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Archive indexWhile searching various autojumbles two apparently unrelated facts have leapt out at me. The first is that the most readily available Firefly part is the carburettor mounting stub and the second is that virtually all suitable carbs have part or all of their flanges broken off. It finally occurred to me that this might not be coincidental.
Although I am only too well aware that vibration can play havoc with these carbs, especially if the engine mountings are less than perfect, I wonder if the damage is caused by people innocently assembling parts that look as if they were intended to fit together but don't quite!
Engine numbers up to 54949 (approximately August 1955) should have a 308/23 carb fitted on stub VF4, which has a diameter of about 17/32". Later engines used the larger 335/3 on the almost identical stub VF4/1, which is 9/16" in diameter. I suspect that these carbs can be repaired with Lumiweld though I have yet to try this. In extreme cases it might be necessary to weld the carb body to the stub. I write this in the hope of preventing further breakage.
First published - June 1993