Manual Choke Wire From Carburetor to Radiator

[MichaelPawelek]

The choke wire sold by the vendors is brittle and if you have to “un-bend” the end on the carburetor the wire breaks easily. Am I installing wrong or is there a solution?

[Scott_Conger]

You are most likely, like most everyone else, bending the wire all the way around in a 180 degree bend.

Wrong

The wire should be bent 90 degrees to hook through the choke lever and then immediately bend 90 degrees BACK where the wire is once again pointing toward the firewall (and not the front of the car).

When the carb is removed from the manifold, a slight twist of the wrist liberates the choke lever from the wire and presto-magico, everything is free.

The wire from the firewall bell-crank is similarly formed and similarly releases from the choke lever.

[Norman Kling]

A piece of welding rod works quite well. Or you can just use a stiff wire from the hardware store.
Norm

[Retro54]

Kind of hard to see here but my choke rods are just old silver coat hangars. Works really well for the choke. On the other hand, not good for the carb needle adjustment. I shaped that out for an actual rod. Ha!

[Scott_Conger]

Andrew

If you do not know what that pipe is that is sticking out of the exhaust manifold and would LIKE to know, send me an email (I don't want to drift this thread)

[Original Smith]

I have a NOS priming wire that I use for a pattern. I use welding rod to make it from. I bend the loop around a deep socket, and then bend the other end just like the original. I believe you can find a picture in the Ford Service book.

[Steve Jelf]

Here's the front end of the choke wire I made for my 1915. For the brass era car I used incorrect 3/32" brass welding rod and wrapped it around a deep socket as Larry says. The material used in chorke wires changed several times. Correct for my 1915 would be copper coated steel. For my black era car I used 3/32" steel welding rod. A more recent picture would not show a rubber grommet in the hole. It doesn't take long for those to wear out and fall off.

Here's the back end of the wire as Scott described it. No need to unbend anything.

[Original Smith]

I would put a brass flat washer under your radiator mounting stud to keep the nut from messing up your radiator side panel.

[MichaelPawelek]

Thanks for all the reply’s. Made one from a “real” coat hanger. Looks great and is a bit sturdier than the bought ones….