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12A carburetor/intake indecision - All advice welcomed!
I'd like to make this an every day driver before I go nuts and try to possibly turn it into an autocross or track car way down the road. I'm not sure I'm looking to do a full restore either - with the cosmetics needing a lot of work, I'd rather hold off until I decide if I want to restore it or make it a track toy. I'm trying to figure out the best course of action to breathe some life back into my 12A. Aside from replacing the starter/battery cables this is were it's at right now (brace yourself for lack of vacuum line horror):
Experience with the seller:
I was skeptical since I knew there should have been a mess of vacuum lines, but I drove it with the seller for about 2 hours before I agreed to purchase it. It was very hard to get running, but it stayed running (barely) the whole time we were out (also pouring rain the whole time). It didn't drive great, was very touchy with too much or not enough throttle, but I figured it was poor carburetor tuning and took a gamble that I could sort it out. Probably a bit of a risk since despite being a mechanic for years I've never worked on or owned a carbureted vehicle.
The original intake plenum and carburetor were replaced with the the Holley stuff that's on there now, and I'm very open to scraping it for stock (if I can find it) or something better. I'm not sure how he rigged it to work, but he's actually got an oil line wedged in the top of one of the carburetor blade. When I look at the repair manuals I have I freak out at how many vacuum lines are just straight up missing and now I'm looking for a way to get and keep this thing running long enough to use it for a summer before I think about longer term plans (maybe autoX or track, but maybe also a restore).
If anyone has any suggestions on getting this back up and running I'd love to hear your thoughts. As far as other areas that I know may need trouble shooting eventually too, I know that the exhaust had at least the catalytic converter cut out and "straight pipes" "welded" in. It looks like slag city down there. Thanks.
Nothing too shocking looking actually. I like the Alternator bracket as a throttle cable bracket! The intake is a RacingBeat brand set up, and is very popular. Removing the rat's nest of vacuum lines and solenoids is also a very popular conversion. The two oil lines run into the primaries should be plumbed differently. On the front alternator side of the carb, on the primary fuel bowl, is a plug (the sight plug). When RB sells these carbs they replace that plug with a nipple, and you tee the two oil lines together and attach to that nipple. The engine needs this oil mixed into the fuel (like a chainsaw) for lubrication in the chambers. Note - ther is also a vaccuum nipple in this area (on the metering block) for the Distributor's vaccuum advance. But the oil line nipple will be on the fuel bowl (if you have one). It'll work the way it is, but I hate to see you driving around without a filter on it. Heck, maybe it's running rough because the mice have been storing acorns down there. Get a filter.
lol, I didn't even notice the filter wasn't in those shots. It does have one that's kind of dorrito shaped, but has a cut on the flange to allow the oil lines in there since it's rigged. It's still under the tarp, so ill have to snag some more pictures soon. I've been dragging it out since I figure tuning it with low temps is prob unreliable... Or maybe I'm just lazy, lol.
Get a stock nikki and intake and throw that Holley in a lake. Once you get it running with the nikki, it will be amazing. Since you are missing the rats nest (vacuum lines) the nikki will have to be stripped down a bit. Lots of threads on how to do that here. Also, the stock stripped nikki can be modded easily to make it breathe as well as that holley but I would hold off on those mods until you a stock stripped nikki working.
I'm digging around in the classifieds now, but any suggestions for where else I may find one? I see a lot of carbs for rebuild services, but not the actual carb.
Watch the classifieds here. I just sold a rebuilt, stripped, accelerator pump modded Nikki w/heat spacer and orig manifold for $150 to a fellow forum member. They're on epay for $300-$350 also.
Where in New England are you? I have a pair of stock 12a intakes/carbs. I have not seen either of them run. One was stripped down to barebones functionality, the other has most of the original linkages still intact and definitely came off an '85. If you're interested in rebuilding a Nikki, I'm sure you can make one of them run with a rebuild kit, and you can practice some of the mods suggested on the forum with the other. Send me a PM if interested.
Where in New England are you? I have a pair of stock 12a intakes/carbs. I have not seen either of them run. One was stripped down to barebones functionality, the other has most of the original linkages still intact and definitely came off an '85. If you're interested in rebuilding a Nikki, I'm sure you can make one of them run with a rebuild kit, and you can practice some of the mods suggested on the forum with the other. Send me a PM if interested.
Much respect to chuyler1 for the carbs, goodies, and advice. I'll post some pictures once I re-build these guys and put them into action. Thanks again!
03-16-19, 11:28 AM
12A carburetor/intake indecision - All advice welcomed!
