thickness of original 56 carb to intake gasket

[Mike M.]

i have what i suspect are the original intake to carb gaskets off 56 vin 1566. they are much thicker ( they mic out at a tad over .25" ) than what the carb repair kits supply for rebuilding. anybody out there have an unmolested 56 gasket they can easily measure? thanks and merry ho-ho.mike

[John H.]

Re: thickness of original 56 carb to intake gasket

i have what i suspect are the original intake to carb gaskets off 56 vin 1566. they are much thicker ( they mic out at a tad over .25" ) than what the carb repair kits supply for rebuilding. anybody out there have an unmolested 56 gasket they can easily measure? thanks and merry ho-ho.mike

Mike -

The 32-page "Corvette Engine Tune-Up" booklet sent to the dealers in 1957 includes a page that instructs them to use TWO gaskets under each carburetor on 2x4's. Later info says this was done due to carb linkage interference with the intake manifold. Maybe there was a running change to a single thicker gasket instead?

[Joe L.]

Re: thickness of original 56 carb to intake gasket

Mike and John-----


It's a curious thing, but from what I can find it appears that one of two gaskets could have been originally used on 1956 Corvettes with single 4BC.

The first possibility is GM #3715082, aka Carter #1A 114. It was discontinued in May, 1960 and replaced by GM #3739168. The latter is the gasket used for 56+ 2X4 applications. It was discontinued without supercession in 1981.

The second possibility is GM #3726256. It was discontinued in February, 1961 and replaced by GM #3751050. The latter was discontinued without supercession in 1984.

[Mike M.]

Re: thickness of original 56 carb to intake gasket

joe: no mention of spacer thickness in your books? thanks,mike

[Steven B.]

Re: thickness of original 56 carb to intake gasket

I will be home in a few days and will check my dual WCFB rebuild kits in the black and yellow packaging as I am curious now. Steve. p.s. Merry Christmas!

[Joe L.]

Re: thickness of original 56 carb to intake gasket

joe: no mention of spacer thickness in your books? thanks,mike

Mike-----


Unfortunately, no.

I did a little further research and I now believe that the original gasket used for 1956 Corvettes could only have been the GM #3726256 (unless any 1956 Corvette engines were assembled with the 1955 intake manifold). I believe the GM #3715082 gasket that I mentioned earlier lacks the "heat slot" provisions used for the 1956 1X4 cast iron manifold.