The 'E' Type Forum

The probably hardest or at least most surprising part of this project is that so many parts in engine/gearbox area don't work together. I thought I bought a car, disassembled, but that had been running when the seller had imported it from the US. Not that the seller lied, I just assumed... So engine and ancilleries were placed in the car, but e.g. the head (I know now) was just loose on the block. Fortunately the major parts are good, cylinders have no wear (std size), gearbox is not worn etc.
But it's a damn puzzle...

And now to my question, the three SUs. They should be HD8, they are, and I've worked on HDs on a Mk2 before. But have I got the right SUs?

The float chamber on the rear carb was pointing forward, it has to point backwards, easy to turn, but just goes to show, this has been assembled for selling the non-running car, it hasn't run.

Q1: to me the front and middle SU look the same, if there are supposed to be differences, what are they?

Q2: the rear carb has no choke thingies on it, the front and middle one have. Is that right? Gut feeling would be "no", they must be the same all three, but Parts Catalogue says rear is the same as middle ”except that Abutment Bracket (8756) and Cable Clamp (8757) are not fitted”. Can I use this carb?

Q3: Would anybody have a picture of 3 SU from early E-Type from the bottom?

First picture is before I turned rear float chamber

The rear carb isn't an E Type one.

The rear carb bell top is too high and it lacks the unique E type choke mechanism.

Check also that it has the slow idle screw, some HD8's don't. As long as it does you should be able to buy the choke parts from Burlen and machine the bell top down in a lathe to the correct height.

You will also need a different float chamber cap. These are common to most HD* carbs so shouldn't be too hard to get.

At least you appear to have the right manifolds and water rail etc.

Your front and middle carbs are probably right. The front one should have the take off for the vacuum advance. The middle one has a longer choke lever with 2 holes and should have the bracket for the choke cable.

Welcome to the horror of someone else's stalled restoration.

"It's all there in boxes",
"It was running/driving before I disassembled it"
"the engine is fine/just needs rings and bearings"
"90% of the work is done, just needs some simple reassembly"
"X, Y and Z have already been rebuilt by an expert in the field"

Excellent answers DWW and Andrew.

So I have two ways to go, get the rear carb to be an E-Type-like carb by machine work, or get another. Not a numbers match car, so I can consider both options.

-If getting another correct carb, what would be a good source/vendor for a rear carb, off an E-Type, preferably used to match the others, and needing a rebuild?

-And what should I look for to get the right one? Numbering? Obviously the choke function, so it's for an E-Type, but what's the easy way to spot that it's a "rear" carb?

"Welcome to the horror of someone else's stalled restoration." Indeed. Won't do that again...

Got it sorted now, what I need. So I posted this in "Wanted"
Complete centre carb, or at least jet housing with long arm, AUC.8654. Used condition ok, needing rebuilding ok