I've got a TBI 383 I'm about to switch out to carb'ed... I've pretty well settled on the intake, AFPR and Distributor, but I'm still wrestling with the carb debate. I think I'm going to go with a Holley 750 (though I serously considered the Ebrock since I have never touched a carb, but I figured the best way to learn was to jump in over my head...) but I'm still debating what type of secondary I want to go with. DP or VS?

While the car's performance at the dragstrip is important, I'd happily sacrafice a tenth or two to make sure the car is streetable as it spends it's life on the road. Drivablilty is important. Performance is too but is secondary. Advice?

 

There is absolutely nothing negative about the driveability of a DP that would not be more of a negative on the track with a VS.

In other words, if you have the car set up properly for a DP on the track, it will be just as driveable on the street as a VS would be.

The only real issue is minimum RPMs when you go WOT. With a 383, a 750 will not be a problem, especially if you have sufficient stall to let the engine in it's powerband when you launch. See the chart on this link, http://www.holley.com/HiOctn/TechSer...fo/TI-225.html .

 

A carb is a carb as long as it is properly tuned for the application. I personally like the edelbrock performers. They are 2 piece carbs with one gasket above the float lever (holleys & Q-jets are not). I have no complaints with edelbrock. You take them out of the box, bolt them on, adjust the idle mix & speed, then look at your plugs a couple of hundred miles. I have found that my 1405 600cfm edelbrock was perfect for my 305. I did some dyno tuning and found that it made peak power with the installed jetting, metering rods, and springs. NO changes were needed. On the dyno I simply adjusted the timing for peak performance, then installed an adjustable vacuum advance and adjusted it for best throttle response @ part throttle power. I am getting 18 mpg now. Closed the hood and called it good. Holley is also a good choice but chances are you will have to play with it quite a bit to get it right. Holleys also have alot more Stuff inside of them not as much as the Q-jet but alot more than the Edelbrock. An edelbrock 750 would be good on that combo IMO. The edelbrock as I see it is the best of DP AND VS. It has mechanical secondaries with a velocity valve. You can have the secondaries open off the line, hit the RPM were they are needed, then the velocity valve opens, the sound changes and you move. The only thing I can think of driveability wise with the DP vs the VS would be the VS uses a secondary lockout when the engine is cold and most DPs do not. That means if you floor a DP before it is fully warmed up you will get a big wheeze and the engine will bog or stall.
Get the carb you are comfortable with, learn how to tune it, and it won't really matter who makes it. They all run about the same when they are properly calibrated (Said it again)