since 2 day in carb cleaner hasn't done much, can i glass bead blast a 850 holley without damaging it. any other suggestions to get clean

what are you trying to get off that 2 days of soaking in carb cleaner hasn't gotten off?

you'll never get the beads out of the metering blocks, throttle shafts, air bleeds. Other than that you'd be fine. ;)

so what is on the thing that won't come off? Are you using the nasty smelling carb cleaner that people usually call carb dip?

Toms right, dont do it. Even soda blasting which is water soluble packs itself into small crevices.

carb has sat around for long time, has lots of crbon and some white powdery build up in bowls and metering blocks

anyone notice how the OLD chemdip worked great ,and the stuff they sell today SUCKS !!!

yah that chalky residue is a b!tch ,use a stiff toothbrush and carb cleaner by the can .

Can you?

Absolutely.

Do you want to? (keeping in mind it will completely strip all of the remaining original finish from the carb, leaving it totally vulnerable to corrosion AND leaving a mess inside the passages that will be a severe p.i.t.a. to remove)

No.

Unless you plan to restore it or have it powdercoated/whatever, you're better off leaving it alone and living with the compromised aesthetics.

Eric