MTFCA Forum

I have a Ford NH that I would like to rebuild. I would like to know any differences between this one and a Holley NH. Are they the same internally?

Was it a lack of production capacity at Holley that caused Ford to start producing this carb under the Ford name? OR was there some other reason?

Thanks

The only difference I know of is the tag.

I’ve had several NH carbs, rebuilt a few with good results but never have run across a Ford NH.
Would it be more desirable since it’s a Ford NH? Always wondered about that.

James

Yes to that, Ford needed lots of carburetors, to keep production during the hot times of the mid-twenties. When Holley made the NH model, it was much better than the former design.


So to keep up demand, Ford acquired rights to mfg.
Ford was using both Kingston and Holley at the time, and couldn't keep up with production even with two types of carbs!




Finally, looks like Holly Co. got underway with a new factory nearby, likely that let Ford off the hook for mfg. the Ford tag versions. Plus later that new Holley factory made the Vaporizor carb for the rest of 1926 to the end in 1927.

Dan, Thanks for the information regarding production of carbs.

I will work on the Ford NH and will look for the internal air passages just as I would on the Holley NH. Will let you know what I find.

Thanks again for the responses.

OK How about the Ford F carburetor ? It seems to be the same as an NH.

Both are the same, Ford NH Ford F. Just different nomenclature used to describe. Quick look in the clubs carburetor book, says made by Ford under license from Holley. Does not call it out as a Model F.

OK How about the Ford F carburetor?

That's the name used on Ford's version of the NH.

Other than the tag, the only difference I noticed is 32 and MADE IN USA on the Holley version.

The big advantage of the NH was the ease of production and savings in material cost. The Kingston carbs were brass and had several machining steps that took at least some setup time and a machine operator who could run the machine.
The NH was the first carb after the cast iron Holley G - which took a lot of machining and the installation of several parts; the fuel jet, the Venturi, the idle feed holder screw, the idle feed tube, the plug, the seat, needle, hinge and float with two screws as well as the cover, adjuster and clamp nut. Also a choke.
All those parts cost money, took machine time and somebody to assemble them.


The NH, on the other hand, was much simpler and had very few parts.
The only real machining is the bottom to install the jet and boss for the seat, the top to accommodate the adjuster clamp nut, the idle passages, throttle shafts, choke shaft etc.
Assembly could be done by a blind monkey after half an hour of training.
I would guess production of the NH took ten to fifteen percent of the material cost and 25% of the machining time and far less than a third of the assembly time.
I've heard that Ford was paying Holley 30+ cents each for the NH, ten years earlier they were paying about $5 for the Kingston 5 ball.

By the way, the early version of the Ford NH has a screw plug on the side the later version does not.

For those of us who have Model T's made in Canada (domestic or export ), does anyone have an NH carb body that says Made in Canada?
I have looked at over a dozen bodies that I have here and none of mine say Made in Canada. Some do say Made in USA.
Could all the NH production have originated in the US through Holley and Ford?
Harry

If anyone has a brass bodied NH I am interested in buying one. I have heard they were made for marine engines.

Tom I had one and gave it to the MTFC museum for display. I believe it was Brian Dowell that had one. No one seems to know or have any information on them. If anyone has any information on them let’s hear it. Don

By the way Brians and mine were the later sway back type. Don

...the brass tag on my carburetor says Ford NH.

So apparently Ford used both names, NH and F.

I was working on this one today. It has the screw in vent like the early straight through NH’s and no data plate. It has Ford cast into the body, but is a swayback with the offset drain and long throttle and choke arms. Maybe it’s a transitional model.

Re; "By the way, the early version of the Ford NH has a screw plug on the side the later version does not." Just reassembled one of those. It has Ford cast into it with no name plate.