TQ CARB

[c.moo]

Somebody wanting to sell me a 1975-77 TQ carb , came off 440 and number on it is 2472 , don't know much about these carbs , seeing if it was worth buying , its all there together ,dirty , he's wanting $100 for it . Should I buy it or pass . Thanks

 

[rmchrgr]

2472 is not the actual ID number. If you want to know for sure, ask the guy to get you the stamped ID number on the lower left base and then use the guide below to figure out what it is. A '75-'77 440 carb should be in the 9023-9101 range.

It would have to be pretty spectacular or NOS to get decent money for a mid-'70s unit on a good day but $100 for a dirty, random, unit with no kit? Guy should be paying you to take it off his hands. I have a bunch of them myself just sitting around doing nothing. I've tried selling them, no one wants them.

Thermoquad guide

 

[Geoff 2]

They are being recoed in this country with the levers re-plated etc & selling for over $1000.

The later TQs have a lot of emissions stuff added to them. A competent carb mechanic can bypass this if reqd; if the carb is complete/undamaged, then I would get it.

 

[66fs]

Somebody wanting to sell me a 1975-77 TQ carb , came off 440 and number on it is 2472 , don't know much about these carbs , seeing if it was worth buying , its all there together ,dirty , he's wanting $100 for it . Should I buy it or pass . Thanks

Get the stamped number off the rear, left base plate. Also pictures would help determine if it was a good carb.

 

[Gold Rush]

2472 is not the actual ID number. If you want to know for sure, ask the guy to get you the stamped ID number on the lower left base and then use the guide below to figure out what it is. A '75-'77 440 carb should be in the 9023-9101 range.

It would have to be pretty spectacular or NOS to get decent money for a mid-'70s unit on a good day but $100 for a dirty, random, unit with no kit? Guy should be paying you to take it off his hands. I have a bunch of them myself just sitting around doing nothing. I've tried selling them, no one wants them.

Thermoquad guide

Lots of good info in that guide. I'm going to tell the OP a story hoping he'll see how valuable that guide may be.....

When I bought my '74 SE the TQ phenolic body was badly heat warped so it leaked BAD. Could not find a body replacement source and ended up buying a complete TQ form Summit Racing. Engine ran terrible even after going through all the external adjustments. Now, this TQ was advertised as a "AN EXACT REPLACEMENT" FOR MY 1974 400 CID "N" code engine. Come to discover with the help of a TQ Guide that it was actually for a 1976 HP 440. Luckily, the internal parts of my original TQ swapped directly into the replacement. I basically rebuilt a new factory rebuilt TQ with the correct metering rods and all jets from my original. Runs like it should now.

 

[rmchrgr]

They are being recoed in this country with the levers re-plated etc & selling for over $1000.

The later TQs have a lot of emissions stuff added to them. A competent carb mechanic can bypass this if reqd; if the carb is complete/undamaged, then I would get it.

That seems a little nuts. Not saying there is anything wrong with a TQ and like anything else if you put the time in they will run great. However, I can think of so many other things I'd rather spend $1,000 on over a restored mid-'70s emissions carb. Maybe they're the bee's knees down under but here they are pretty much an afterthought save for NHRA stock class racers that have to use them or the types of guys who are trying to prove a point.

Perhaps if you're restoring a numbers-matching car that originally had a TQ then laying out anything close to that amount of money sort of makes sense but if you're just 'bolting one on'... come on. And no way should the OP give some rando $100 for a dirty old carb of any brand that may or not even be usable.

I have not seen him on the forums much lately but there is a guy who restores TQs and gets good money for the service but it's nowhere near $1,000.

But if we're playing along and the OP is genuinely lusting after a TQ, he's going to have to do some research. Like said above, unless the seller can prove the carb in question does not leak, presume it does and then factor in how to deal with that. Good, straight phenolic bodies can go for as much as or more than entire core units.

TQs can generally be had dirt cheap on any internet platform that hosts car part classifieds. Grab one that looks decent, use the guide to find the right rebuild kit and get into it. You'd be at a better starting point for way less than $100.

 

[c.moo]

Thanks everybody on comments , will pass on carb , didn't know much about TQ carb , just seeing if it was worth getting , don't need it I buy parts sometimes put in my parts stash and thanks rmchrgr on TQ guide .

 

[70bigblockdodge]

I've got 2 of them, '68 Charger, and '70 Challenger. The Charger has been running one for years, and got 15 mpg average for the 1900+ miles on 2023 hot rod power tour. Challenger picked up 2/10 in the quarter with just a switch to TQ, admittedly the Holley on it was tired. I would not pay $1000 bucks for one even if a 1000 cfm competition series or a '71 number match 340 carb. I buy them cheap, pull them apart grab the good parts out of them and keep to make my next Frankenstein TQ. When you get them right there is no better street carburetor, yes a Holley will always win a race but a good TQ is magic.
That guide is a helpful tool on which crappy looking ones are hiding good parts.