The carburetor was in decent shape but in desperate need of a rebuild, which I did with the help of an ACDelco Rochester Quadrajet rebuild kit.
However, working on a carburetor is awkward and having a stand is almost mandatory, lest you damage something for lack of proper support.
So after struggling with this project for a few hours, I went over to ACE Hardware and bought a few items to build one.
I purchased:
- Four 5/16" 4-inch long steel bolts for 69¢ each
- Four 5/16" nuts for 40¢ each
- Four flat washers for 20¢ each
- Four rubber washers for 8¢ each
Total with tax (which included a York Mint pattie) was $6.02. Yes, I have a sweet tooth, but I can quit any time I want to.
For the base, I used a piece of scrap 3/4" MDF board which I cut down to 6x7 inches.
To locate the exact position of the bolts, I used an old carburetor-to-manifold gasket.
I then drilled the four holes with my drill press since I wanted them perpendicular to the base. With the holes drilled, I mortised the MDF base plate with a sharp 1/4" chisel.
Even though it was a tight fit, I decided to use a little bit of epoxy to secure them permanently to the base, and I also epoxied the washers to the nuts that act as stops for the carburetor base plate.
I also glued a scrap piece of rubber drawer liner on the bottom of the base to keep it from sliding on the workbench. I used contact cement to secure it.
And yes, I went the extra mile by installing an old Corvette emblem I've had for a few years. I think it makes the stand look more "official." Just kidding. But it looks cool.
Actually, when I started putting the stand together I realized I should've bought an additional four washers to dress up the baseplate. No worries, though. I had extra washers in my garage from a previous project and they took care of that small detail. I epoxied them to the base as well.
As you can see in the photo above, the stand helps keep the throttle arm—which is attached to the carburetor base plate—operational and clear of the workbench.
I think I spent approximately two-hours building this stand, and I only spent around six bucks since I already had the MDF board as well as the epoxy, contact cement, and a piece of drawer liner.
If you already have all the hardware, you can build one of these for no money and just a couple of hours of your time. It certainly looks a lot better, more secure, and stabler than a 2x4 remnant.
Thank you for following my '76 Vette Blog!
Product Links... (#sponsored)
• ACDelco Carburetor Repair Kit: Ball, Clips, Gaskets, Screws, and Seals
• Luber-finer Fuel Filter | Part #G471
• J-B Weld Dark Grey TankWeld Gas Tank Repair
• J-B Weld MarineWeld Marine Epoxy - 2 oz.
• Rochester Carburetors by Doug Roe
• How to Rebuild & Modify Rochester Quadrajet Carburetors by Cliff Ruggles
• JEGS Carburetor Work Stand - Fits Holley, Holley 2-bbl, Quadrajet
