cylinder and carburetor count question (street cars)

[Lotus7]

Always been curious why there are so many examples of three 2-barrel carbs on V8 engines.

Is there a performance aspect I'm not seeing, or is the answer just "because four wouldn't fit" ?

thx

[Peter Olivola]

There have been dual four barrel carburetor set ups. The original Z-28 Camaro for example. It was notoriously prone to catching fire. I wonder if the complexity of linking everything up in street cars was a consideration.

[t walgamuth]

three in a row fits. Most American cars were linked so that you normally operated on the center two barrel. When you floored it the other two opened and it was a lot like an afterburner. The car would leap forward like the devil. Of course four two barrels worked well but took more linkage and did not lend themselves to progressive linkage.

[Lotus7]

Thx
The pair of four-barrels always made sense to me, but the additional pair of two-barrel carbs operating only at near-max throttle makes some sense.

[Purple Frog]

[Rick Iverson]

Always been curious why there are so many examples of three 2-barrel carbs on V8 engines.

Is there a performance aspect I'm not seeing, or is the answer just "because four wouldn't fit" ?

thx

My first car was a 1958 Impala Bel Air, with the factory “Super Turbo Thrust” 348ci Tri-Power. Factory was 270hp, but mine had the 409W cam with solid lifters, 0.060” over, Honest Charlies stuff all over the place.

You could hear the clatter three blocks away. Factory Muncie M20 with Hurst. When I got on it, it sounded as though the hood was going to be sucked down the carbs. Crusing chicks and suck’in face. Outta sight, Man.

[Rick Iverson]

I have photos to post of my NOS Inglese manifold and 2nd generation 48IDAs.

[Marty Nygard]

I think Rick is correct - - TRI-POWER!! has the marketing power!
Actually, tri-power setups always had the center carb feeding a plenum that in turn fed all cylinders. The two end carbs just added an enhanced air/fuel mixture into the same plenum. Dual quads also fed the same kind of plenum with each of the two carbs feeding from two of each of the carbs four (primary) throats at lower power requirements and then progressively opening into their secondary throttle bodies.
Or, you can have split Dominators feeding a plenum from all eight throats but then you would have an old Pro Stock motor which would probably not be useable for road racing.
M