This is a story about a learning experience that I can use going forward in the hot rod world. I previously had never rebuilt a carburetor (note: I'm no spring chicken anymore). The accelerator pump on the Motorcraft 2100 on the old wood hauler truck had begun to leak raw gas onto the manifold. Rather than just replacing the gasket &/or the accelerator pump I decided to do a complete rebuild on the carb. Bought the rebuild kit at NAPA; watched a couple of you tube videos; followed the instructions in the kit; and what do you know? IT RUNS!!! If I can do this ANYONE can. I'm about the biggest hack on the H.A.M.B. when it comes to mechanicing. I have some basic skills in fabbing stuff and can replace about any part if someone will tell me which part to replace. But I'm so stoked. Like in Young Frankenstein "it's alive! it's alive!" There's no technical knowledge in this thread. But I'm encouraging you all to try something new that you thought you couldn't do. Maybe you can after all. I've always thought that carburetors were some kind of black magic. Not so. Wrench on my friend.
Every young person should have the experience of taking something apart, repairing it (if possible) and putting it back together. Bicycles used to provide that experience. Remember how exciting it was to actually take apart and reassemble a NEW DEPARTURE rear wheel bicycle brake with all those notch discs? Not really done too much anymore.
No way on the auto transmissions. They really are put together with voodoo. I was there when the T-350 in Clarence was rebuilt, but most of the time I was outside the shop in the driveway cleaning parts so I didn't get to watch very much. Maybe in my next life...
Never tore into a bicycle brake when young, but did disassemble the engine on dad's lawnmower one day while he was at work. Got tanned good when he got home. The next day when he got home I was mowing with it. Didn't know then that you were supposed to put in new gaskets etc. Just put it back together with what was there.
Mike, That's a great story. In 40 years, I have never seen a kid in south Fl mowing a lawn Neither do their parents. Too bad. They are missing the experience of accomplishing physical work.
Fantastic job! You picked the absolute perfect carb to learn on. Those carbs are great. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
With my Dad supervising,the first time I rebuilt a carb I was about 11 years old.It was off of our lawn mower.Went onward and upward from there.I`m now 73.Dad taught me a lot back then.He passed in Sept of 1996 at the age of 98.Still miss him a bunch. Good luck.Have fun.Be safe. Leo
rebuilt my first 4 barrel carb for my '55 Chevy in High School while attending a family B-B-Q -- get a kit & think it through, with basic directions sheet as a reference
Had a family friend who was an apprentice mechanic years ago , his boss told he would help rebuild his holly 4 bbl . He tore it down then he wouldn’t help him. So at 14 I rebuilt his carburetor for him on his parents kitchen table , now 54 Sent from my iPad using H.A.M.B.
Way back when I was 11 or 12 picked up a 48 ford coupe with the stock flathead and after reading Hot Rod for years decided the car wasn't running right and wanted to "Boil out" the carb like they did in Hot Rod. You guessed it, took that sucker off, and WITHOUT taking it apart, put it in one of Mom's favorite cooking pots full of water and lit the stove. Smelled terrible and Mom came steaming into the kitchen and the shit hit the fan so to speak. My butt paid dearly for that little stunt but it did get me to look up how you really do "Boil out" a carb.
The Jalopy Journal
