Edelbrock hands down.  I've tuned, modified, and rebuilt Holleys, Q-Jets, Autolites, Mikunis, and probably a half dozen other brands whose names I can't recall and wouldn't mean anything if I could. 

My reasoning is simple: the Edelbock is a simple design that is easy to tune.  Parts for it are easy to come by, especially in the various tuning kits they offer.  It is also easy to work on.  Metering rods/springs/jets can be changed in 5 minutes without removing the carb or draining the fuel.  For off road applications the center hung floats are much less susceptible to problems from the vehicle climbing steep hills or bouncing around.  I've yet to have one come out of the box that didn't bolt on the engine and run half decent.  You need to tune them for the application like any carb, but at least you have a half decent starting point out of the box.  Cost wise they are reasonable for a brand new, American made carb.  I also like their variety of options for each size.  Different secondary actuation, choke options, etc.  I'm more old school and prefer a mechanical secondary carb on a vehicle with a manual trans.

I'm going to let you know that these types of polls rarely build consensus, and what you're really seeing isn't necessarily which carb is better or worse than another (that may not even be possible to quantify, and would be based on the discernment criteria if it could be).  What you're seeing is who is more comfortable with which design, and which design makes the most sense to them.  I'm betting most of the discussion here will center around Edelbrock vs. Holey vs. Autolite because this is a Ford forum.  Were we among GM guys you'd get Q-Jets and Carters in there with zero discussion of the Autolite, because part of it also has to do with what carbs the vehicles came with from the factory. 

Eddy for all the above reasons.
I absolutely hate the way my painted intake manifold would 'shed-its-skin' when you HAD to dump gas out of the bowls on a Holly carb(to change jets) Don't happen with Eddys!
There are PAGES of how-to-tune-your-Holley-carb on the internet and it can still be un-nerving. Eddy carbs are explained in just a coupla pages(simple & effective)
An Eddy can be virtually be re-built still bolted to the intake (not a lot of pieces) Holly need to be totally dis-assembled and soaked in cleaning solution (which is now so politically-correct it doesn't work!) sometimes over night!
The only issue I can think of with an Eddy carb is.........they look outta place on a Ford engine.  They are more of a Shivel-lay style carb. Butt.....the only time you 'SEE' the Eddy is when the air cleaner/filter is off (which is rare ...unlike a Holley)
6sally6

Last edited by 6sally6 (11/20/2020 10:45 AM)

I like Holley.
Probably the biggest reason is nostalgia.  They came on every real muscle car with very few exceptions.  I am willing to go through a little extra pain to have “the look”.
It has to have the cathedral type bowls, too. None of that single inlet stuff.

Once dialed in, they make great power and drivability.

Edelbrock makes a great carb, no doubt, but they look like they belong on a Chevy.  I have one on my truck, just because it was a great deal on a used working carb.  But it looks like it is missing half the carb.  Looking for 3x2 setup to replace it eventually.

Injector Dynamics, oh wait

MS wrote:

I like Holley.
Probably the biggest reason is nostalgia. They came on every real muscle car with very few exceptions. I am willing to go through a little extra pain to have “the look”.
It has to have the cathedral type bowls, too. None of that single inlet stuff.

Once dialed in, they make great power and drivability.

Edelbrock makes a great carb, no doubt, but they look like they belong on a Chevy. I have one on my truck, just because it was a great deal on a used working carb. But it looks like it is missing half the carb. Looking for 3x2 setup to replace it eventually.

3X2?! come on man, take your own advice: 8 stack all the way!

TKOPerformance wrote:

Let's talk about something less divisive: politics



..

Come on ,Man........sez the guy from Delaware!!
6s6
 

I switched to a Summit Racing Carburetor last year and it works really well.  

Steve69

TKOPerformance wrote:

I'm going to let you know that these types of polls rarely build consensus, and what you're really seeing isn't necessarily which carb is better or worse than another (that may not even be possible to quantify, and would be based on the discernment criteria if it could be).  What you're seeing is who is more comfortable with which design, and which design makes the most sense to them.  I'm betting most of the discussion here will center around Edelbrock vs. Holey vs. Autolite because this is a Ford forum. 

That's fine... This topic doesn't have to be a fan debate. Personally I am happy to hear people's personal experiences with their favorite carburetor. I think it is interesting to hear and it's still educational.

Last edited by Toploader (11/20/2020 6:15 PM)

I too perfer Edlebrooks. I started with them long before eldebrooks and they were then AFBs or Carters. I had a Holley Q j on my riv and didn't do anything to it other than idle. On my ZZ4 they said 800 QJ and it was ok but could not get it to run well with my velocity stack air cleaner so I ditched it for a 650 elde and it runs great. Put a Holly 480 I think on my inline 230 six and it to ran good but had to tune it to work right. Eldebrooks are for me. Easy to tune and run well after setting all winter

Quick fuel easily a holly but with more tunability,  Holly's are not that hard.

Its a great carb! Biggest thing with Holly's is a good fuel filter

Started out with no experience at all back in early nineties,
Stock 2100, Holley 1850, then Edelbrock 1406.

The past 20+ years of magazine articles, tv shows, internet, and tech forums I believe that I have a better understanding of carbs...not an expert by any means.

Learning more about distributor tuning at same time has made a difference too.

I had the Edelbrock on the longest.
Perhaps it allowed me to drive and still learn.
This summer working on Holley truck avenger on wife’s truck, I wasn’t apprehensive to pull things apart and make repairs and adjustments.
I was quite surprised at throttle response after my repairs on the truck.
Previous owner definitely had it running rich.

Besides, they all look the same with the hood down at 70mph.😁