TheSamba.com :: View topic - Old school guys!! Holley Bugspray or Zenith 32 NDIX? Why?

Sun May 29, 2011 7:41 am

Please share with us your experiences with these carbs. Pros and cons, off road and street. I have done research on both of them, own both of them and understand some of the quirks associated with each one. I will be trying each one on my baja. It has 1600sp with a 1 3/8 header, 009 dist that I changed the spring so all of the advance comes in about 2000 rpm. When I change the intake and carb I am going to pull the heads and do a little clean up in the ports. (port match and clean up, nothing drastic) And put some 1.25 rockers. Im looking for low end, throttle response and good driveability. I will be tuning and jetting these carbs myself. Thanks for your advice and your experiences.-Ed

Sun May 29, 2011 8:14 am

I had a Holley Bugspray on my 1835cc when I bought the motor. The intake manifold was junked and never got to use the carb. However, I've used Holley carbs on old american V8's with great success. Awesome carbs! You'll see folks around here bad-talk the Bugspray... usually because they've never used one. Parts are still available, Holley's are very tunable.... just don't use a plenum-type manifold and you'll be fine! My vote is for the Holley!

-Nick-

Sun May 29, 2011 8:39 am

My very first foray into the world of VW high performance was a 200cfm Bugspray, 009 and 1 3/8" header (and glasspack) on a 1300 in my '66 in 1974. It took a while to get jetted correctly, but it worked well. This was a steet car, so what it would have been like off road I don't know.

Sun May 29, 2011 9:52 am

:) The Holly 300 on a 1200/40HP engine with a split plen manifold was a good worker...easy to adjust. Old school but terrific for it's time period.

Sun May 29, 2011 10:34 am

My experience has been with the Zenith NDIX, awesome little carbs! Easy to tune and instant response.

If you have both, try them both and come back and report.

Sun May 29, 2011 12:01 pm

Really appreciate everyones response, I do have the individual runner intake (non plenum). I love these inexpensive, easy to work on little cars!

Mon May 30, 2011 7:37 am

Holly or Zenith? If that was the only choice it would be the Zenith (for sure).. Issues are the throttle cable is a problem to line up on most manifolds, In the old days most builders Just took the oil cooler out and installed the remote oil cooler off the top of the case, and moved the throttle cable over..

Also, Jets for the Zeniths are hard to find, but if you get them set up right they run very nice.. Note this Manifold, it has a twist to allow the throttle cable to fit.

This PIC was on the dyno so the exhaust was changed later, also the heat risers were hooked up and the throttle spring was moved back to the back stud..

This engine I built 5 years ago.. Ran nice, Was in a BAJA. Had high compression..8.5:1 and so the manifold had to be cut.

Mon May 30, 2011 7:46 am

Throttle cable tube like this for the Zenith/Holly helps too.. Its a 3/8 brake line with a washer welded on.

Mon May 30, 2011 7:47 am

Mon May 30, 2011 8:35 am

I ran a bug spray, then 2 bug sprays,both 300 cfm units, never any problem once tuned,I liked them, never seen a zenith execpt for moms old tv.but it may be better or not.if you have both do it!!and let us know the out come.the bug sprays can have a flat spot that can be hard to tune out of,I added power valves to mine.

Mon May 30, 2011 8:36 am

i've never run a bugspray but i never miss an oportunity to rave about the zenith.
it's a very tolerant carb and just runs super smooth regardless of whether or not your tuning is spot on.
of course, as with any single proper manifold heat is a must and preheated intake air as well is even better.
it's good for beginners; not too complicated and very responsive to tuning changes.
on road or off you'll be hard pressed to find a single that plays as nicely as the zenith.