Blocking exhaust manifold warming ports / Fuel Pressure Regulator

[cadillacjoe59]

Looking for opinions/comments/ advice on blocking the exhaust manifold warming ports under the carburetor on a 59 Series 62 with 390. Ready to install a newly rebuilt Carter AFB and when I removed the old carb the warming tracks on intake manifold where front of carb sits were totally blocked with crud/rust. This car is located in SC and will never be driven in cold weather. Looking to see if anyone else has done this and any effects, good or bad. I just located and purchased the steel shim that goes under the carb but plan on bypassing the whole system since like I said this car will only be operating in SC and it's hot here. Also changing to electric choke and plan on closing off choke tube outlet as it's been broken since I purchased car. Also looking for opinions/comments on installing fuel regulator to reduce pressure to carb down to 3 psi. I've been reading a lot of info that with the different gas from the old days this mod would be beneficial to better idling, running and economy. Plan on using non-ethanol as its readily available here for currently about $2.40 a gallon. All opinions, advice and comments welcome. I apologize for the long winded post but I bought this basic 4 door Series 62 in 1984 with 80K original miles, when I was 21 in GA and now 33 years later after a major prostate health scare I'm FINALLY going to get the beast back on the road for local cruising, ice cream runs, and car gatherings in the area so any help, hints, advice or opinions are greatly appreciated.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

This is how I blocked the crossover in my '72 Eldorado.

Yours, although different in design of the manifold, will work the same.

I mounted the milling bit, which I happened to have laying around, on a half inch shaft, and powered it with my Battery Drill.   I made up a handle to control the cutter, and milled out sufficient depth of material to contain a piece of tin that I later made the pattern for, and cut it out.   Did the same on the other side, and using a bit of sealant, secured it in place, never to rattle around, or fall out.

I like to keep the fuel as cold as possible.   Plus, it is reversible if ever the climate changes that much during my lifetime, I can reverse it without any problems.   Just open out the centre of the plate.

Bruce.

[Jay Friedman]

I blocked the heat riser carb warming ports in my 1949 with a similar engine with no adverse effect.  I live in Georgia where my car is rarely in very cold weather.  It warms up OK, though it takes longer on cool days than it did before.  I did mine by installing special intake manifold gaskets that don't have a hole for that passage that I bought from Olsen's Gaskets in Washington State.

[Dan LeBlanc]

The gaskets that Jay referred to should also carry over and work just fine on your 1959 390.

[Chas]

Or, you can do it like we did as kids "back in the day", when we had no money and less sense.......just pack the runner with aluminum foil!

[Tom Hoczyk , CLC 14044]

I had success cutting out 2 small rectangles of sheet stainless steel, perhaps .003" thick and using a small amount of epoxy while tightening the intake manifold back into place on my '62 390.  I also purchased an electric choke from Allstate Carburetor, and it works very well.  Since that time the entire engine has been rebuilt so these ports were professionally blocked off.  The car runs amazingly well since then.