Hi all. Can anyone identify this accessory? There is a small hole from the manifold aperture which I presume runs through to the threaded spigot (Couldn't blow through it but maybe just blocked). The brass cylinder unscrews to reveal another mysterious fitting resembling a cotton reel, although the chamber its in seems to be isolated. On the base of the cylinder there is a knurled thumb nut - possibly for an electrical contact. It has me stumped - what is it?
Andrew
These gimmicks were called Sub Carburetors. Twenty or more brands were made, perhaps more. You can find vintage advertisements for these in old issues of Ford times and in early JC Whitney, Pep Boys and Western Auto catalogs, to name just a few.
Claims were (of course) more power, less gas used. And as always the device made the car run badly and didn't do any of the things it promised.
Value is low, and for goodness sakes don't put it on your car. A great conversation piece as garage art goes.
Thanks for your reply Royce. Gimmick indeed. I'd like to see just what outrageous claims of performance improvement were made in the ads for this particular one, and a description of how it supposedly worked. This one is a little more elaborate than others I've seen. Does anybody have an ad showing this brand?
Andrew
I could see how 'swirling' the mixture might help improve combustion. It works on boilers, but they are forced air and the burners are designed with the 'swirling vanes' large enough as to not restrict flow. That thing looks like it would put a real damper on the incoming air. I am curious as to what was to go into the fitting and what the deal under the knob was supposed to have done.
Here's one advertisement from 1922.
There were several companies that made these. One similar was made by Weeks Super Carburetor Company. 60 miles to the gallon, and first time every time starting even at ZERO degrees.
Most of these devices purported to give better gas mileage on "atomized" gasoline. Promises of NO MORE carbon build-up and no oil pumping on the #1 cylinder.
"A fool and his money..." Well, you know the rest.
Here is the Weeks, it works by the driver choking the motor to stall, then the excess gasoline goes in the pot. Upon re-start there is extra gas going in Yeeeuuuppp.
They are still making this type of "improvement", or at least they were a year or two ago. Remember the Tornado atatchment for the intake on the fuel injected cars? These things just crack me up, with all of the high gas prices and the demands of the consumers, don't you think the auto industry would have used these gimmicks years ago if they actually worked? Dave