Would appreciate some advice on selecting the best Holley 3259 carburetor for 6S281. This car was built at Ford about the second week of October 65. Block and Timing cover both cast in August 65.
The original Holly 3259 has been gone since pre-72, I have found and purchased a correct April 1 65 3258 carburetor that is in excellent condition. I have recently located a July 65, 3259 that is in excellent condition also and is available for purchase. My question is, am I just splitting hairs or would it be advantageous and closer to correct to have the July carburetor on 6s281?
Thanks very much for any input. Karl
Quote from: Karguy on May 30, 2018, 10:22:58 PM
Would appreciate some advice on selecting the best Holley 3259 carburetor for 6S281. This car was built at Ford about the second week of October 65. Block and Timing cover both cast in August 65.
The original Holly 3259 has been gone since pre-72, I have found and purchased a correct April 1 65 3258 carburetor that is in excellent condition. I have recently located a July 65, 3259 that is in excellent condition also and is available for purchase. My question is, am I just splitting hairs or would it be advantageous and closer to correct to have the July carburetor on 6s281?
Thanks very much for any input. Karl
Of course a Oct 65 build is not when the engine was built . The engine which would be the most relevant to a carb choice date. What is the assembly date of the block?
September 1 65
Unfortunately, it's not the original block but I have researched a number of cars with the Ford vin numbers very close to mine and I'm sure that I'm within three or four days of the actual engine build date and perfect for the casting date. I feel very fortunate to have found the block that I have.
July
Based on my observations, the carb. dates vary widely. They just aren't as "consistent" as other dates. In my opinion, just about anything before the engine date would be fine.
Quote from: Karguy on May 30, 2018, 11:29:32 PM
Unfortunately, it's not the original block but I have researched a number of cars with the Ford vin numbers very close to mine and I'm sure that I'm within three or four days of the actual engine build date and perfect for the casting date. I feel very fortunate to have found the block that I have.
I would not think a April 65 dated carb was out of the ordinary in this case.
The original 3259 carburetor for 6S923 (Jan 4 built engine) is dated 581, i.e. first week of August 1965.
Texas Swede
Interesting, the span of time between carb and build date of 6S923 is about five months. My April carb and engine build date of 6s281 is about five months also, so looks like I may be golden with my 541 Holley.
Just curious, since the engine for 6S923 was built January 4, what is your distributor date? Anyone know the tyical or average span of time between engine build dates and distributor dates? Sorry to get off topic of my original post.
Sorry, I don't have the exact date as the car is in Sweden and the owner, my friend Roland
didn't answer when I called him. It's his birthday today.
However, if I remember correctly it was the first week of Dec 65.
Texas Swede
This should get you pretty close. The original 3259 on 6S290 is date coded 571.
That is very interesting about 290. Makes sense to me that it would be in that July range for the carburetor. Do you happen to know the build date on the original block for 290? Based on other cars close to ours I'm sure our Ford Vin numbers are very close.
Sorry. 290's original engine was replaced by a Traco built 289.
Thanks anyway, 281's engine was replaced in 1972 with a Ford service replacement hipo long block. Long before numbers and originality mattered much, the original engine went back to Ford as a core.
Thanks again for your time.
Could be an option Karl
Cheers
https://m.ebay.com/itm/1965-1966-SHELBY-GT-350-LIST-3259-HOLLEY-CARB-571-JULY-1965/192549268711?epid=1234178255&hash=item2cd4d4ace7:g:lckAAOSwDFlatmyO
My car is #406 and the original carb is 552.
All the best,
Steve
Steve, thank you very much for the information on #406. Makes me feel pretty confident that my April carb is very acceptable for #281. Does 406 have its original distributor? If so, would you mind sharing the date?
Any other early 66 owners with original carbs out there?
Thanks very much, Karl
Hi Karl,
No, according to information received from the '66 Registrar, my distributor housing cracked in June of 1966. Herb Tousley Ford replaced the distributor on July 1st, 1966 for $37.09 [including labor - LOL].
Cheers,
Steve
Thank you Steve!