Seriously thinking webers. Weber guys -your feedback

[67FEfastback]

I have been seriously thinking over the idea of changing to Webers.

For those of you running Webers with the FE, once set up, how to you find the day to day drivability? City driving? Highway driving?

A supplier I spoke to last week, said I will lose fuel economy around town and should be about equal to my setup now on the highway.


Thanks

[Rick Parker]

That is a fair appraisal, in my situation I see the only drawback being it is difficult to find and fit a proper air filter, but since the mileage accumulation is not real great it is more of a mind game that I play with myself when I consider driving several hundred miles at a time. So I run the open stacks.

[Excaliber]

Lately I've been running my dual fours without the filter element inside. Just goofing around and trying to see if I feel, sense or can measure any difference, like in mpg or something. Haven't quite decided if it's good or bad, as far as power/performance goes, feels about the same. We don't have a track anymore so I have no way to measure it at the 1/4 mile. Yeah, I worry a little about dust/dirt getting in there, but heck it's not like were driving on dirt roads.

[Eljaro]

For me the Cobra is not only a vehicle to enjoy driving but also something to toy around all the time. Webers are something additional to play with on this car. You can change jets all day long and never get bored. Does it get better or not, you will be dreaming about your next jet change next weekend.
They are fun, they look sharp and they sound great.
The most important thing you will like about the Webers it the immediacy of its response. No matter at which speed you are driving or how many turns your engine is doing, if you have the jetting right you can floor the gas pedal and it will shoot forward instantly if you tires can take it, otherwise they will snap and you may be going sideways in no time.
As for filters I do only run these trumpet gauzes, which keep most of the debris out.

[lemans24]

make sure you are running the right cam for a weber set up.watch out for trash in the fuel lines when you put it together. get some kind of effective fire suppression system. i recommend pierce manifolds.

[Stentor]

I was in the same place as you over the summer--seriously considering Webers.

I have "pulled the trigger" and am having a set of 58 mm Berg IDA carbs made for my FE, and should have them on my car in a couple weeks. I didn't go with 48 mm Webers because I was concerned they would be too small for my bored and stroked FE (at higher RPMs).

As long as you go into the switch to Webers with your "eyes wide open" about what's required to get them dialed in you should be fine.

It's hard to beat the look, sound, or throttle response of the Webers.

[RICK LAKE]

Stentor Think it will be great to have another FE with rare 58 mm runing on the street. Where are you geting the manifold from? You know that the 48mm bores are about 1 7/8" butterflys and the 58 mm are 2.1/4" There is alot of welding and machining for this to work. I know what Dave S went through. There is only about 1/8" of mounting surface in some spots. What cam shaft are you going with. Lift and duration are no problem the overlap is what will make the car great to cruise and drive or the reversion is going to give you a fuel bath. I hope you talk to the forefather who do this for a living like Iglesis or Gene Olberg. I believe that Gene is more into German motors, Porsche and VW. Make sure you have a large fuel system with 1/2" line and 3/8" return with a big pump and good pressure regulator. Have 2 outlets fron the tank to the fuel pump. Dave has a weldon pump in the r/r corner of his car with 2 pickups. The ERA gas tank is heavily modified. Looking forward to your build. Rick L.

[ENTDOC]

the webers were the most fun I had with my Kirkham. Go with at least 40mm chokes with a 427 and you will get much less frustrated.

[bobcowan]

What is your goal? More power? Better looks? Better drivability?

Some people just gotta have the true weber carbs. And that's OK, if that's what you really want. But tuning them can be a real bear unless you really know what you're doing.

But, there are a number of EFI solutions out there that look as good; or maybe better, depending on who's looking. Easier to tune, self adjusts for things like water temp, air temp, altitude, etc. Cost is about the same - depending on options of course.

If mileage is a concern, EFI usually gets better mileag over carbs, due to more precise tuning. Although not many of us are are trying to build a 25-30 mpg car, good mileage is always a bonus. Especially with a big block and a small fuel tank.

My 427 gets about 20mpg in steady highway driving. Yesterday I went to Denver for Cruise Colfax. Up the highway to far west Denver, on East on Colfax all the way to I-225, back on Colfax to I-25, and then south to home. I got 15mpg; didn't even use a full tank of fuel. And the engine makes well over 500hp.

And, best of all, they usually make a little more power.

[Excaliber]

...EFI solutions out there that look as good; or maybe better

Like you said, beauty in the eye of the beholder. Nothing beats a true Weber when it comes to looks.

Dat's some impressive mpg numbers though, I'll give you that!

[dlampe]

If you are interested, I have four Italian Weber 48 IDAs with a fresh rebuild and 37, 42, and 45mm choke sets. They are sealed up just taking up space. I used them on a 600+ hp motor with fantistic head flow numbers. (Yates Nascar heads)

[bobcowan]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

Like you said, beauty in the eye of the beholder. Nothing beats a true Weber when it comes to looks.

Dat's some impressive mpg numbers though, I'll give you that!

You're right. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. The first time I saw the Momar system, I was in love. I love the modern space-age look. It fits well with the rest of my car, which is definatly not a copy of the original.




Of course, you can have your cake and eat it too. This system is from Dynatek Racing.

[Eljaro]

Fuel economy?
Get a Diesel!
I get around 6 mpg with my 48IDA carbureted 427 S/O.
I must say that I am all the time going blam,blam on the gas pedal and the accelerator pumps and the brakes hardly get a rest.
Cruising will probably bring that figure down, but as much as I set out to behave and do steady driving, I end up driving like roller coaster.
A 427 with Webers is addictive.
Fuel injection does not have the immediacy of the carb.

[Full Throttle Al]

Rick,
It is my understanding that the Berg 58mm (and not the ultra rare Weber 58mm) are a direct bolt-on to any 48mm manifold without modification. This is from the geneberg.com website:

"These are a Berg casting that we machine to 58mm. The industry standard 48IDA bolt pattern and dimensions are maintained so they fit all 48IDA manifolds without modification or adapters including V8 applications"

By the way, they now make the carb up to 61mm.

Webers are the best!



Alan Sorkey
Shreveport, LA
CSX4083

[Excaliber]

When you only have a 17 gallon tank, mpg beomes an issue for range!

[67FEfastback]

Hey, thanks a lot guys. A lot of good information to help me make an reasonably informed decision. (buying webers, probably is partly emotional) - it most certainly does not make common sense!

I would not mind considering an MPEFI system, but it would have to look like a traditional early efi. I am trying to be fairly retro, where I can.

Now I just gotta explain the the other half, why cutting my gas mileage in half is a good thing.

[RICK LAKE]

Full Throttle Al Al the math will not add up. 48 mm webers have a bore of 1.89", about 1 7/8". 58MM are 2.3". I have seen and been told that the 58 manifolds are nothing like the 48mm. You can use a 48 manifold and make a 58mm fit on it, but there are going to be a bolt pattern change and the mounting surfaces are too small without filling in the edges of manifold. I am not sure what Gene is maken now but 1/2" different in size is alot unless the base plates are being made small. I guess it depends on where you are measuring the carbs, top or bottom. Even the TWM's are not quite 58mm. I have measure the bores and plates, more like 56mm. The tops are 58mm. Dave S is the only I know running 58mm, back in the late 60's there where only about 20-30 manifolds built for the 58's. This is the info I have found and recieved. These are also Cam-Am carbs. Gene may have changed the bodies since then. I have learned that size stated is not always the same size found out. Rick L.

[OCCOBRA]

67FEFASTBACK If you are thinking of Webers I have a set upp for you. I removed from my Cobra because the guy I bought the car from didn't put on a 10 degree cut manifold but put a straight on (which would fit a 67GT) and cut a hole in the hood. I removed to repair the hood and scope for the Cobra and installed a Holly setup. A couple of things I have noticed. I lost bottom end torque, response is a bit off due to new vac sec, and most of all everybody tells me it diesn't sound the same. Sounds better with Webers!.
The manifold I have is a Harmon Moody, and Webers were powder coated Red. I have all the linkage fuel lines to the regulator, New 40 mm chokes, (not installed yet) New F14 emulson tubes and a spare set of main jets and idle jets, and two diffrent sets of KN filters (Tall & Short). I was going to change chokes as suggested in this forum but rrealized that I travel so much I really do not have time to plasy I just want to drive. As Iit turns out I do miss the Webers and was going to keep but now I will sell to partly finance new side pipes. The other BIG thing is the WOW FACTOR. Everybody crowds around a car with Webers!!!!!! call me at 714 401-6054 or PM me. Look in the for sale adds under my name I have pics in the add. I will get you into webers for a third of the cost!

[Stentor]

Originally Posted by RICK LAKE

Full Throttle Al Al the math will not add up. 48 mm webers have a bore of 1.89", about 1 7/8". 58MM are 2.3". I have seen and been told that the 58 manifolds are nothing like the 48mm. You can use a 48 manifold and make a 58mm fit on it, but there are going to be a bolt pattern change and the mounting surfaces are too small without filling in the edges of manifold. I am not sure what Gene is maken now but 1/2" different in size is alot unless the base plates are being made small. I guess it depends on where you are measuring the carbs, top or bottom. Even the TWM's are not quite 58mm. I have measure the bores and plates, more like 56mm. The tops are 58mm. Dave S is the only I know running 58mm, back in the late 60's there where only about 20-30 manifolds built for the 58's. This is the info I have found and recieved. These are also Cam-Am carbs. Gene may have changed the bodies since then. I have learned that size stated is not always the same size found out. Rick L.

Rick,

I confirmed with Berg today--their 58 mm IDA carbs do fit on a standard manifold for 48 mm IDA Webers (according to Berg--the industry standard 48 IDA bolt pattern and dimensions are maintained so they fit all 48 IDA manifolds without modification or adapters including V8 applications).

Here's a picture that Al posted a while back that compares the Berg 58 mm IDA with a Weber 48 mm IDA.

[IMG][/IMG]

I am going to try to make the standard 48 IDA FE manifold work for the Berg 58 mm IDAs (since I've been told by multiple parties that it should work). I will know shortly and will let you guys know. If the standard manifold won't work I will have a custom manifold built.

Best,

Stentor

[67FEfastback]

Originally Posted by OCCOBRA

67FEFASTBACK If you are thinking of Webers I have a set upp for you. I removed from my Cobra because the guy I bought the car from didn't put on a 10 degree cut manifold but put a straight on (which would fit a 67GT) and cut a hole in the hood. I removed to repair the hood and scope for the Cobra and installed a Holly setup. A couple of things I have noticed. I lost bottom end torque, response is a bit off due to new vac sec, and most of all everybody tells me it diesn't sound the same. Sounds better with Webers!.
The manifold I have is a Harmon Moody, and Webers were powder coated Red. I have all the linkage fuel lines to the regulator, New 40 mm chokes, (not installed yet) New F14 emulson tubes and a spare set of main jets and idle jets, and two diffrent sets of KN filters (Tall & Short). I was going to change chokes as suggested in this forum but rrealized that I travel so much I really do not have time to plasy I just want to drive. As Iit turns out I do miss the Webers and was going to keep but now I will sell to partly finance new side pipes. The other BIG thing is the WOW FACTOR. Everybody crowds around a car with Webers!!!!!! call me at 714 401-6054 or PM me. Look in the for sale adds under my name I have pics in the add. I will get you into webers for a third of the cost!

Thanks kindly for the link, and information. Too bad my car or engine bay is not red, otherwise it would be a great way to go!