1QuickS

Anyone out there interested in a source for remanufacturing Weber 40 IDAs? I've just begun performing this service and would be quite interested in discussing my offerings...I make new 8mm throttle shafts, resize the main bores and make matched throttle plates, line bore and install new throttle shaft bushings, ultrasonic clean, bead blast, clean and replug passageways, etc. Restoration and performance modification also offered.

Thanks!

Peter Zimmermann

How about some personal history about yourself, such as how you come to be qualified to do this work, your machinist background, what you're planning to charge for your service, if a customer can visit your shop, etc. Early Webers have entered into a precious metal category, I think anyone who sends a set to you will want to know all about you!

1QuickS

Yes, Pete, precious metal indeed! I really puckered when I made the first resizing cut on my Webers! I'm glad to say that after all my work and design the result was 100% positive for my set of carbs. I've purchased another set from eBay to be my guinea pigs for other operations such as chasing out broken jet holders, modification of the Air Correction Bushing in the idle circuit, refinishing/refreshing the straw-yellow color (haven't gotten there on this one, yet), etc.

I'm a degreed mechanical engineer and have spent 30+ years in my shop building almost anything mechanical. My career was involved with designing machine components, specifying methods of manufacturing, selection of subcontractors (machine shops, fabricators, etc) and then actually assembling these components I designed myself. I left my employer (a division of General Dynamics now) as the Vice President of Engineering and Engineering Director after completion of a $70million, 4 million pound, two axis steerable phased array, imaging radar project for the US Defence Department that I was the Project Engineer for. I was responsible for concept design, detail design, analysis, design reviews, customer presentations, installation efforts, etc...

I've owned over 45 vehicles; a Lotus Elan, several 2002's, a couple of real Minis, a pair of bevel drive Ducatis, a 67 911, a 67 911S, a 79 911SC, my current 67S that I've worked on for 30 years, a couple of Triumph 650 Bonnevilles, MGA, beetles, a trick Volvo 145, all of them modified, rebuilt, restored to some degree. My father was a certified A&E aircraft mechanic who was a commercial pilot and spent his spare time in his workshop - where I grew up.

I was having trouble tuning my Webers (popping, spitting, smoking, etc) after Ed Mayo assembled my 2.3 twin plug motor. I was using mercury sticks with vacuum taps in my intake manifolds so I could adjust 4 cylinders simultaneously and a Color Tune device to adjust idle mixture visually. No matter what I did, I couldn't get my carbs to behave. So, I took the step to remachine the throttle bores, make new shafts and new butterflies. I bought a Bridgeport, had a custom sized reamer ground to my specification and made tooling jigs for my usage. I designed and built a jig to mount the Weber to the bed of my mill for resizing the 40mm bore; a R8 tool that mounts in the quill that allows me to make precision 72 degree butterflies that match the resized 40mm bores; a tool that cradles the 8mm stressproof, turned, ground and polished shaft I use for the throttle shafts; a cradle that allows me to line bore the housings on my lathe and a rotisserie that I use to hold the Weber body while I work on it...don't want to drop it off the bench, you know. All these tools I designed on CAD. I used my Wild T2 theodolite (1 arc-second resolution) to optically measure the relative positions of the three transition holes for the progression circuit to the throttle shaft and butterfly position in my Webers and used that information to verify my design on CAD before I started my efforts.

A few R Gruppe people have seen my work (my car) and would vouch for what they think I am capable of but as of yet haven't seen my carb remanufacturing efforts, yet. If you ask Ed Mayo, Tom Woodford or Harvey Weidman you would probably find them to offer favorable comments as to who I am.

As to my pricing:

I have three basic levels of effort ranging from: 1) throttle shaft bushing replacement with new butterflies; 2) add rebuilding the complete carbs and performing an initial tuning on my test engine and 3) add complete (studs and lead plugs) disassembly, cleaning and cosmetic restoration. Level One base price is $ 650; Level Two is $1050 and Level Three is $1550.

Detailed pricing information is available from:
info@PerformanceOriented.com

Thank you for asking!

Paul Abbott

Peter Zimmermann

Well, Paul, here's the bad news - you're overqualified for the job!

Just kidding, it's good to have you aboard.

onboost

Ok Paul...

I'm dizzy already.. welcome aboard!!

Paul
--------------------
R-Gruppe #180

1QuickS

I'm genuinely flattered!!! I like to think my head is in the light and not elsewhere. I try pretty hard to do good work.

Thanks again,

Paul

jester911

Paul that is impressive. You should find plenty of folks needing your services. If you haven't done so already you should post over on Pelican Parts forum as there are many of like mind over there as well.

1QuickS

Thanks for the suggestion but I'm there now...and yes, I'm getting a fair bit of response. Need to get myself a bit more organized with photo follow up, especially for a full tilt restoration. There seems to be a lot of interest for the restoration side.

Thanks for your comments,

Paul

jester911

Restoration is where I figured you would get the business. Good luck.