Where to buy my Webers?

Xavier · #1 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 08:03 AM

I am looking at purchasing the 48 IDA's for my 408w within the next 30 days. I have looked around the internet a great deal looking for a reputable deal with good value. This car is mainly a show car and cruiser by the way.

In my search I have come across these guys on the internet, along with others, but these particular people seem to be $1000 or more less than everyone else touting they are the real deal, the real Webers etc. Is this another thing that is too good to be true?

Fully assembled 48 IDAs with manifold $2895 minus fules lines;

http://www.carburetion.com/after.htm

Please let me know if anyone has any experience with these people.

Many thanks.

lemans24 · #2 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 08:32 AM

I got my setup from Pierce Manifolds. Would buy from them again.

RodKnock · #3 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 10:10 AM

Rokndad (Tom) purchased his setup from Top End. He really liked them a lot and they're very reasonable in terms of pricing. If I get the Weber itch, then I'll probably go with them based upon his recommendation.

http://www.racetep.com/

RedBarchetta · #4 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 10:19 AM

Ditto on the Rokndad reference...he would be a great teacher.

Speaking of Tom, where the heck has he been?!?

-Dean

RodKnock · #5 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedBarchetta

Ditto on the Rokndad reference...he would be a great teacher.

Speaking of Tom, where the heck has he been?!?

-Dean

I don't know. I haven't heard from him of late, but he may be wrapped up in some kind of project or maybe he's just busy driving his CSX all around the place and to shows.

He's a great reference on Webers though. He has me almost convinced to get a set of them.

Bernica · #6 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedBarchetta

Ditto on the Rokndad reference...he would be a great teacher.

Speaking of Tom, where the heck has he been?!?

-Dean

Haven't heard from Tom lately either. He was very happy with his Weber conversion...did the swap-out himself. He was thinking of posting a step-by-step guide with do's and don'ts after his experience. He has some photos in his gallery.

rokndad · #7 (**permalink**) 12-07-2009, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedBarchetta

Ditto on the Rokndad reference...he would be a great teacher.

Speaking of Tom, where the heck has he been?!?

-Dean

Dean, Rodney and Mike,

Thanks for the kind words. Thanks also to Jim Beals (car4jim) for stopping by to wish me well.

I don't think I'm much of a teacher, but love to share stuff I've learned so someone else doesn't have to plow new ground. Sorry to let you all know I've been down with some serious health issues the last few months. I haven't been able to drive my car for about two months now, and was very painful the last time I drove it in September. I do go out and start it up in the garage so my shirt smells like gas when I go back in the house.

In a nutshell, I had major emergency back surgery last Thursday, the 3rd, six hours on the table having a lumbar disc replacement and stenosis of the L4 and L5 vertebrae opened up so the nerves can get out of there without being pinched. Although the surgery has been deemed successful, I still have no real motor control of the left leg (clutch) and no feeling in it. I do have to say that my toes are starting to tingle so that's a good sign that something is waking up. The recovery is akin to letting a cord that's been crunched for sometime being able to retake it's previous form and let the signals go unimpeded through. This is a slow process which I'm told may last up to six months. I have some other major health hurdles to clear but my Doctors concurred that the back issue should be dealt with first due to the severe pain. They want me to be healed and virtually pain free before we move to Phase II. If you have never experienced nerve pain, don't. This is a feeling that will make anyone talk to eliminate it.

Today is the first day I can really sit for any length of time without screaming, so I first went to CC, my favorite place and naturally went to the Weber issues. Top End performance in North Hollywood, CA is a small business but they know Webers, and have great customer service. You will pretty much have to learn how to tune them yourself, but Steve, their president, will talk you through some of the early questions. My carbs are from Spain, and seem to be fairly nice, although they are nowhere close to the orginal Italian made carbs like Dean has. $1950 is a good deal for Dean's Italian set up especially since he's including all those chokes and other nice goodies.

Pain starting to set in, so I'm getting out of here to lay down before I fall down. Thanks for the kind words and thoughts. I'm going to beat this ordeal, and be back out there making noise soon.

Tom

Gunner · #8 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 10:48 AM

RK, you've done the research - is there a solid rule of thumb for HP/torque improvements with Webers over a 4BBL? Assuming both setups are optimized on the same cam - although I know different camming is usually called for with Webers.

*13* · #9 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 11:28 AM

It's about 25%, if I remember correctly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunner

RK, you've done the research - is there a solid rule of thumb for HP/torque improvements with Webers over a 4BBL? Assuming both setups are optimized on the same cam - although I know different camming is usually called for with Webers.

RodKnock · #10 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 11:01 AM

Honestly, I'm not Weber expert, or even a novice, but there are many people here on Club Cobra that could answer your question(s).

From what I've heard from various people, including Rokndad, is that the HP difference is probably negligible in either direction, a finely tuned single carb may be better, but the "seat of the pants" (torque) feel with Webers, and the sound, is far superior to a carb. Of course, there's the Weber's superior appearance, IMHO.

For now, I'm NOT tearing into my engine, since I've got only about 1,000 miles on my car. My car runs fantastic and (knock on wood) does not leak. So, I'm not fixing what ain't broke. Plus, the carb and turkey pan look is pretty nice too.

fastd · #11 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 11:26 AM

I would love to hear from people who had Webers and switched back to single carbs. Ideally they started with a single carb, went to Webers and then went back to single carb.

Not all carbs are created equal: how do Webers compare to say the Holley 4150 and 4160 series? Other carbs?

*13* · #12 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 11:30 AM

No one would switch back if they can get them tuned half way right. Right out of the box, without proper setup they were quite noticeably Stronger. I went from a 600 holley dp.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fastd

I would love to hear from people who had Webers and switched back to single carbs. Ideally they started with a single carb, went to Webers and then went back to single carb.

Not all carbs are created equal: how do Webers compare to say the Holley 4150 and 4160 series? Other carbs?

cobraviper_99 · #13 (**permalink**) 12-21-2009, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fastd

I would love to hear from people who had Webers and switched back to single carbs. Ideally they started with a single carb, went to Webers and then went back to single carb.

Not all carbs are created equal: how do Webers compare to say the Holley 4150 and 4160 series? Other carbs?

This is a very familiar scenario. Someone has an engine that runs fine on a four-barrel, decides to switch to Webers, and then the engine runs lousy. They spend days trying to tune it up but they can never get the engine dialed in. They say, "Everyone is right. Webers are a nightmare. I'm putting the four-barrel back on." The problem many, many times isn't the Webers but the engine.

A four-barrel will run decently with shaky compression, worn valves or valve seats, sloppy timing chain, etc. It's a very forgiving carburetor. Webers are not. They are very much precision instruments and if you have an engine that needs some attention but runs OK with a four-barrel, the Webers will never be happy until the internal issues are addressed. It happened to me and I'm sure many other people.

jay bentley · #14 (**permalink**) 12-21-2009, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cobraviper_99

This is a very familiar scenario. Someone has an engine that runs fine on a four-barrel, decides to switch to Webers, and then the engine runs lousy. They spend days trying to tune it up but they can never get the engine dialed in. They say, "Everyone is right. Webers are a nightmare. I'm putting the four-barrel back on." The problem many, many times isn't the Webers but the engine.

A four-barrel will run decently with shaky compression, worn valves or valve seats, sloppy timing chain, etc. It's a very forgiving carburetor. Webers are not. They are very much precision instruments and if you have an engine that needs some attention but runs OK with a four-barrel, the Webers will never be happy until the internal issues are addressed. It happened to me and I'm sure many other people.

So true. Usually the last thing that someone who specializes in webers will look at are the carbs. I've only had to have mine adjusted once or twice and usually it's several hours of checking everything but the carbs. When everything is perfect, then it's on to the adjusting the carbs if they need it.

fastd · #15 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 11:37 AM

*13*,
You would happen to have before & after dyno runs that you could post?

*13* · #16 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 12:37 PM

No, niether before or after, sorry. All seat of the pants experience.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fastd

*13*,
You would happen to have before & after dyno runs that you could post?

footnfan · #17 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 11:52 AM

I have used Inglese ...for a small block ford build up. They supplied the cam, and weber set. The care fired up...ran...needed minimal tuning. They were expensive, but I bypassed a lot of 48ida frustration I read about.

Dan

Xavier · #18 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 12:54 PM

I will most likely not get it dyno'd. It runs like a bat out of hell now, and will run like a bat of hell after. The Webers, like nearly everything else on the car, will just make me feel more complete.

Thanks for all of the feedback.

*13* · #19 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 12:58 PM

BTW, I bought my setup through Redline Weber. I gave them my "very
basic" engine specs & they set up all the jetting for me. They were pretty much dead on. I Will Called them so I don't know how they are with shipping. The stock linkage they shipped with the unit was useless but a new linkage setup isn't that expensive.

dlampe · #20 (**permalink**) 12-03-2009, 05:09 PM

I have a set of European 48 IDA's in the closet that were just rebuilt. I would like to sell them and I will through in the meter, 3 sets of chokes, jets and a weber tuning guide. They were on a 380 Yates/ford with a lot of hp. They should run great on a 408. You can easily find a manifold and the linkage. Stay away from the cheaper reproductions. I would like to have $1950 for all of it.

Let me know if you are interested.