Has anybody ever found an nos unused carb?

[omaha]

I wonder if any carbs made it out of the factory through the "back door" so to speak.
I would like to see a nice color picture of one just to see what the various plating and new parts looked like when new.  I've read that the some metal parts (like the choke flap) had a "gold looking" plating [cad?] that turned more of a silver/nickel after a certain period of time depending on use. I guess due to heat cycles and such. Some that I have taken apart look nickel plated on the choke and the secondary flaps. Some are rusty. Some have carbon on them.  I was thinking that maybe when  plating the carb, I might nickel plate the steel parts as to recreate the look of the carb after some use. I'm thinking that originally this change from gold to silvery/nickel probably didn't take too long. My buddy disagrees and says that it should look just the same as it came off the assembly line with the goldish plating. From a viewpoint of a pure restoration back to original, what would be best? I noticed that the edelbrock q-jets in the book have the "nickel-looking" choke plate and airflap. The only reason that I am asking is that a frien of mine wants me to do a carb for his formula firebird. I know this car will end up at the local pontiac show out here and I am wondering how the judges grade the carb restoration. Any comments welcome.

[Cliff Ruggles]

The exact color to use for restoration purposes is a topic of some debate.

They changed the "color" of many of the small parts over the years of production.  As the 1970's approached, we started seeing green telfon coated parts, accl pump arm, links, shafts, etc.

I've purchased new NOS units that had never been unwrapped and they had shiney choke flaps and secondary airflaps. 

Most shops use the yellow chromate on the metal parts.  Folks are used to seeing Ebay photo's of fully "restored" carbs for sale that look like big gold nuggets.  Most have Eastwood spray painted castings, some are chemically "dipped", other cadmium plated, and some are zinc/chromated in simliar fashion to the factory units.


We have settled on zinc chromated castings, tin/zinc plated small parts with yellow chromate on them.  Seems to keep most folks happy, but we will leave off the yellow on the steel parts upon request....Cliff

[omaha]

thanks for reply Cliff. I am going to ask the plater here in town about the specifics of the types of plating he has available. He said he is familiar with plating carbs. I'll ask about the zinc chromating and the tin zinc. I'm sure any plater with enough experience should be able to change the shade a bit if needed.
        I agree with you on the "gold nugget" effect. I would like to avoid it. I dont think it looks right.  I'm doing a carb for a guy now and he says he doesn't want it plated. Hard to sell the plating to the 4WD crowd.
      I think the plating is a good idea just for the protection it provides. What would be the best argument to convince someone to plate their carb?
      Again, thanks soo much for taking the time to actually give the responses back to all these questions.
It's not to often that a forum takes on this kind of personal service. And I KNOW your'e busy these days!

[Cliff Ruggles]

Thanks.

Use CAUTION going to a commercial plating shop to do the castings.  They are fine for the steel parts, but we've had quite a few customers hire plating shops to "dunk" castings and the basket comes up EMPTY.

There really isn't that much control of the "shade" or color.  The amount of lead (and other items in the "recipe") changed over the years, the early castings tend to come out darker and "green".  Later castings lighter and yellow/gold.  I'm guessing they were using less lead in the later castings, or more zinc, etc.

The condition of the casting(s) also effect the results, heavily weathered/oxidized castings come out lighter, general rule of thumb....Cliff