1968 4300 Carb Choke Parts

[franklinair]

Help!
I have 2 4300 4BBL carburetors (overhauled), 1 for my C/S and the one I promised to Bob Teets. Both need the choke unit (black phenolic & spring) to make them complete and useable.
If anyone has spares, or knows where I can get them, it would be much appreciated.

Neil:sad:

 

[murf104]

Neil, for what this is worth, I needed one of these a year or so ago and searched all over with no luck. Called Jon at Pony Carb and I gathered he has them although he pretty much said that I did not know what I was doing and that he had never seen one of these go bad and that I probably needed to just let him repair the carb because no one else in the WORLD could fix it and that the choke/spring assembly was not what was needed. I was polite and thanked him for his advice. Later I found a used - to put it kindly- 4300 that had the correct housing/spring assembly and used that to complete mine. You might call Pony and see if they will sell you the parts. Maybe I caught him on a bad day. Most of the early 4300 carbs seem to have been tossed and parts are few and far between. After looking at what was offered in the way of new choke spring/housings I decided that there were none in the regular automotive replacement channels. If you can locate a source for new choke spring/plastic housings I hope you share the vendor with us.

 

[franklinair]

Good ol NAPA. I have 2 choke units ordered, will be here Thursday. When I have them in hand I'll check them out & let you know. On mine, both phenolic housings were broken. By the way- I had 2 4300's overhauled by a carb shop in Miami. First class but not concourse as far as the gold alodine finish. $160 for overhaul.

Neil

 

[6t8-390gt]

Neil,
When you get those NAPA parts will you post a picture. I too have a couple 4300's needed the same parts. The '67 version is different from the '68 choke.

Danny

 

[murf104]

Neil, did the NAPA guy give you a part number for these? I looked and looked on NAPA .com but found nothing. Too damm old and crabby to fool with on line shopping, I guess!

 

[murf104]

The cap and spring that I ended up using was marked "EX" and it works as it should. Ford had another that they listed for the C8ZF-D that caused me untold problems with cold starts. When it was set to fully close the choke it would then never open all of the way, and when one set it to open when hot it would not completly close. Drove me nuts, so check carefully the performance of what you get. When they are right it works as it should but there are many variations of spring tension and you will pull out your hair.

 

[franklinair]

When I get them Thurs I'll give you the P/N. When I went to the store, I told them Autolite/Ford 4300 for a '68 302. He went into their computer and came up with a P/N. Photo looked accurate. We'll see.

Neil

 

[J_Speegle]

........... First class but not concourse as far as the gold alodine finish. $160 for overhaul.

Neil - what was wrong with the finish? Too dark..... light.....?

 

[franklinair]

From what I have seen, heard, and been told over the years (correct or incorrect) "concourse' was described as the gold anodized finish. My carb (prev o'hauled by Pony Carbs by prev owner) has a dull gold anodized finish. The second carb (I believe to be original) is a dull silver/pot metal finish. I don't have a clue as to which would be considered concourse.
When I was a kid working in my dad's garage, we soaked carbs in a cleaning solution (now banned by EPA) and they were always the gold (primarily Rochester) or pot metal (Autolite/Ford). I do not know what the MCA position is on this, but I aim for crisp cleanliness & function, as I drive my cars- not for concourse level of 'correct'.

Neil

 

[murf104]

Neil, did you get the choke cap and spring from NAPA? I looked on their web site and never could come up with a part number.

 

[J_Speegle]

If it would help here is a picture of a NOS one boxed in. 68 Base is bare, body is dyed a goldish color (not anodized but have hear people describing it as such)

Had a bunch of these years ago that I purchased from a high school. Ford had donated a bunch of stuff back in the 68's and it sat on shelves for years.

 

[franklinair]

The ones I got from NAPA do not have the adapter to accept the copper line from the exhaust manifold. Back to square one. Here's a photo of the broken one that I have. It has a fitting on it to accept the copper tubing from the exhaust manifold.

Neil