I've been kind of looking for the carb and dist for my 7-0 stage 1 car to complete the set and make it a true numbers car. I've seen some really rough looking carbs for big dollars and am wondering can all of them be restored? I would imagine some are beyond repair. How would it feel to spend 2000 or more for a carb that cannot be restored. I remember JW telling me that he has seen a lot of junk that's beyond repair when I sent him my 72 stage carb.
The majority in my experience can be restored. There are a few issues that are beyond repair. They are rare in Buicks, much more common with early Pontiacs. The body color restoration is more difficult if the body and air horn have been commercially cleaned. I prefer to find a dirty, nasty, grime covered original for restorations. External parts can be rusted, no issue. What to watch for: Stay away from any Quadrajet with a "rebuilt" sticker on it from any commercial manufacturer. Look at the fuel inlet threads, make sure no cracks and face surface is not damaged. Many of these can be repaired. Maybe you could get a seller to send it to me for review before the purchase. I would be glad to evaluate.
Agreed. Most can be saved. My pet peeves are Heavy white oxidation Stuck idle screws Frozen baseplate Overzealous drilling by previous rebuilders. I like original unrestored cores too. I like to find them juicy, under a bunch of oily greasy crap. It acts like cosmolene on an engine, preserves it. All that said, a rare carb like a stg1 original is worth the effort to save, regardless of condition.
I agree that they should be saved but you ,must agree its a tough lesson to the guy that buys a core for 2500.00 then finds out its junk
I agree 100% before spending that kinda cash, be absolutely sure its restorable. Have an expert look at it in person if possible.
It's tough at that level for sure. I take the risk often for common cores, and it is rare to see one damaged beyond repair, but risk is minimal for me. If I purchase higher value cores, I look for key things in pictures. Old original dirty is best. Look to see if fuel inlet has helicoil. If it does, it isn't necessarily a problem, but does indicate it has had heavy work done at some point. Incorrect parts and pieces can be replaced with correct. Air horn and main body are critical. Inside the bowl area is critical. Pitting and crumbling can occur. Needle/seat threads MUST be original and in good condition. If they are crumbled or stripped, that's a deal killer. I see this mostly in Pontiac carbs, rarely Buick. Some Olds have issues in the accelerator pump cavity, and mess them up. Get pictures if you can. Glad to help any way I can. I have the Jan 15 date Stage 1.
Mark is that carb for sale you can PM me if you like. The next question can these be stored for a few years prior to use without issues? Im sure regardless if I fix my stage 1 or sell it the original carb would be welcome by the owner.
Oh joy, and I need both a carb and a distributor for a 69 GS 400 stage 1. Q: I got info on Rochester # = 7029246 Distributor # 1111962 Are these the correct numbers and where oh where can I find them?
The part #s look good to me. There are many board members which have serviceable cores and offer rebuilding services. Check carmantx...he usually has some available.
my engines at a shop right now and I don't think it's rebuildable. When I went to drain the oil out of it, the whole bottom of the oil pan came off with the drain plug. I may need more than just a carb and distributor? The heads should be fine anyway...
Please start your own new thread. This is an old thread and the member who started it has passed in a tragic work related event.
