Restoration Wednesday, Porsche 911 Gets Ready for New Carburetors

posted in: Restoration Wednesday | 1

I don’t always take a lot of pictures so let me render one in your head with my articulate, expressive, silver-tongued brain slosh. When I started the swapping of the carburetor project I said, time to upgrade to Pertronix ignition. It’s hard to believe but I’ve been running the same dwell, timing and dirty carb setup for almost four seasons. Yeah let’s be fair, that running had become the jog of a fat man after a long night of drinking and bong rips.

Before setting the timing long ago, the Marelli distributor was pulled cleaned, oiled and fitted with new springs by yours truly. However it was beginning to hang up a bit. So I pulled it again, cleaned, oiled and fitted the Pertronix. Insert visual of me here cleaning the dizzy plates with a toothbrush and a spray cleaner, walking over to my compressor, blowing it out, rinse and repeat until it twinkled. A drop of oil on the plates and we were slicked up ready to rotate. That’s what…

With entire assembly wired and back in the car, I was ready for the carbs. However the intake manifolds didn’t get the memo. After removing the 40 IDA Webers, yes I’m going to run original rebuilt Zenith carbs with 130 mains, 30mm venturis and 57 idle air jets, I attempted to mount the Zeniths. They didn’t fit. The bolts on the intakes were not original and were fitted too high about 2/3 centimeter taller than stock. These bolts interfered with the Zenith carb body so I could not get them flush on the intake. Lucky for me I have a spare set of intakes. Lacking was a new set of new gaskets that should come in the mail today or tomorrow. Fingers crossed this weekend I’ll have the motor running like a high school kid trying out for track. Fresh and full of enthusiasm but still in need of a tear down and rebuild to be in shape for the long haul.

I’d like to thank Rocky Srl who I met through eBay as Alfa1750 for my carburetor parts and recommended set ups. He now runs his own website at http://www.carburatori-italia.it He sells larger venturis for Zeniths and all the jetting so one can set them up like Webers.

  1. Mike

    No wonder they went to Fuel Injection… just look at all those little parts that all need to be dealt with every time the car is serviced…
    Like looking a car model set before you start gluing…
    Best of Luck..

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