Quadrajet Intake on 283 w/PG or TG

ozzie7

Well Known Member
I want to test out my reincarnated TurboGlide on my 283 2 bbl 1960 Flattop Bel Air.
But the TG's like more torque supposedly... but not as much as the bored & stroked 348 I have.
Going with a 700R4 for that motor.

So I have a like new Quadrajet but need a manifold.
What do you guys think of this one on my 283 w/TG or PG?

Quadrabog%20Intake%20sbc.jpg


What setup issues (kickdown linkage, etc.) might I need to consider with current 1960 PG setup?
I think the PG and TG linkage to the carb is the same..... maybe not???
But not sure how it would work with a Quadrabog.

The carb is much like this one.

Quadrabog.jpg
 

Don Jacks

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 3
That set up can work really well IF you know how to tune the Quadrajet and are willing to put in the work.I don't know about the kick down,or a Turboglide for that matter,other than the one turboglide that I drove years ago was a bigger dog than the Buick Dynaflow! That little Performer will work fine on a 283,and if you look around on E-Bay you can even find a good used one.
 
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Cayneman

Well Known Member
Sorry, not digging the Turboglide. Weren't they called Terribleglides back in the day and mostly replaced with Powerglides? A friend of mine had a 1960 Impala 348 with a Turboglide, this had to be the worst performing W engined car ever produced. To say it was slow was an understatement.
 
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ozzie7

Well Known Member
Ok.... looks like the Quadrabog and Eddy intake will work to get more torque/HP.
I wanted to make sure the change from the 2 bbl would not be too painful on the old Flattop.

I didn't really intend the topic to be about bashing the TG.... prolly shouldn't have mentioned the TG.
They may very well be a piece of crap... but I like the Unicorniness of them.
There's an engine guy in Johnstown, Ohio named Bob Beach that remembers the TG's on the drag strips back in the 60's.
Must have been some fart smellers...... I mean smart fellers that knew how to beef them up enough to do drag racing.

Anyway, how bout some more clever names for the TG.

How's this "Turdboglide".
 
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ozzie7

Well Known Member
Yep....just got off the phone with Bob.
Race track was Hyde Park Drag Strip in Newark, Ohio.... back in the 60's.
He said it was a gold 58 Bisc or Bel Air 2 door Tri-Power TG and said the guy did well with it.
Also said the guy that wrenched the TG's was contacted by the local Caddy dealer, hired, and made their main Auto Transmission mechanic.
 
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blkblk63ss

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 5
Took driver's Ed class in high school. Drove a new 58 Chevy bel air 4 door with that transmission ,seemed normal to me .what did I know I was a snot nosed kid. The teacher did mention you don't drive in that Gr.
 

Cayneman

Well Known Member
The friend of mine who had the 60 Impala with a 348 and Turboglide that couldn't get out of it own way, tried running it in GR which made no difference what so ever. Didn't seem to affect the TG in any way. BTW, I still don't believe the drag strip success story of the TG's. Theres no way that could of happened.
 
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ozzie7

Well Known Member
The friend of mine who had the 60 Impala with a 348 and Turboglide that couldn't get out of it own way, tried running it in GR which made no difference what so ever. Didn't seem to affect the TG in any way. BTW, I still don't believe the drag strip success story of the TG's. Theres no way that could of happened.
No wonder it couldn't get out of it's own way..... that TG was already trashed..... probably from trying to run it in GR.
Since you don't believe me about the drag racing , not that I care since it's not my story, .... google Bob's name and call him yourself..... he'll tell you all about it.... and he loves talking about the good old days.

Edit: Here ya go: https://www.yellowpages.com/new-albany-oh/mip/beach-performance-28266404
 
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Cayneman

Well Known Member
Arguing over the virtues of a Turboglide with someone whose delusional is insane. Everyone knows they were one of the biggest mistakes GM ever made and nothing but a POS. Touting the success of Turboglides on the drag strip is another figment of his imagination and another load of BS. Does anyone know of a drag car running a Turboglide?
Sorry I got involved in this worthless and irrational discussion. I'm done commenting.
 
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Greg Reimer

Well Known Member
Let's see-GM trans evolution-the Turboglide, the Jetaway, the Roto Hydramatic,the Metric 200, the early 125 transaxle, what else did they do to us? I can't hardly believe the good use the aluminum Powerglide gave us, the Turbo Hydramatic 400, and the Turbo 350 after people learned how to set it up and watch the endplay. It seems that with every really bad idea, the tried tested and true was always there to fall back on. The 700 R-4 was pretty good after people learned how to improve it. The factory updates helped a lot,as well.
 

IMBVSUR?

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
I cannot really speak about the very early 4jets, however the quadajet and lots of other carbs and transmissions got a lot of bad press because people didn't know how to tune the carbs or work on the transmissions. In factory form, most of these product were made for a huge public consumption. They were made to work, not to race etc. If you knew how to work or jet a carb, or trans, they could be very good. Well some of them. Slip and slide with powerglide??? Not with the 1100 hp dragster we put it behind. They are still building performance quadrajets today.
 
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