SU Carb ID

[geezer]

I picked up these SUs to go on my original engine that will not be used for now, but just set aside. I thought they would be correct for my 10/70, but after getting them I see they are different. They came complete with the non-flapper, no heat riser air cleaner and the early heat shield also. There are no drain plugs for the float chambers. The float bowl lids are not round. The damper domes are odd shaped, chrome plated steel and have the typical plastic oil filler caps. Does anyone know if these carbs are shown in the earlier service manual? Is this an example of mix & match or as I read somewhere, robbing the roadster parts bins? Thoughts?

[Arne]

The steel domes are chrome-plated shells slid over the original domes. Haven't seen a set of those in decades. Used to see them offered for all manner of Brit cars as dress-up items. If you remove the dampers you should be able to slide the shells back off.

Other than that, those appear to be identical to the set I had acquired for the yellow car. Four-screws w/o float drains, squared bowl covers and plastic damper caps. After researching it a bit, I decided they were correct for cars from about #2000-7000 or so. I can't document any of that, but that's what seemed logical to me at the time.

[geezer]

Thanks Arne, I would have never guessed those are slip on shells. I can't tell by looking at them, they fit so well. Tomorrow I'll try to remove them. I did run across the thread where you discussed the SUs you had bought for your yellow car. This puts me in the same boat you were in at the time I guess.

[geezer]

It was not easy getting these off. Nothing to grab hold of, friction fit steel on aluminum. After a PB Blaster bath and a 350 degree oven and about an hour of work with a nylon fiber stick and hammer, success! After taking these off I can't believe I didn't recognize them for what they are. Guess I didn't look close enough.:stupid:

[Arne]

After taking these off I can't believe I didn't recognize them for what they are. Guess I didn't look close enough.:stupid:

I was thinking that at first, but I realized that if you've never seen anything like that before and didn't know that such a thing exists, why how could you recognize it? I had more info than you did, and so I recognized them at a glance. Knowledge is power...