Holley G top question

[Mark Gregush]

When was the iron type top added to the Holley G? I have a brass/bronze 15-17 body that came with the iron top that reads Holley, Pat
Dec 22 1914, no Detroit. Is it correct for this carb? Right now it has the double arm choke but I have an iron single type to put on.

[Steve Jelf]

My guess would be that the cast iron top is from a later carburetor.

I think a pre-starter G will match this, except the original screws are steel.

[Corey Walker]

I’d think that the factory would keep the body and top made from the same materials but I’ve seen all sorts of combinations. You never know what was changed by owners through the years or maybe they came that way during the transition from brass to steel. I’m sure they just wanted it to run regardless appearance. I got a cast iron one once with a brass top without “Detroit” and some of the cast iron ones still have it. Then there are several different letter styles even from the beginning “Pats Pend.” ones.

[Mark Gregush]

We have another at the shop that also has the iron type top but also is the brass body with groove. They must have had a lot of different molds for the tops, none of mine are quite like the ones you show except 1, but are combinations of type faces. One the letter are crisp (without Detroit), the other the letters kinda bleed into the rim (with Detroit, like yours in the 2ed photo left)). To add to the confusion, Bruces book says; "The iron models had an extended choke arm for the choke pull rod used in the starter cars, and the word "Detroit" no longer was cast in the cover plate" If the cast iron bodies and tops were used in 1919 and 1920 with the no Detroit, then going by that, if the word "Detroit" is used it must be before 1919?

[Corey Walker]

I guess the cast iron ones must have came out some time before 1919, sometime in 1918 maybe, because there is a single choke arm version in cast iron. It’s more rounded and bulkier than the brass choke arm. That’s probably when the spray needles changed also from the brass T top that’s treaded on and pinned to the steel swaged on one.

[Mark Gregush]

Thank you Corey.