Should I tear it open before ordering?

[ChrisMiami]

I have carb #17080204 / 00020 CPM that is sitting on an Edelbrock Performer intake on top of a Chevy 350 HO crate engine with unknown cam and rotating assembly.  Looks like no vacuum from the carb is used, there's spot in the manifold that supplies all the vacuum that I can see.  Many lines off the front of the carb are plugged with bolts.

I am fairly certain that whoever built this engine was going for some level of performance.  My desire is not to tear the block down and find out what's inside it, although it would be nice to know.  I just want to get to a first crank-over.

I wouldn't be surprised if he modified the carb in some way to suit his application (I would definitely have tuned it) and if I should find out before ordering a rebuild kit.  I need to rebuild it before I can start the engine - throttle is welded stuck with what looks like a crust of salt.

Should I get it disassembled before calling to order the kit?  If I don't and he's got it tuned with bigger jets, what then?

Thanks,
Chris

[Cliff Ruggles]

Although it wouldn't be a bad idea to know what in it, I can supply the correct tuning parts for what you are doing based on carburetor number.....Cliff

[ChrisMiami]

That's awesome - I'll be calling in to order the HP kit.  Are you able to do this because the QJet can handle anything the 350 can put out, no matter how bored/stroked/cammed it is?

I'm also curious why auto vs. manual makes a difference in the castings - what's different?  If I convert to 6-speed sequential shift should I get a different QJet?

Thanks!
Chris

[Cliff Ruggles]

Plenty of carb for what you are doing and no need to get a different one.  At most the manual trans carbs lacked a vacuum port for the modulator and linkage for the kick-down cable, otherwise they are the same castings as the auto trans versions.....Cliff