Re: Identification of Caribbean 2x4 Rochester carburetors

Posted by Jack Vines On 2018/12/14 18:34:50

Learn something every day. Some of you already know what follows, but I didn't until I examined many carburetors in detail. Like many Packard V8 owners, I've heard others say, "Yes, the Caribbean carbs and air cleaner are the same as the '55-57 Cadillac Eldorado.

As I dug deeper into it, none of the above is true. None of the Eldorado carburetors and air filter is a direct match for either the '55 or '56 Caribbean, which are different from each other.

1. In 1955, both the Eldorado and the Caribbean used 2x4-bbl Rochester 4GC carburetors, but the carbs used are completely different in design and operation of the chokes, the idle air control, linkage and several other small points. The air filter looks similar, but again is different in detail.

2. The two Rochesters used on the 500 or so '55 Caribbeans are a one-year-only design and different front and rear. For 1956, Packard had Rochester make new, different and special front and rear carburetors for the 560 Caribbeans built. AFAIK, they were never used on any other application. Rochester was accustomed to building literally millions of one design for GM, but they custom designed and built a few hundred for the Caribbeans.

3. The Rochesters used on the 3995 '55 Eldorados are also a one-year only design and for 1956-57 Eldorados used Carter WCFB carburetors. It may have been that no other GM brands used 2x4bbl Rochesters, but Chevrolet was going to offer the Carter WCFB on Corvettes 1956-60.

So the Packard Caribbean Rochesters are some of the lowest production 4GCs.

jack vines