Correct 1966 CA AIR Center Tripower Float bowl cast number
 

My 66 GTO is a WV CA Tripower car. I do not have the original engine, but have a correct date 389 with correct date 93 heads and Tripower manifold date. Its the engine that was in the car when I bought her, but she had a 4 bbl Edelbrock. All Tripower stuff was long gone. She did have the AIR alt and PS brackets in the truck along with the air pump and a few other hoses and valves. I am attempting to do as correct of a restoration without having the WV block and am not putting any of the AIR stuff on. I am still missing the AIR carb bases and the hardware that plumbs into the heads. With that being said I have a Rochester Float bowl number 7031624. I thought this was the correct float bowl for a CA 66 center Tripower carb, but just found under the Tripower sticky section that 7031625 is the correct number.
So I am now going back and forth on what center float bowl to use. I have 7031575s. Should I just go with one of those that is Tripower correct or use the 7031624 that is off by 1 digit? I have the correct end carbs with the correct 66 tops too. GM is not upside down.

1966 WV Tri-Power
 

topfuel,

Here is a 66 WV 3x2 unit I purchased from an Original owner that had this GTO totaled about 45 years ago.

I’m certain this unit is factory correct.

Center carb bowl number is #7031624.

Chris.

Thank you for those pics. I knew I had found that the 7031624 was the AIR center float bowl, but couldn't remember where. Is there a difference between the 421 and 389 or auto vs. manual? I would rather use the 7031624 as I am trying to get all the numbers as close to possible. I am still hoping one day to find a December dated WV block so all my other numbers match. I've found a September, Jan and March WV so far.

The 0 on my float bowl has the same casting flaw that the one in the pic has where it almost looks like it could be an 8 or a 0 with a hat. That was also making me 2nd guess if I had the correct bowl. I found this carb in a wrecking yard on a late 70s Pontiac.

http://www.thecarburetorshop.com/Tri...s.htm#Year1966

The 1966 389 Tripower A.I.R. bowl casting # is 7031674 (float bowl assembly part-#7032905).

And, there is no 1966 421 Tripower A.I.R. only 389 M/T.

So guys ...... what does the bowl casting “7031624” on my 66 A.I.R. go to ??

Odd that topfuel also has this unit. Where did he get his from ??

Is this some 2bbl. from another type of car ?

Answers welcome.

Found this,
 

I just did a search of 7031624 ....... Bingo.

Post #5 has incorrect information.

Look at this search,
Dec. 7, 2017 thread (66 A.I.R. Tri-Power Center Carb Difference).

topfuel, I think you are all good.

That was the thread that I discovered and pieced together that I had a Tripower AIR center carb. I even posted in that thread. I just couldn't remember where I had heard it from. Seems there are at least 2 different bowl numbers listed compared to what actually came out.
Thank you everyone for the info and research.

Yes, looks like the link in my posting contains incorrect information.
So much for interweb info.....Jon´s info is correct for most times though.

I do not agree with Jon's info this time.
The bowl number was possibly 7031624 prior to the Footnote *2 on 3/19/66 that changes the number by 1 digit to 7031625 (the change was 7033388 screw off idle air adjust"

So 7031624 was probably correct before 3/19/66 and air carb was only 389 engines.

Tom V.

I like this info since my car is a 1/66 date and that's the carb I have.
I am going with 62 jets for the center and 71s on the ends. Stock engine, stock factory 10.75:1 pistons, factory cam, factory exhaust manifolds, etc.

Nothing wrong with putting in the best jetting for your California AIR application in the carb, as it was very common to vary the jet sizes 1 size up or down depending on the actual location where the car was driven. A given jet from Holley or Rochester was based on an average calibration over several locations. It was 10 years later when the California Air Resources Board (CARB) required road load dyno testing.

Tom V.

Thanks again for confirming this rare carb.

I am sure that everyone who posted helped in this thread/question.
Tom V.

I no longer have the source material from which I made the list some 35 years ago.

What exactly is wrong, and what is the correction?

I have no ego. Anytime an error is found on any of my listings, PLEASE let me know with documentation, and I WILL correct the listing.

carbqueen@sbcglobal.net

Jon

I just had a chance to look at my old pictures, and my '66 AIR center carb float bowl number is 7031624.

Based on information presented in this thread, my listing has been changed from 7031674 to 7031624.

Apologies to any/all who had issues because of the listing.

If other errors are found in any of my listings, PLEASE send documentation and they will be corrected.

All listings are triple-checked before posting, yet errors still do occur.

Jon.

No worries, Jon.
I would have said the 7031624 carb was not correct vs the 7031625 carb in the Rochester Products paperwork, except that I saw the footnote for the running change.

All is good and thanks for your help over all of the years.

Tom V.

ps maybe come visit when this virus is over.

Here's as far as I was able to get done this week. I got most of the center carb finished using the 7031624 bowl. Still need to hook up all the levers. The bases are done for the end carbs, just need to assemble the bodies.

The tops (airhorns) are the same casting number from 1959 through 1966. Some had the "GM" upside down, some were not. The upside down GM is a common misnomer many Pontiac fans share. The Ames catalog wrongly states this in their listing for the repro airhorns.

The repros have the GM upside down--they are a very good product. The only way to identify them from OEM is the air cleaner web is smaller toward the front of the carb. They also do not accept zinc dichromate coloring the same as OEM carbs. The alloy must be different.

I'm glad we once again got the correct casting number identified for the A.I.R. '66 center carb==7031624. I believe Oldsmobile used the same center carb in '66, since they needed ported vacuum for distributor advance. .