Feature Articles - Hot VWs - April 2006

FROM RAGS TO RICHNESS

JayCee Enterprises shows how they revive "trash-canned"
original Made in Italy Weber 48 IDA carburetors

BY ROBERT K. SMITH

Many of today's enthusiasts and engine builders are veering more toward turbochargers and fuel injection, or both, when it comes to high performance. However, there are still quite a few who would rather stay "old school" and rely on carburetion for their power-plant, and their carb of choice for many years has been the original Weber 48 IDA, which was made in Italy in the early '60s. By the late '80s, production moved to Spain, where the Made in Italy embossing was replaced with Made in "blank" and then it was discontinued in the mid '90s. Three years ago though, in September of 2003, because of its popularity, and that new IDAs were hard to find, the Weber 48 IDA was remanufactured.

For quite a few VW builders, the reissued "Made in Blank" embossed 48s did not cut it, so they kept their eyes open at swap meets, and checked the classifieds, hoping to come across the original Italian inhalers that they can rebuild. Jack Sacchette, of JayCee Enterprises, has been redoing Made in Italy Weber 48 IDAs for twenty years, and he's still at it. When we stopped by his shop, his ace IDA rebuilder, Gary Larson, had just taken two original IDAs out of the trash cas, and began to turn them into treasure. A fitting phrase here is "one man's junk is another man's treasure."

Gary's first task was to dismantle these early IDAs that are identified by studs and nuts (for top cover, velocity stacks, and jet screens), plus a float bowl drain plug, brass squirters, and embossings of BREVETTATO as well as E above W and MADE IN ITALY on the floar bowl exterior, and more embossed lettering of CARBURATORE over WEBER and BOLGNA ITALY on the top cover. Right off the bat, his parts list included two $50 major overhaul kits (with new float, top cover gasket, jet screens, seals, o-rings, and some hardware), a throttle shaft (one was MIA), velocity stacks, mixture screws, and jet screens. When he discovered that the throttle shaft screws were stubborn, heat by torch and a drill were in order, before the throttle valves (more commonly called butteflies) could be removed. This shaft also had a broken threaded end, so two shafts ($65 each) were necessary for this rebuild, not to mention two bearings (with compression spring cover, spring, and leather dust cap) per shaft. Before the shaft can be removed, however, its pinned cam (for accelerator pump) and throttle return spring has to be freed; at this point, the pump lever/throttle return spring assembly is also taken off its pivot shaft. Moving to the "top end", Gary removed the nuts so he could take-off the carb's cover plate and dismantle its components (stacks and all studs, needle valve assembly, fuel filter/cover). Next, the body's remanining components were yanked: two squirters, followed by the pair of auxiliary venturis; stock 37mm venturis; four jet stacks (F7 emulsion tube with 135 main, 120 air, and one 70F10 idle in #120 holder); spindle/float; pump exhaust valve at bottom of the floar bowl; accelerator pump assembly (and its bushing); and the body's seven 5mm studs.

As far as finding new parts to replace missing, worn-out, or broken pieces, Jack called CB Performance (in Farmersville, California), and talked to Rick Tomlinson, who in turn contacted Interco Products Corporation in Hauppauge, New York. Within two weeks, the requested parts were at JayCee, and assembly could take place, right after the bodies and top plates were bead-blasted and thoroughly cleaned. Since Jack had seom new take-off stacks on hand, as well as new butterflies, and four new ball bearings, the parts list for CB included: two major overhaul kits; two throttle stop screws and springs; three idle jets/holders; two throttle shafts/screws; four nuts and lock washers; eight air horn (velocity stack) fixing tabs; and twenty-six 5mm Nylock lock nuts. Parts cost here of $390 (not including new stacks at $25 each) and Jack's labor charge of $150 (for each carburetor) may deter a few from rebuilding a pair of old and crusty "left for dead" Made in Italy Weber 48 IDA carbs, but if you're one who will only settle for these early Italian horsepower adders, then you could convert a not-as-thrashed pair (needing fewer new parts) from rags to richness. Follow the photo sequence to get a better idea of what it takes to revive these amazing fuel atomizers that produce a distinctive "bark" every time the pedal's to the metal. For more about rebuilding to factory specs or converting the 48 IDA to 51.5mm with enlarged float bowls, call Jack Sacchette at JayCee Enterprises, or CB Performance for parts; check the source box. Happy Horsepower!