Who has had good experiences with the Brawler series of carburetors?

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Kern Dog

Kern Dog

Build your car to handle.
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I’ve been a Holley guy for years. I like their simplicity and interchangeability.
They sure have gone up in price though.
I see these Brawlers that look like Holleys. The Roadkill guys have used them on project cars too.
I’m in need of a good 600 cfm single feed 4 barrel for my 67 Dart. I have a mild 360 with a MP 280/474 cam and a simple 2 1/4” dual exhaust setup.
The Holley on it now needs a rebuild but I’m pressed for time with other things. I can make time for a swap but not a rebuild.
What are your thoughts of these Brawler carburetors? Sometimes those knock-offs are junk, sometimes they are fine.
Let me know what you think.

225EDEC9-A688-4B6B-B17D-86AD2E4C2D26.jpeg
 
They are nice. All the air bleeds and pvcr are threaded. Quick fuel is owned by Holley. I have the 770 VC works great.
 
I like mine. I have a Brawler 650 mechanical secondary on my Ford truck and a Slayer 450 vacuum secondary on Vixen. Both run extremely well. I really like the extra tuning capabilities from all the adjustable air bleeds and fuel restrictors. You can really zero in on the tune. My only complaint if there is one is that I really WISH someone made sho nuff reuseable gaskets for these. Even the blue "non stick" gaskets do stick and tear. Were it not for that, I'd have zero complaints. So when tuning, make sure you have plenty of float bowl gaskets and don't over torque the float bowl screws, or you'll guarantee a torn gasket.
 
The guys that dyno my junk use a quick fuel carb to start and break in the cam. On my Ford Windsor project there 750 QF carb made five hp more than my 750 Holley so I wouldn’t hesitate.
 
Carburetor tuning is something I still need improvement with. I have messed around with jets and power valves but beyond that, I haven’t done much. I’d be happy if the engine would just run reasonably smooth and make decent power. For now, I’m not looking to squeeze out the last inch of horsepower to get the fastest quarter mile times.
 
That is nice of you to say but it is more of a fun dirt trail beater like the General Lee....1.03 torsion bars, 1.25" front sway bar, 6 stage leaf springs, 3/4" rear bar set up for fun off road. I love dirt drifting in this thing, it hangs the 4.10 SG axle out quite nicely on dirt. I've considered painting it but then I'd probably worry about scratches!

Damn inflation....The last time I bought a new carburetor, it was another Holley 600 4 barrel, manual choke, vacuum secondaries. It was the cheapest single feed, non emission era carburetor and it was barely over $300. This was well over 10 years ago, I'll admit. HOLEEEE Crap the prices have shot up.

00 QF.png


$382 for the lower line of Brawler?
What is the equivalent Holley priced at?

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Looking back, this Holley costs almost 50% more than it did around 10 years ago.
 
Get the Quick Fuel. Cheaper price and better quality. I know, that don't sound right.
 
It looks like Quick Fuel carries the Brawler line of carburetors. It surprises me that they look so much like the Holleys and aren't being sued for it. The Barry Grant carburetors had many Holley style components but at least they fancied up the float bowls and used an anodized cover for the secondary pod!
493 K.jpg





I'm just so shocked at how expensive some of the fancier carburetors have become.
 
Kern Dog said:
It looks like Quick Fuel carries the Brawler line of carburetors. I'm just so shocked at how expensive some of the fancier carburetors have become.
Click to expand...
That's why I like the Quick Fuel. They have all of the tuning capabilities of the more expensive carburetors at a fraction of the cost. I think they call those the Die Cast Series.
 
man i hear ya cluckin' big chicken. take a peek at some of the other basic holley's and you'll be equally as shocked.

my first car didn't cost as much as new 750 DP! and i'm not that old!
 
Kern Dog said:
It looks like Quick Fuel carries the Brawler line of carburetors. It surprises me that they look so much like the Holleys and aren't being sued for it.
Click to expand...
Why battle the competition when you can just buy them up? So they did just that. There is probably some legal loop hole that allows a copycat carb to be done.

Kern Dog said:
I'm just so shocked at how expensive some of the fancier carburetors have become.
Click to expand...

With the recent inflation hike going on, it’s nuts ain’t it?!?!
Look around at the other parts as well. Like an intake manifold.
Be prepared to be shocked out of your socks again.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I like mine. I have a Brawler 650 mechanical secondary on my Ford truck and a Slayer 450 vacuum secondary on Vixen. Both run extremely well. I really like the extra tuning capabilities from all the adjustable air bleeds and fuel restrictors. You can really zero in on the tune. My only complaint if there is one is that I really WISH someone made sho nuff reuseable gaskets for these. Even the blue "non stick" gaskets do stick and tear. Were it not for that, I'd have zero complaints. So when tuning, make sure you have plenty of float bowl gaskets and don't over torque the float bowl screws, or you'll guarantee a torn gasket.
Click to expand...
Rusty, I use chapstick on my gaskets. I just rub each gasket down both sides with chapstick and they come apart easily even after a few years of use. The blue gaskets help.
Syleng1

IMG_3874.jpeg
 
Syleng1 said:
Rusty, I use chapstick on my gaskets. I just rub each gasket down both sides with chapstick and they come apart easily even after a few years of use. The blue gaskets help.
Syleng1

View attachment 1716202999
Click to expand...
I've tried that with limited success....it does help.

Boy, that Suzi Chapstick looks like she could......I better hush. lol
 
Kern Dog said:
It looks like Quick Fuel carries the Brawler line of carburetors. It surprises me that they look so much like the Holleys and aren't being sued for it. The Barry Grant carburetors had many Holley style components but at least they fancied up the float bowls and used an anodized cover for the secondary pod!
View attachment 1716202949




I'm just so shocked at how expensive some of the fancier carburetors have become.
Click to expand...
Quick fuel is OWNED by Holley. Unlikely to sue themselves.
Had a good... then bad.... experience with my 850 race brawler.
 
11 second street car.
I was having a bunch of trouble with my ancient 4781 (so old it didn't have a dash number), so I bought an 850 race brawler from Speedway as a kit. Came with a very nice fuel line (that they sell for over $100) fuel pressure gauge for the line and a nice 14x3 drop base a/c.
It ran perfectly. Instantly, a great idle, out of the box.
But the car sat with old fuel in it because I hadn't fixed my brake trouble.
When I went to start it a few weeks later, there was no pump shot,, front or rear., I had to clear out both pump passages and assorted other places. I'm SURE, it was not the fault of the carb,most likely old avgas mixed with 91 that I was using.
But now, a couple more months later, I'm getting the same problem as with the old 4781, backfiring through the carb, and carb fires.
I'll figure it out. I really doubt it's the carb.
 
33IMP said:
11 second street car.
I was having a bunch of trouble with my ancient 4781 (so old it didn't have a dash number), so I bought an 850 race brawler from Speedway as a kit. Came with a very nice fuel line (that they sell for over $100) fuel pressure gauge for the line and a nice 14x3 drop base a/c.
It ran perfectly. Instantly, a great idle, out of the box.
But the car sat with old fuel in it because I hadn't fixed my brake trouble.
When I went to start it a few weeks later, there was no pump shot,, front or rear., I had to clear out both pump passages and assorted other places. I'm SURE, it was not the fault of the carb,most likely old avgas mixed with 91 that I was using.
But now, a couple more months later, I'm getting the same problem as with the old 4781, backfiring through the carb, and carb fires.
I'll figure it out. I really doubt it's the carb.
Click to expand...
Thank you. As I said, I have no long-term review on mine and hopefully, I will have no problems with them.
 
The ethanol really screws with these cars that sit awhile. That is the problem that I've had...I start working on some car and get distracted and then, it sits....Months later, I go to drive it and many times it runs terrible if at all. The Dart has a leaky and weak accelerator pump shot. It also has to warm up before it will run in gear.
 
If you can find that, it is the best plan. Some claim the ethanol mix has octane higher than the rating on the gas pump, just something to consider.
All I can get at the pump is ethanol infused, "up to 10%" is on the sticker.
If I cycle through the gas frequently enough, it seems fine except for faster degradation of the rubber sections of fuel line like near the tank, pump and carburetor.
 
Kern Dog said:
If you can find that, it is the best plan. Some claim the ethanol mix has octane higher than the rating on the gas pump, just something to consider.
All I can get at the pump is ethanol infused, "up to 10%" is on the sticker.
If I cycle through the gas frequently enough, it seems fine except for faster degradation of the rubber sections of fuel line like near the tank, pump and carburetor.
Click to expand...

KD, save your money. The entire Brawler line takes bunch of work to get them in shape. Unless you want to do it, you can do better.

Look at ATM carbs. It’s the daughter of Marvin Benoit who started Quick Fuel. Angela is very sharp and their stuff looks nice. And the price is very good.

I can let you know later today if they look as good in person as they do in pictures because my carbs are on the Brown truck for delivery today.
 
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