[jrmunn]

Andrew,

I too have been reluctant to get into more complicated repairs, but have changed my carburetor from a stock 2BB Stromberg (with oil bath air cleaner) that needed rebuilding to a new 500 cfm 2BB Holley 4412. It isn't that hard to do as long as the studs mounting the old carburetor aren't rusted into the intake manifold. But you do need to be careful about dropping things into the manifold, and there are other parts that you need to know about. These include (as best I can remember) an adapter plate and gaskets, fuel line fittings to hook up to your existing fuel line, and an air cleaner housing that fits on whatever carburetor you end up with. You will probably also need an in-line fuel filter to replace the problematic fuel filter attached to stock Stromberg carburetors. On my 64 GMC 305E 3/4 ton pickup, the accelerator rod and return spring hooked up to the Holley without any changes, but the choke cable was a little short and eventually needed to be replaced (because I put a kink in it). My truck runs much better with the new carburetor - smoother idle, more power and acceleration, and improved freeway performance. But, on the other hand, my gas mileage got worse. So I am planning (when I can get to it) to put smaller jets in the carburetor, which seems to be running rich and might be more than a 305 ci engine needs. As stated by others, members of this site are very helpful in answering questions.

Regarding mechanics, I am sensitive about the quality of my work on things that would be expensive or hard to replace or that could affect stopping, so I occasionally take my truck to experienced mechanics to confirm that things like brake systems are working properly (I have replaced brake parts as needed and switched from a single-reservoir to a dual-reservoir master cylinder after losing both front and rear brakes when a hose broke - luckily, the rear-wheels emergency brake was still working).

Having driven (sometimes more, sometimes less) my truck for many years, I appreciate the peace of mind that comes with knowing that the suspension is likely to stay together, hoses aren't about to burst, belts won't be breaking soon, and pieces aren't falling off. Other than the brake failure, the only problems that have left me by the side of the road are bad points and failed mechanical fuel pumps. The points were my fault. And the best advice I can come up with is to carry a spare fuel pump with the tools needed to change it.

JRMunn