Call me crazy - Ranchero's (again)

[Luva65wagon]

After driving this to Sequim and back everything went pretty well, but I found I had some issues pulling hills hard. Sort of reminded me of the issue I had with the wagon after the regional a couple years ago. It bucks under hard acceleration and wants to stall out. This has that same carb on it now that I had back then, but was fine on the wagon after I rebuilt it. I'll probably swap over the 1100 from the wagon again just to see if it is the carb.

I'm this close to copying Kenny and go with a weber on this thing - but Kenny, your site is down, so I can't see what you've done. Don't see a thread here on that.

Autolite 1100's are just too expensive (though I noticed Steve seems to keep buying rebuilt units from somewhere over there). They're like $300-$500 on ebay and Pony Carbs doesn't sell, they only rebuild. I don't have a core.

If I do a weber, I see them mounted two ways. Classic Inlines mounts them sideways, but that's not how they are mounted on cars they came on. If they are sideways, isn't that a potential issue?

I just dread this. But I'm tired of dealing with these 50 year old carbs too.

[redfalken]

I'm this close to copying Kenny and go with a weber on this thing - but Kenny, your site is down, so I can't see what you've done. Don't see a thread here on that.

That explains why I haven't been able to get to the POP email in a few days. I'll have to get in touch with the guy hosting it.

Anyways...I don't have anything up about the Weber. One of those things I need to "get to" one of these days!

But I can show you what I've done at the Golden Gardens meet...

[doghows]

I am getting those carbs from my local parts house. They run $175 which includes the shipping. Usually take about 2 weeks to get one.
The one I put on the 65 seems to be doing fine. Haven't had it out too much due to lack of current tabs...
Glad you made it home OK...

[Luva65wagon]

Kenny - can you maybe, in the meantime, describe the bits you used? Post a pic or two maybe? I'd like to get something ordered if possible prior to the 21st.

Steve - See, even $175 gets you a 50 year old carb, which the last one you got (which I now have on the wagon) was riddled with vacuum leaks. It's fine now, but I had to do a lot to it to get it to work right.

The webers I see on ebay (brand new) starting at $299 and then I'll have to decide how to mount it. There seems to be a few ways people do it... ranging from $20 to $65 just for the mount. I have a couple cores I've picked up at swaps for pennies (one is the same as on my mom's 80 Capri 2.3 liter) and so I have an idea of their sizing. Not a fan of all the mods I'd need to do, but if it makes a difference - it makes a difference!

[modified17]

What model/part# is the Weber that you guys use. A friend gave me a new still in the box one a long time ago and I'll see if it's the same or not.... Dave

[redfalken]

I do have some photos that are fairly current. I'll do this in sections. First the adaptor. The 2 to 1 bbl adaptor I went with was from Stovebolt. Clearance was tight since I have a under hood light mounted right over the carb but you may not have to do some of the things I did to make it work.

I had a machine shop mill some thickness off the top and bottom of the aluminum Stovebolt adaptor. Don't remember how much but I got his advice on how much to leave. I also made another adapter out of 3/16" (I think) steel plate. Used a hole saw for the main opening and drilled holes for the bolts that hold it to the log. Then I threaded some holes and screwed in studs from underneath. These bolts hold this plate to the adaptor. I sawed off the part of the stud that was sticking out of the bottom, welded the studs and ground them flat.

This combination orients the carb in the right direction (bowl forward). If you have plenty of clearance, you can use the common Ford adaptor that has the coolant running through it but it's pretty thick.

The Stovebolt adaptor has 4 holes on both top and bottom square flanges. I cut off two of the corners on the bottom because they weren't needed and they get in the way of the log bolts.

Not a plug 'n play adaptor but I like to fiddle with things and it was cheap. I also port and polished the throat to match the opening of the log better and smooth it out.

[redfalken]

What model/part# is the Weber that you guys use. A friend gave me a new still in the box one a long time ago and I'll see if it's the same or not.... Dave

The one I'm using is a Weber 32/36 DGV. It's a manual choke. There is also a DGAV for water choke and DGEV for electric.

[pbrown]

Here is a link to the carb online.
http://www.webercarbsdirect.com/32_3.../22680.005.htm

[redfalken]

Next was the air breather. I wanted mine to look stock so I cut the center section off a spare base and but a flat piece of sheet metal in it's place. I overlapped the base and insert by about 1/2" and put a small bead of sealant between them and then used pop rivets to join.

I used the gasket as a template to cut the part of the insert that the carb comes through. Then drilled holes for the 4 screws that mount it to the carb. Also had to rivet on a bracket that the wing nut that holds the top on could screw into.

Again, some messing around but if you don't care about looking original, they sell aftermarket filters for the Weber.

[redfalken]

As far as the linkage goes, I got a cable set-up of a 70's-80's six at the junk yard. I had to modify the bracket that goes over the valve cover to hold the cable that pulls the throttle and the cable for the kickdown on my C4. I don't have a current photo but I bought a lever for the throttle on the carb that is like a cam.

I like the feel of the cable set-up much better than the hard linkage. And the pedal mounted on the firewall is a better way to go than the floor mount IMHO. It gets rid of the possibility of rust where it originally would screw to the floor.

And one other thing you will need with the Weber is a fuel regulator. It needs to be at 2.5 - 3 lbs. and I found a Holly that had a good low range. I had moved my coil off the engine so used those mounting bosses to hold the regulator bracket. I made the bracket out of thick sheetmetal.

So that's it in a nutshell. Lots more details I brushed over. Ask questions and I will fill in the blanks as best as my pea brain can remember.

[Luva65wagon]

Awesome guys! Thanks and muchos gracias.

I pulled the carb off tonight and the float was wedged and wouldn't go up and down and may have been restricting fuel. Also, looking at the top of this Holley 1940 the power valve plunger, which has a vacuum operated lift-rod, has been off and on and peened so many times, I'd have a hard time believing it would be sealing and might not be able to suck up like it should. I have to rig up a vacuum source to see, which I started and then decided to call it quits for the day.

Now, seeing the cost of a new Weber on that site ($100 less than ebay) - I'm leaning toward just bagging it and ordering parts. Kenny, your photo's were very helpful.

Will probably still put this one on and see if it's better now, but I really think it can use an upgrade.

[pbrown]

I just noticed that there are newer options now to 2V conversions. This looks nice.

http://www.classicinlines.com/prodde...=FSP-200-2VC-W

It does require machining the head but I figure Roger could remove the head, do the machine work, and reinstall the thing in about an hour and a half .

[Luva65wagon]

Probably closer to an hour....

I saw that as well as the other one they sell, which also mounts the carb sideways. Don't know that I like that idea of that for when I want to go drift the thing - or do my 10 second quarter mile.

Actually, the stovebolt adapter is probably just fine. If Kenny hasn't had any issues with it, I can just copy him. I copy everyone else.

[redfalken]

One other thing I did was have a bit shaved off the surface of the log where the carb mounts. I was having other machine work done so it was cheap.

All this saving space added up and allowed me to put a phenolic spacer between the carb and the Stovebolt adaptor. It was less than $10 and theoretically keeps the carb from getting too hot.

And here's a shot of how I check my clearance. I made cones from some plumber's putty. The pieces of paper are so it doesn't stick to the underside of the hood. Just make the cones plenty tall and shut the hood. Gently lift and see what your clearance is at various points.

[Luva65wagon]

So Kenny - was this before or after all the shaving you did? And do you recall what the tightest clearance ended up being, and where was it on this setup.

Get tech tip too, by the way.