Re: 1946-47 Clipper Fender skirts

Posted by HH56 On 2010/6/18 11:35:50

That is the valve for the optional vacuum antenna. The hoses would all route through a grommet on the front left upper firewall/cowl just below the patent plate--above where the wire loom and other items exit. My 47 has 3 short pipe sections molded in the grommet with hoses on either side. One goes to top, one to bottom of antenna and third to the carb area vacuum source. There should be some kind of port (maybe one capped off) near the base of carb or even intake manifold where the vacuum originates. If you do have the antenna and hook it up, the vacuum source goes to center port on valve, top of antenna to top port and then to lower the antenna, the bottom antenna hose to other one.

The metal tube in question is the heat tube which works the bimetal element in choke. Not really vacuum in true sense but rather a gentle vacuum pulls heated air from a stove in exhaust manifold into choke housing. You appear to have a different carb than I do but if it connects to a fitting on bottom of choke housing and to exhaust manifold where yours appears to, it looks to be OK. Mine comes from a hole on manifold in front of carb, a gentle bend parallels manifold a few inches and then 90's up to choke.