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Quote:

It says that as well as printed in the USA. However the box also claims the parts were made in the USA; says it in English, French and Spanish.

Before "outsourcing" there were great things made in this country and there were things made here that were crap too.

I bow, as always, to the above worthies, and thank Dr. Cole for the gasoline test above. Have been hearing about how gas isn't as good as it used to be since i got to Kaleefornyuh in '76. Have since driven several Packards with all kinds of gas in all kinds of weather and never,

not once,

suffered vapor lock, hard starting, disintegration and all these other ongoing tales of woe. BTW, no one in my circle with auld inline engines, be they Delahayes, Jag-ue-weres, Chevy/GMC sixes, Hudsons or Packards has ever in all these decades, suffered vapor lock, which i've only heard affecting Ford, Cadillac and other bent eights due to the placement of intake components.

Can't help noting that it seems more a case of too many people driving like modern cars old, worn out but cosmetically cute barouches and wanting to blame the evil gas, motor oil, brake fluid companies.

But back to carb kits. The main problem seems to be that people want to sell you only "jiffy kits" in recent years, which lack the needle and seat, et al. Haven't bought a kit in a decade, but i recommend Don Knopp, Don's Antique Auto Parts, Niles Canyon, where Charlie Chaplin shot many of his movies, part of Fremont in the greater South Bay Area now. 1 (510) 792-4390

Don is a fount of encyclopedic knowledge of every part on every old car from the 1920s through '50s, has an industrial-sized warehouse with shelving to the towering ceiling bulging with NOS and used parts. For example, i asked once if he had a starter for a Packard 356, and there were four of them on one shelf.
Ask Don if he has a complete carb kit for your car. If anyone still does, he will.

Wahoo.

Jim, there seems to be a huge variation in what folks experience in terms of carburetor and fuel pump lifespan. I did the carb in my 34 back in 1971, long before the advent of ethanol in gasoline, and haven't touched it since, still performs like it did on day one. I did rebuild the fuel pump about 15 years ago. The Carib carbs and fuel pump have been happy for the last 15,000 miles w/o problems. Perhaps quality of components is a major factor, for carburetors I firmly believe Daytona Parts are the very best and their kits include needle & seat of their own design.

I'm all for cleaner air, but this alcohol thing in gasoline just infuriates me!! It's about the stupidist thing government has done recently. OK, so we need less refined stock by, say 10%. We get 6-7% poorer gas mileage, the additional energy consumed to distill the ethanol is far more than the difference, and food costs climb. Who is the beneficiary? Certainly not the public as a whole. Back when I worked in the chemical industry I had a lot of dealings with the EPA and I thought then they were capable of some pretty good science - but not no mo.

Dave, taking your comments in reverse order: I COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE.

I also agree about variations in quality. My father used to say "you get what you pay for". Someday that will sink in though I can't imagine when. If I were to add up the trouble the inexpensive kit has cost: Two kits one I bought from NAPA for $18 and the same kit my mechanic bought at $46; and compare it with the price I was quoted today by Daytona - %52 to my door. I'm in the hole; and that doesn't even count my time and gas I've burned up.

There were other interesting developments today as well but I'll save those for an update on my blog.

I appreciate the comments from Tim and Su8overdrive. It is pretty hard to argue with science an no doubt there are several issues at play here. I've been driving my '51 for over a year with the gas from the same dealer without any problems at all.

Over the years i've found that price has absolutely no bearing on the quality of parts whatsoever. Neither does vendor. It is all strictly a matter of KNOWING the parts.

I buy alot of parts. Mostly automotive but quite a variety of other applications such as parts for Ag equipment, laundry appliances, small power equipment, u name it. I'm not even in professional bussiness. It's all my personal equipment.

Mostly i've found that parts from a WELL KNOW BRAND NAME manufacturer is the key. COuntry of origin is not important in terms of quality of the parts as long as the MANUFATURER is a old line, well know company.


Price????? Just call around to 3 different local auto parts stores and u'l get as much as 30% variation in prices.

Quality determination is a personal judgment call that comes with experience. NOT ones wallet.

As for the carb kit in question that started out this thread it is a brand name kit from a reputable supplier.

But look at the accelerator pump. It is BRASS. Therfore it is most likely very old stock.

Excellent point.

It is BRASS. Therfore it is most likely very old stock.

It may or may not be very old stock, but I don't think I'd necessarily make that assumption. Looking at the configuration of the piece, replicating that in steel would be more difficult than in brass.

Aluminum or pot metal???

The pumps I pulled out where brass too. But those, the rubber is(was) still good. I put the old pumps back in but things still aren't working out right. I get a very weak or no accelerator shot. Which means I have to feather the gas real light, or jam it wide open. Makes for a fun ride. LOL

After sitting for almost a year the rubber on the old pumps is kind of stiff. And the way the Rohester H/HV carb works is there is a needle type check valve and the gasket must seal very well around that.

I just emailed Daytona. I'm going to get two new kits and get this over with.