[2+2=421]

Has anyone actually used one of these? Guy has a new one in box for sale, not sure how they work but they look very cool.

[rohrt]

Was that the one that tested in a car mag several years back and had a bunch of metal shavings in it?

If you can get it for a good price just remember to clean it out.

[Dick Boneske]

If you're going from a Pontiac Tripower setup to Holley carbs, why not go right to fuel injection? Once you eliminate the sexy look of an original Tripower setup, you might as well go for injection.

There are Pontiacs running 10 second quarter miles with Rochester Carbs. The same engine may run a few tenths faster with three Holley carbs or a good injection setup, but that's all the improvement you'll see.

[Tom Vaught]

Originally Posted by 2+2=421

Has anyone actually used one of these? Guy has a new one in box for sale, not sure how they work but they look very cool.

A story on the Barry Grant Tri-Power System. I think I am the only guy who ever ran the BG system on a Pontiac.

Quite a few years ago a PY member bought a New Barry Grant intake system for a Pontiac.
He posted up on the PY Board that he was having trouble getting some bolts to go into the mounting holes so that the intake could be used.

He posted up pics of the intake and a PY member "BGTECH" worked with him to get a different intake even after the member butchered up the 1st run intake from Barry Grant.

(It took three tries before they got one that I could use but BGTech did his job.)

All that being said, Robert Williams (RIP ROBERT) bought one of the intakes (no carbs) and I built him 3 carbs that flowed 1100 cfm vs the Barry Grant SB Chebby carbs that flowed 250 cfm each. I do not think that Robert ever actually ran his BG Intake on an engine.

If you do a search on BGTECH you can read all of the threads about the intake.

Tom V.

[mike w]

Be cautious and do more research before you make this purchase. I bought three of these units for re-sale when they first came out. I sold all three, but all the customers had issues. Barry Grant was of no help back then.

Wait to get feedback from someone who actually ran on of these on a street driven car.

[Tom Vaught]

Agree on the above. Like I said, I know where two on the BG intakes are, you sold 3 more of the units, Mike.

The BG carbs (they used on the intakes) were not ideal by any means.
My intake had true Holley carbs on it and ran fine (after the Intake was ported by Dave Wilcox in Virginia).
I had over $500 tied up in the Porting job.

The first BG Intake I bought at the Norwalk swap meet. It was laying on the ground. (Wonder Why, LOL)
I paid $600 for the intake. As Mike W knows they were going for a lot more than that from BG.
BGTECH did a great job getting me a BG intake finally (3rd try) that could be ported by Dave Wilcox.
I personally would save a lot of money and use a 1966 stock cast iron intake or a PY aluminum Tri-Power intake (1st run)
with the DASHMAN Holley to Rochester adaptors if I did it again.

Tom V.

[Mr6x]

The biggest disappointment with these aftermarket Holley 3x2 intakes (including the defunct Barry Grant Pontiac) is the carb spacing will not allow the Corvette air cleaner to fit. Same with the small block Chevrolet 3x2. It would have gave the engine bay a whole new look!

[Tom Vaught]

Personally the O'Brian Truckers "Ribbed" Air Cleaners when used with Pontiac "Ribbed" Valve Covers looks a lot nicer vs the shiny chrome Chebby Part.

And the air cleaners fit just fine on the Barry Grant Intake.

Tom V.

Click on pic to make larger

[DaleW66GTO]

I purchased a BG tripower setup for my 66 GTO a couple years ago and I love it. I had a 400 cid with the original tripower on it for years. But a few years ago I replaced the 400 with a built 462 and I wanted to keep a tripower setup on my car but I would of had to do some modifying of the original Rochester carbs to have it idle and run right. Instead I was lucky to find the BG triple D induction tripower setup which came with Demon 2 bbl carbs. They are originally 50 cfm bigger than the Rochester's, and they have a lot more adjust-ability than the Rochester's. I've used the BG tripower for 2 summers so far and the only problem I've had with them is 2 of the carbs had small leaks around the site glass. All I had to do was replace the o-ring behind the glass and I did that while they where still on the car. By the way I love the site glass in them, another benefit. I look forward to this summer when I'm going to replace the jets and squirters to see what I can get out of them. I will attach a few pics of the BG tripower after I rebuilt it. One pic shows it with the one piece oval air filter that came with it. I shined it up and used it for the first summer, but it just didn't look like a Pontiac tripower. So after searching for 3 separate air filters and finding nothing that fits the D shaped tops of the Demon carbs, I just machined my own base plates and used my old original filters. The final pic shows the tripower in my GTO with the separate filters.

[Gary H]

DaleW66GTO, great information, and it looks outstanding.

[keith646671]

Ever see a Holley 500cfm (2300series) or fr80350 350 cfm(FR80350) Street Avenger series center and Rochester ends on a 66 factory manifold? If so is there a particular linkage/adaptor kit that makes it possible? I believe the Holley center might be easier to find parts for tho now I see the Street Avenger may flow less than a correct 2G. Possibly a velocity enhancement at low-mid RPM that would wither at higher ? In my case the Street Avenger carb at around 250$ looks promising.

Was looking at FiTech EFI setups for dual quad setup and possibly trips ... both full systems advertise 600-625 hp a range that would be a fit for reliability in a stock block. The 2000$ price-tag most likely warranted if it ends in a desirable result. The trips flows 1500cfm the dq 1700 maximum .. might possibly lose low end performance torque ?? Neither are recommended for boost. Not sure how well they bolt up to manifold.

[Tom Vaught]

Looking forward to your posts on the rebuild/changes the intake system.

Tom V.

[Mike Davis]

I wish these had taken off and there were a few out there...... would like to have a set up to mess around with on a street build I am doing.

[DaleW66GTO]

Originally Posted by Mike Davis

I wish these had taken off and there were a few out there...... would like to have a set up to mess around with on a street build I am doing.

Mike I was lucky to find one on Ebay. I had read about them the same time I was building my 462 and really wanted one. So I set it up so if any came up for sale on Ebay, it would notify me by email. Sure enough one came up for sale about a year later and I was able to buy it.

[keith646671]

Thanks Tom V.

I was the "carb guy" in my circle of friends back in the day, loved q-jets and rebuilt several for $ at my buddy's shop in Hooksett in addition to our race crews. Mostly using Doug Roe's book. Had good results. Am curious about multi-carb setups but believe there was an industrywide change to FI for a reason. If I spent significant money on a multi I would prefer to try to modernize and use FI. I did obtain correct Offy kits to install 4360 Holley carbs on my Offy 5499 lowrise Equaflow DQ. And I have 2 2GC's in good operating condition for the 66 factory trip manifold .. I would be raising on phenolic to cure a heat evil I saw referenced in Tripower CD. CD also showed unavoidable slop in linkage causes rear to open "slightly" before front. I was figuring at speed this might be enough to change flow pattern of intake manifold.

Thought I saw you recommending 66 factory manifold and Holley center with rochester ends a few posts back vs BG setup??

My mule is a 75 400 motor so I believe I will have to grind front cover and manifold to fit 66 trip per Wallace website .. trip intake hits later front cover. Actually trip is destined for my 66 389 which supposedly trip fits on no mod per Wallace. That car a NE clambake summer cruiser 66 Star Chief probably only needs center. Got 50 feet rubber in my mule with 2bbl 71 455 2.73 welded posi. Tho not a trip manifold.

[Tom Vaught]

Originally Posted by keith646671

Thanks Tom V.

Thought I saw you recommending 66 factory manifold and Holley center with rochester ends a few posts back vs BG setup??

My mule is a 75 400 motor so I believe I will have to grind front cover and manifold to fit 66 trip per Wallace website .. trip intake hits later front cover. Actually trip is destined for my 66 389 which supposedly trip fits on no mod per Wallace. That car a NE clambake summer cruiser 66 Star Chief probably only needs center. Got 50 feet rubber in my mule with 2bbl 71 455 2.73 welded posi. Tho not a trip manifold.

I recommend the Rochester 66 set-up for several reasons.

The adaptors are available to go from the 1966 Tri-power Manifold to the Holley 2-BBL carbs. The smaller Center Carb opening on the 65 and earlier intakes may position the carb in a different spot. I have never tried using a
1965 or earlier intake.

As far as the timing cover goes, the 1966 type timing cover had a relief cast in the cover so that the front mounted water gooseneck would clear the cover. You can remove the timing cover and weld a recess into the cover or you can buy a new aluminum gooseneck and grind away (mill is better) clearance in the two parts and then weld a flat piece into the modded water neck.

The Barry Grant intakes were very rare, the 1st run castings were un-useable, the 2nd run casting were un-useable, and the third run casting
were acceptable for the Pontiac application. The Chevy group of intakes may be better.

"Thought I saw you recommending 66 factory manifold and Holley center with rochester ends a few posts back vs BG setup??"

You thought wrong. I would never suggest a bastardized combination like that. All Rochester carbs or all Holley carbs is what I suggested.

Tom V.

[keith646671]

Got the PontiacTripower CD and reviewed several times. I would be fine with all Rochester setup that CD covers, but am a little confused as to how to go about it most economically as Im not sure I have compatible carbs. I have 2 2gc carbs, no 2g and a 66 manifold. I see 66 linkage setups are readily available but believe they are for the exact carbs rather than a cobble together setup. Was thinking setup was 1 2g and 2 2gc before I watched CD. Appears now the factory setup is 2 2g and 1 choke stove style 2gc. for 66 manifold. Further the 2g carbs are special tri-power 2g's. No idle circuit, power circuit block off, different air horn fuel inlet?? Different cfm/bore size. Not sure how to go about finding the right carbs for my initial stab at tri-power. Would like to cannibalize the 2 2gc's I have so I only have to buy one carb. If bore size varies would like to be able to change position to get best mix since rear carb hits first. Anybody here successfully modify 3 2gc to work in tri-power setup? Is there a list of carbs that will work with tripower? possibly correct factory + known alternates that WILL work if modified? .. with attributes for identification + as needed modifications and cfm?

[Tom Vaught]

Originally Posted by keith646671

If bore size varies would like to be able to change position to get best mix since rear carb hits first.

Stock Pontiac Tri-Power carbs, the center carb opens a given amount and THEN
linkage opens the Rear AND FRONT CARB at the same time using a connecting linkage on the passenger side of the carbs.

Just grabbing 2 BBL carbs and trying to make something work properly is a 1 in 1000 chance of success and you would be better off with a dual quad set-up like Tom S suggests.

Tom V.

[Tom Vaught]

I am aware of only 4 Pontiac systems out there, Mike.

1) The guy with the butchered up BG manifold (never knew his name)

2) Robert Williams system, purchased by another PY member thru a 3rd party sale in 2019.

3) DaleW66GTO's system

4) My system

Tom V.

[Mike Davis]

Originally Posted by Tom Vaught

I am aware of only 4 Pontiac systems out there, Mike.

1) The guy with the butchered up BG manifold (never knew his name)

2) Robert Williams system, purchased by another PY member thru a 3rd party sale in 2019.

3) DaleW66GTO's system

4) My system

Tom V.

I was at BG back when these first came out picking up a carb for a Top Sportsman car, Travis Abernathy worked there and was pretty knowledgeable. I looked at them and thought it was a cool idea and I would pick one up at a later date. I am not sure how many were actually produced but I remember seeing about 15 of them in various stages.
I was told that a lot of the left over stuff (intakes) was sent to scrap when they closed down.