406 Tri Power Carbs

[The Real McCoy]

I just picked up a 406 Tri Power setup and have a couple questions about the carburetors.  The part numbers are the correct C1AE-9510-AV for the Primary and C1AE-9510-AU for the Secondaries.  The Primary date code is 303 and the Secondaries are both 623.  My interpretation of this is the Primary was manufactured the 3rd week of October 1963 and the Secondaries the 3rd week of February 1966. Is this interpretation correct and if it is, would this mean the carburetors were purchased over the counter?

Also, anyone have a recommendation for a vendor that can supply the correct kits for these carburetors?

[Drew Pojedinec]

I make my own kits.
The outboard carbs don’t have power valves, so really not a ton of parts are needed.

[GJCAT427]

Might have been put together from parts. Check with Carls Ford parts, he might have kits or knows which ones would work. Other wise you can take the Holley #s and look up what OEM kits will fit. 

[shady]

I use 3 standard motors Hygrade 1570 kits. $16.24 each from rock auto. Made in usa and you get a ton of extra parts with them. Hard to find clips, check valve balls, power valves & so forth.

[The Real McCoy]

Thanks for the replies.  I ordered 3 of the Standard HyGrade kits from Rock Auto.  While trying to find the kits I stumbled across Mahle part# G26052 for a 406 3x2 that is described as a composite carb gasket that would seem to provide some insulating qualities.  It was a "Wholesale Closeout" for .29 cents so I got 3 of those coming too, for less than a dollar I thought they would be worth looking at.

Anyone have thoughts about those date codes?  I'm not into the "numbers matching" thing but am curious if Ford would have new carbs being built and selling them over the counter 3 years after they quit using them in production.

[Drew Pojedinec]

Years don’t matter, calibration is the same for all of the outboards.


Dang wholesale clearances.....  it’s why I have 10 air filters.

[The Real McCoy]

Yes, I agree on that wholesale clearance thing. That’s why I have a whole cabinet full of different FE and Galaxie related gaskets that I really wonder if I will ever use. They had a good buy on Standard brand Galaxie dimmer switches for $2.16 that I thought was to good to pass up until I seen the extra $6.99 freight charge for that part.

[Ranch]

 Learned my Lesson years ago (young and dumb) You can ruin a good carb. with the bad parts, or missing parts.
 If it's a matter of saving a few dollars or genuine Holley parts. I'll go with Holley every time....JMO

[rockhouse66]

If the date coding is the same as the later '68 - '70 carbs that I am more familiar with, 303 should be 1963, 10th month (October), 3rd week.  623 would be 1966, 2nd month (February), 3rd week.

Numerals were used for the month, so 1 is January, 0 is the 10th month or October, then A is November and B is December.  Almost as if someone didn't realize they would run out of digits before they ran out of months.

[WerbyFord]

Thanks for the replies.  I ordered 3 of the Standard HyGrade kits from Rock Auto.  While trying to find the kits I stumbled across Mahle part# G26052 for a 406 3x2 that is described as a composite carb gasket that would seem to provide some insulating qualities.  It was a "Wholesale Closeout" for .29 cents so I got 3 of those coming too, for less than a dollar I thought they would be worth looking at.

Anyone have thoughts about those date codes?  I'm not into the "numbers matching" thing but am curious if Ford would have new carbs being built and selling them over the counter 3 years after they quit using them in production.

I don't think its that unusual. Especially w FoMoCo, as we've discussed here & on the other forum,  Ford wasn't the greatest at offering factory combos, but they had the deepest "bench" of anybody out there. I think they sold a lot of over-the-counter combos.

I have a 1960 352/360HiPo carb date coded "291", early September 1962, long after that engine was factory. Countless C9AF-U 428cj carbs out there, I don't even know how long they made those. Tons of 428pi intakes too although IIRC the over the counter ones didn't HAVE a date code.

The 6v setup was still being pushed even in 1966 to go up against the GM Tripower Pontiac/Olds so it wouldn't surprise me that Ford was still making those carbs that late, not just for service but for us hot-rodders too.