Is it worth the extra $$ to find a date correct 4053 DZ carb for my 68 L78 or should I just go with a new one? Will it increase the value of the car to have the date correct carb even though it is not original? A very reputable guy from all I have heard can get a date correct carb (not a restamp) and restore it. His work looks great and he is well thought of. Or I can just go with new from Heartbeat City or others. The car is mostly original or factory correct and I tend to lean toward that but we're talking about $300 or so difference. I will show the car locally but it is by no means a 1000 point car or anything like that. It's mostly a really nice driver for cruise ins and shows and sunny days (the six or so sunny days we actually have per year here in Central New York)

Any opinions?

Thanks

Mark

Ahhh, where to draw the line........

For me it was search, search, then search some more for an original, date correct carb. For me that's a big part of what I enjoy about this hobby. I did the same thing looking for an original smog pulley for my car, just found one recently.

Do you enjoy the hunt? Is getting your car to as close to "original" as possible fun for you? It's completely a personal decision.

As far as increased value of your car I would say for a numbers person each "original" component adds to the value of your car. I would suggest find the original carb if that's what you enjoy.

One more thing, I don't think any reproduction part is exactly like the original, something always seems to be a little different.

JMHO
Doug

I would go with a date correct carb. You might get lucky trying to find one. I'm still looking for some correct stuff for my 70 L78 car and I can tell you it's incredibly hard to find with it being a lot of 1 year only parts and my car was built so early in 70 that it narrows my window to almost impossible to find. I thought about the same thing when looking for the carb but stumbled on the correct carb with a perfect date. So I would look for a date correct one. It will always add value in the end.

Try this source. http://datedcomponents.classicjunkyard.com/

After looking for almost a year, I was able to find a correct dated carb for my 67 from this guy.

Thanks Daral:

Eric from Vintage Muscle Cars found a date correct carb for me. He has been responsive to my emails and people on this site have spoken well of him.

Mark

Let me tell you somthing, IF your going to drive the car, go with a New One!They can say what they want about being the Best Carb Rebuilders around . It's still 38 years old and it will act up! all old holleys do. Put a new one on it, new fuel lines, new tank/w sending unit and fuel pump and drive your heart out with no fuel problems. and if you can find the dated one for you car buy it and put it on the shelf thats what i did

Let me tell you somthing, IF your going to drive the car, go with a New One!They can say what they want about being the Best Carb Rebuilders around . It's still 38 years old and it will act up! all old holleys do. Put a new one on it, new fuel lines, new tank/w sending unit and fuel pump and drive your heart out with no fuel problems. and if you can find the dated one for you car buy it and put it on the shelf thats what i did

I politely beg to differ.

(allow me to preface this by stating that I'm not posting this in an attempt to toot my own horn, but to try to clear up a few seemingly common misconceptions when it comes to these old carburetors.)

Not all Holleys act up. I've rebuilt and restored more Holley carbs than I can count, and save for an occasional problem carb, they prove themselves to be just as reliable as a brand-new carburetor.

I believe the main reason so many people have this misconception that these old carbs are bound to act up is the fact that so many important (read: "mandatory") steps are omitted during the average "tank and kit" rebuild job, especially when you're dealing with a 30+ year-old carburetor that's probably been apart more times than one can count.

No gasket in the world will keep the metering block sealed to the main body when the main body is warped .020"+. (And no, that's not something you want to try to repair with a rat-tailed file)

No carburetor is going to idle right when the primary throttle shaft bores are worn out in the throttle body. However, install bushings in the throttle body and it's literally better than new.

No carb I've ever seen will run right when the emulsion tubes/idle pick-up tubes/idle restrictors are clogged by corrosion inside the metering blocks...and I'm talking about the kind of corrosion that carb cleaner will not remove, it has to be manually removed.

No rebuild kit in the world is going to miraculously cure all these issues when you're dealing with a 30+ year old carb that is literally worn out. But just because it's worn out doesn't mean it can't be brought back to "as-new" condition.

There's a lot more work that goes into these carbs to make them right than just a shine job and a rebuild kit.

Eric