Holley - Ford part????

7173Mustangs.com

Help Support 7173Mustangs.com:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Dec 23, 2018
Messages
859
Reaction score
298
Location
UK
My Car
Various
Hi Guys 

A point of historical reference again ... poor ole me trying to hunt out the truth 

I have a Holley nailed to my plenum and wanted to know what it is so I can get the instructions - so my dumb-ass brain can figure out all the tweakages.

I went to American Auto Ctr in Birmingham near me and they've got the old books (as thick as a Minneapolis telephone directory) with the old part codes for all the cars going back decades. 

Whilst trying to identify the Holley on the top of my car - these guys came out with a surprise  :classic_huh:

LIST - 6291-1 stamping on the Holley is not in any of the Holley catalogues...

but ....now get this... they did find it in an old list as a "Made for OEM" part  - specifically Ford 
and discontinued part in 1975

This leads us to believe this carb stamp number was used on Dearborn's line for certain cars... 

Can anyone corroborate this - can this be right?  :classic_blink:

 
I show a listing for R6291-1.AAA 1970-71 Ford Service 351C Eng. Nationwide & California Std. & Auto Trans. Renew kit 3-119 (very old number likely superseded). I have never seen one myself.

Chuck

 
Ford sold Holley carbs as over the counter service parts. The 72 R code racecar I helped with uses the Ford service aluminum intake manifold and a 780 vacuum secondary carb. Both are legal for NHRA stock eliminator even though they weren't "original". If I remember correctly am using the Holley 6291 main body in the Frankenstein carb on my Cleveland. My understanding is it was a 289 HiPo service part. Ford also used Holley 4bbl carbs on the earlier Fox body Mustang H.O. cars. Not to mention 427 medium and hi riser FEs. 

 
The problem "Back in the day" was parts catalogs with inaccurate info. Ford's own MPC books were bad enough, the aftermarket....good luck! A lot wrong was incorrect model year ranges and parts listed for vehicles that never left the factory with them. 

It would be interesting if 1sostatoc can get another look at that catalog to see if it references any Ford ID numbers. Any service/over-the-counter carburetors would have a tag on it just as a production carb would. Easy for one to be considered an assembly line carburetor. I know I sold a bunch of Hollys listed for Shelbys, GT390, and 428 CJ applications that were going to be used on other brand vehicles. At the time Ford's price was cheaper than the local speed shops.

@Geoff, I can assure you that a Holly carburetor was never production installed on any '71-74 351C engine regardless of the vehicle line. The only Holly exception for the 71-73 Mustang was the '71 SCJ 429 and that was one year only. After 1970 the SCJ was no longer available in the Torino line. That gives the Mustang the distinction of being the last true performance car from Ford with a Holly Carburetor for a long time!             I know at one time I was told that all Boss 351's had Holly's (The same expert you meet at car shows). I know a couple of B1 owners that did pitch the 4300D and changed the intake to run a Holly. (This was at a time before Perkins starting selling his for $8,500.00)!

The Holly carb droptop73 mentioned was the 4180 series that was used on the '83-85 Mustang GT, 84-87 E & F series with the 351HO, and some 460's until they went EFI.  

 
The problem "Back in the day" was parts catalogs with inaccurate info. Ford's own MPC books were bad enough, the aftermarket....good luck! A lot wrong was incorrect model year ranges and parts listed for vehicles that never left the factory with them. 

It would be interesting if 1sostatoc can get another look at that catalog to see if it references any Ford ID numbers. Any service/over-the-counter carburetors would have a tag on it just as a production carb would. Easy for one to be considered an assembly line carburetor. I know I sold a bunch of Hollys listed for Shelbys, GT390, and 428 CJ applications that were going to be used on other brand vehicles. At the time Ford's price was cheaper than the local speed shops.

@Geoff, I can assure you that a Holly carburetor was never production installed on any '71-74 351C engine regardless of the vehicle line. The only Holly exception for the 71-73 Mustang was the '71 SCJ 429 and that was one year only. After 1970 the SCJ was no longer available in the Torino line. That gives the Mustang the distinction of being the last true performance car from Ford with a Holly Carburetor for a long time!             I know at one time I was told that all Boss 351's had Holly's (The same expert you meet at car shows). I know a couple of B1 owners that did pitch the 4300D and changed the intake to run a Holly. (This was at a time before Perkins starting selling his for $8,500.00)!

The Holly carb droptop73 mentioned was the 4180 series that was used on the '83-85 Mustang GT, 84-87 E & F series with the 351HO, and some 460's until they went EFI.  
 Steve, THAT is a very interesting and informative reply, thank you. Your wealth of knowledge has become a major source of everything I have learned over the last 12 years. You're a gold mine my friend.

 
The first Holley 4-V that looks like the Holley everyone knows was on the 1957 Ford Y block. At least that is the first I ever saw. Before 57 the 4-V Holley was called a haystack and part of the carb was up inside the air cleaner was how it got the nickname.
I was looking for something the other day and found the extra for our 1957 Fairlane 312.

 
Back
Top