model if you have one. But to go out of your way and cut an arm off to pay for one if you don't have a numbers 71 model car is approaching stupid. Now if you have a 71 model car and that's what's missin, then go for it.

Mine came with my 71 340 4 speed Duster. Value does not mean anything to me. I had it on the Duster, then a 273 Commando with a 72 340 top end. It just did everything great. Power, driveability, mpg, did'nt have to change any jets or rods, just fine tune choke and pull off. I would not pay crazy money for another, since most early TQ's run great, especially the factory High Performance ones.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Mine came with my 71 340 4 speed Duster. Value does not mean anything to me. I had it on the Duster, then a 273 Commando with a 72 340 top end. It just did everything great. Power, driveability, mpg, did'nt have to change any jets or rods, just fine tune choke and pull off. I would not pay crazy money for another, since most early TQ's run great, especially the factory High Performance ones.

And it's funny...that's how all Thermoquads seem. You either have nuthing but trouble or they run fantastic. I've had some of both. LOL I still wanna do two on a tunnel ram, though.

 

[GTX JOHN]

I have been racing with these Carbs nationally competitively
for 50 years. In both Dyno Testing and on the track with properly
well prepared 71 and 72 (and up) carbs. The 71's are 10 to 15HP more power
on a properly prepared Stock or Superstock 340. This translates to sometimes
as much as 1 MPH and several Hundreds. In Denver in Stock Class Head Up = I won by .0001 margin.
In Vegas Nationals a couple years ago there were over 10 cars in class
and the margin between the fastest and slowest was UNDER one tenth of a second.
When you send well over $100,000 a year racing and travel 10,000s of Miles
= A $500. carb core is a BARGAIN! I have bought several in this price range
on this site.

Everyone's situation is different and what there goals are. They ARE a waste of money
and an exercise in futility for a street/strip can or daily driver.

There are very few guys who can modify a 71 carb effectively for Class Racing.
There are a few more that can do the later one's effective and most of them have
been racing them for decades and are Aging Out like me. But the later one's are quite
a bit easier to find parts for. Although a Strip Kit brings $500 and on up for the 72 up.
Then most of the size jets and rods are totally useless for performance.

Just my opinion. ALSO I am NOT on drugs (Unless you count my dozen prescriptions)!!

 

[RustyRatRod]

I have been racing with these Carbs nationally competitively
for 50 years. In both Dyno Testing and on the track with properly
well prepared 71 and 72 (and up) carbs. The 71's are 10 to 15HP more power
on a properly prepared Stock or Superstock 340. This translates to sometimes
as much as 1 MPH and several Hundreds. In Denver in Stock Class Head Up = I won by .0001 margin.
In Vegas Nationals a couple years ago there were over 10 cars in class
and the margin between the fastest and slowest was UNDER one tenth of a second.
When you send well over $100,000 a year racing and travel 10,000s of Miles
= A $500. carb core is a BARGAIN! I have bought several in this price range
on this site.

Everyone's situation is different and what there goals are. They ARE a waste of money
and an exercise in futility for a street/strip can or daily driver.

There are very few guys who can modify a 71 carb effectively for Class Racing.
There are a few more that can do the later one's effective and most of them have
been racing them for decades and are Aging Out like me. But the later one's are quite
a bit easier to find parts for. Although a Strip Kit brings $500 and on up for the 72 up.
Then most of the size jets and rods are totally useless for performance.

Just my opinion. ALSO I am NOT on drugs (Unless you count my dozen prescriptions)!!

A better than excellent assessment. I agree 100%. 15HP in stock eliminator can eliminate the competition. See how I did that? lol

 

[Hysteric]

I'll take the solid fuel metering type every time.