[Bob Carriere]

HI Phil

I grafted the 216 pivot stud and the 216 bellcrank onto the 261..... reason being they were of different size and parts could not be interchanged. since the 261 block did not have the forward stud for the 2 springs I fabricated a small plate which bolts on the 216 using existing treaded holes.... and installed two springs like the 216..... then added another return spring from the bottom connection of the carb linkage dwon to a clip attached to one of the bolts on the oil pan...... this is a common connection on late 58/59 Chev trucks...... also added one ahead of the floor toe board...... all in an attempt to hold back on linkage slop........... and I guess that colecctively they are still tooooo soft.

Now you raise an interesting point..... with a 216 you could probably stomp the gas pedal to the floor and the motor would react a lot slower...... the 261 tends to pick up the revs immediately. I drove M37 for quite a while and except when starting from dead stop in most cases you would floor the gas pedal and the engine would spool up slowly. on rough roads you selected an appropriate gear hi-lo range and floor it hanging on the steering wheel.... engine was always controlled by the governor anyways.

I am now wondering if the angle of my foot.... seat position..... is not too acute in the cab 11/12 configeration..... the seating position in a M37 is much more comfortable.... more erect... with thighs almost parallel to the floor.... in the cab 11 with my long legs and sitting low my knees are actually higher than my hips......

So what do I modify.... the truck or the old guy...?

By the way..... I am waiting for a freshly rebuilt Carter YF 735s from the Oaks brothers in TO..... I had queried them when I had my leaking Rochester issue.
Well out of the blue they followed up with me.... just like the good old days when the owner really cared about business. The carb in question will be totally rebuilt and chromated the NOS yellow green color. According to specs it was used as a replacement aftermarket on 261.... same bolt pattern and will accept the original air cleaner..... The carb is vented differently and should not leak..... only time, test will tell....

One more question..... on the 261 the stock vacuum connections coming off the side of the intake manifold will seriously interfere with the engine cover. Mine has a 1/2 pipe thread six sided huge brass fitting..... which I will need to remove and relocate...... I am scared stiff of drilling a hole in the intake manifold somewhere else..... one is I might mess it up.... or filings from the tapping/drilling will drop in the intake..... not really interested in removing and reinstalling the manifolds.... tell me there is an easier way... lazy way.... what did you do on yours..... ? I do have spare manifolds in case of a disaster....

Bob