Should I drill out my Carter AVS to fit my intake?

[65s]

I just installed a 273 4-barrel Commando intake onto my little 273. I want to use my '69 AVS carb that was working fine with my old intake (a 340 unit), but I've discovered the bolt pattern is wrong!

My intake has a 4.5" (approx) stud spacing, and my carb is more like 5.5". Other carbs I've seen have both bolt patterns, or some intakes have both...but not mine!

I'm thinking about drilling out the carb to fit the intake. Should I do this? I can use an old 273 AFB that has all the different bolt holes as a pattern, or maybe my old gasket. Has anyone done this before?

Would I be better off drilling out the intake for the wider bolt pattern?

Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Mrmopartech]

I would first get a adapter or drill and tap the intake before attempting the drilling of the carb.You need a small cfm carb to run on a 273,so find out the cfm rating first.Why not get a nother intake with the two patterns all ready in the intake?Mrmopartech

 

[65s]

Well like I said, this carb was working fine and I plan to use it on my 340 eventually, so I want to keep it going and don't have the money to spend trying to find/rebuild a correct 273 carb. I just spent money on this intake, having it hot tanked, painted it, tapped a hole for mechanical temperature sensor and installed it all, only to realize that I never checked the bolt pattern of my carb! Duhh....stupid of me.

So you think drilling the intake is easier then drilling the carb?

 

[rumblefish360]

So you think drilling the intake is easier then drilling the carb?

Nope. IMO, drill the carb. Start with a small size drill bit and work up. Your just doing a hole. On the intake, your drilling and tapping. Ethier way.

 

[65Val]

Neil...In the past,I did the same thing,only reversed. I had a later intake that I wanted to use an earlier carb on,so I used the new style dual-pattern carb gasket as a template...worked just perfect. Make sure the throttle blades of the newer carb will not bind in the bores when you bolt it up.

Darwin