Balance Tube Clamp and Screw 7380FI unit 64/65

[Larry M.]

I'm questioning whether I have the correct parts on my unit.

On John DeGregory's catalog he shows an earlier two tube unit with a screw with a triangle head stamp. Some vendors show this same stamp on a blunt tip screw in 63 clamp kits. I did not find a 64/64 kit, just clamps. My screw is a 1/4 hex head sheet metal screw with a pointed tip and a slot which causes me to believe it may be wrong. A pointed tip screw with no slot and a triangle stamp is used to secure the blower motor on some cars so I was wondering what was right on the front of the FI unit. Any help would be appreciated.

For the clamp the pic below is what is currently being sold as a repro. On mine the two mounting ears are on a radial line of the clamp circle rather than offset as shown although one has a nice die made bend and the other more rounded in the bend. I'm suspecting that mine got that way by being assembled "backwards". The balance tube and clamp circle will fit under the mounting boss so the clamp could simply be deformed; however, in searching for pics of 7380 single tube units I see a lot of them that appear to have this confiuguration. What is the right clamp and mounting?

[Alan D.]

Re: Balance Tube Clamp and Screw 7380FI unit 64/65

Interesting, had the same style on my Mar64 car. It was changed since the experts felt it was wrong, and I have no reason to disagree.
The present screw has a triangle in center of a recess head, there also appears to be 3 or 4 other head markings but all with recess heads.
Hope the experts chime in!
My parts book, 1971, shows the screw to be 1/4 14 X 5/8 in Gr 8.977 for the 1965 unit.

[Larry M.]

Re: Balance Tube Clamp and Screw 7380FI unit 64/65

I thought a picture was better than my descriptions so here you go.

Also, as a correction, I did not find a clamp kit for 64/65 (not 64/64)

Alan - I think you are saying that the screw on your car was like my pic...correct? screwdriver slot and pointed tip and all?

What about your clamp....I think that if i turn mine around and straighten the leg against the mounting surface it will be like the first pic I posted.

[Dave S.]

Re: Balance Tube Clamp and Screw 7380FI unit 64/65

I thought a picture was better than my descriptions so here you go.

Also, as a correction, I did not find a clamp kit for 64/65 (not 64/64)

Alan - I think you are saying that the screw on your car was like my pic...correct? screwdriver slot and pointed tip and all?

What about your clamp....I think that if i turn mine around and straighten the leg against the mounting surface it will be like the first pic I posted.

On the 7380 unit isn't the tip of the screw hidden.? Am I missing something.? My restored unit has a screw with a slot and a thin built in washer.

[Larry M.]

Re: Balance Tube Clamp and Screw 7380FI unit 64/65

Dave, you are not missing anything. But if I'm going to change my screw I want to match original if i can. Your input is valuable. If I'm reading this correctly you, I and Alan all have a slotted screw which looks like Lowe's hardware, but if right I want to keep it.

A real NCRS guy has dreams at night of being inside the hole looking out at the tip of the bolt or screw.

[Dave S.]

Re: Balance Tube Clamp and Screw 7380FI unit 64/65

Dave, you are not missing anything. But if I'm going to change my screw I want to match original if i can. Your input is valuable. If I'm reading this correctly you, I and Alan all have a slotted screw which looks like Lowe's hardware, but if right I want to keep it.

A real NCRS guy has dreams at night of being inside the hole looking out at the tip of the bolt or screw.

My my unit was restored and detailed by a fellow NCRS member who has seen lots of these units so I expect it was correct by his standards. I'm certainly not changing it. The bracket on my unit is different than the photo that is posted. Mine is like a loop that is hanging from the center. (If that makes sense)

[Patrick C.]

Re: Balance Tube Clamp and Screw 7380FI unit 64/65

I believe this is the clamp and screw that is being discussed. This is the original FI unit on my january 64 car. No idea if its correct.

[Richard M.]

Re: Balance Tube Clamp and Screw 7380FI unit 64/65

Here's another '65 7380 unit for reference. No slot on this screw. Not sure if original or replaced.

[Larry M.]

Re: Balance Tube Clamp and Screw 7380FI unit 64/65

Thanks you very much for the pictures. I think it is highly likely that the slotted screw was used on some 64s. Possibly someone like John DeGregory will chime in and educate us. I think my clamp is correct and like the pics. It appears the only difference in the three clamps pictured above is how much they are bent under the mounting boss.

[Dave S.]

Re: Balance Tube Clamp and Screw 7380FI unit 64/65

I believe this is the clamp and screw that is being discussed. This is the original FI unit on my january 64 car. No idea if its correct.

Patrick,
That is the clamp style that is on mine. "So called"hanging from the center. Your screw resembles the screw on my unit but I don't have a recessed head.

[Alan D.]

Re: Balance Tube Clamp and Screw 7380FI unit 64/65

Here is another example of the clamp, hope it helps you. As for the slotted screw that was on my unit it obviously was not original.
An Inspection of the screw hole revealed some damage to the threads, so something had changed when rebuilt in the 70's

[Larry M.]

Re: Balance Tube Clamp and Screw 7380FI unit 64/65

I put my clamp back on the car, turned around and it looked like the Drake/Strickland/Cavanagh pics above but remembered a caution from John Degregory. You have to be careful that the rubber hose which connects the balance tube to the air cleaner adapter does not interfere with the choke linkage...mine touched....so I pulled the balance tube out at the clamp until my clamp looked like Mozetta or even straighter....then no interference. If you look at Alan Drakes pic his rubber tube is "S"shaped....wonder if he doesn't have interference.

In any case...still waiting for an expert to weigh in on the screw.

[Alan D.]

Re: Balance Tube Clamp and Screw 7380FI unit 64/65

No interference at the choke rod, in fact its about 1/4" away from balance tube and would not hit the rubber unless the rubber was longer.
Have never had that type of problem with that area. Remember I used the car every day as my only transportation from 67 to 72. Perhaps the repo parts are a bit tooo long?

[Larry M.]

Re: Balance Tube Clamp and Screw 7380FI unit 64/65

Alan, first of all be assured that my comments are only intended to be helpful, not critical. And on second look at the pic I doubt that is your car since it is black and I think yours is red. But I looked at mine again. I have plenty of clearance when the choke is off and only get close (actually still touch) when I manually open the choke all the way. I doubt the car ever sees full choke in any weather and certainly not in my garage in North Carolina. My tube is 1 15/16 inch and is equally spaced on the two tubes it connects...came from a John DeGregory hose kit. I could slide it to the adapter side but see no need.

Since my screw looks exactly like the one Cavanagh posted I will continue to wonder if it isn't right and original. But maybe it is just a coincidence.

[John D.]

Re: Balance Tube Clamp and Screw 7380FI unit 64/65

Interesting, had the same style on my Mar64 car. It was changed since the experts felt it was wrong, and I have no reason to disagree.
The present screw has a triangle in center of a recess head, there also appears to be 3 or 4 other head markings but all with recess heads.
Hope the experts chime in!
My parts book, 1971, shows the screw to be 1/4 14 X 5/8 in Gr 8.977 for the 1965 unit.

Alan,The info in the 71 parts book is incorrect. a #14 sheetmetal screw was used on the '7375 and '7375 R units which is '63 and early '64.
John

The '7380 balance tube bracket/clamp used to variations of those screws. Recessed hex with a triangle logo.. Screw came two ways.
Some had a screwdriver slot (cutting the triangle in half) and some did not.
I don't have the size or dimensions of the screw handy. But to recap it could or could not have a screw driver slot. No washer head as barely enough room for the head of the screw as it is. JD