I've got an early MK locost in, crossflow engine 711m block, set of webers looking very ropey, various bits missing, other bits corroded, not even the flexible mountings are there

It strikes me that by the time this lot is put right, it might be better telling the owner to go in for a set of bike carbs, although I expect a different manifold will be needed?

Opinions sought

Stick with them. They really wont need much work doing I doubt. They probably look a darn sight worse than they are.

Needs a throttle linkage (£50) and some misab plates and thackary washers (£20) and then a refurb with new gaskets, check float height and away you go.

Much cheaper than bike carbs as you already have the bulk the the parts.

Homemade manifold and £50 for bike carbs, bingo, welcome to smooth tickover and 40mpg

[Edited on 2/4/09 by coozer]

Something of a divergence in the opinions so far!

if they are going to be binned can i have them?

I would stick with the 40's, if you go bike carb route now you will have a lot more work and expense - Manifold, carbs, airbox/filter, etc.

But also if you did decide to go down the bike route you could also sell the 40's for a small profit.

Decisions, decisions.

If you have a lathe and can make up the fuel rail components to respace the carbs, bike carbs can be done very cheaply.

I have respaced ZX6R carbs [can be bought for under £40 on ebay]. These are mounted to the head using the original bike carb inlets, which are bolted to a 5mm Ali plate, cut to fit the Zetec head.

The carbs work much better than Webbers and are very easy to set up.

Cost

Carbs £40
Inlets £10
Ali plate £10
plus a few quid to make up the respaced fuel pipe.

Like Coozer said, you get a car that runs really well and [on my 2.0 Zetec] does 40 mpg.

Stu

Do an ebay check on the price of 600cc bike carbs - last time I looked the cost of CBR600 ones had rocketed (£15 up to £75+).

I fitted bike carbs cos I couldn't afford a set of Weber DCOEs - I'd try and get them working properly, if they were mine!

take a peak at the condition inside.

the caps under the wing nuts make tem look a lot worase. remove, paint silver nadthey look brank new.

if the internals are ok, and jetted correctly, I would sitck with them.

throttle linkage can be welded up from steel rod and plate.

you'll need the spacers between carbs and manifold plus thackery (or rubber cup washers).

indidentally that filter is not ideal; rule of tumb I was told many mmons ago when you were still running round in a nappy was that the filter element height should be at least that of the carb bore.

as above, take a look inside the webers.

To be honest, if they are corroded inside, they are pretty much scrap, as you can spend more than they are worth chasing running problems.