Be carful when you buy a restored carb!!

I needed a restored 4bbl Rochester carb for my 56 Oldsmobile and found an vendor on ebay.com by the name of :
SOUTHERN CARBS AND RC HOBBY

I specifically asked them, if the could come up with a rebuild Rochester 4 BBL carburetor as it used to be on the car as I would need the real original version.
They confirmed it and sent me the carburetor to Germany.
A few weeks later, when all the spare parts were around and we could work on the car, it turned out that the carb was totally wrong!

Ebay feedback had been given in the positive belief that all was fine! So, there are no answers on anymore on any request whatsover. The biz was done who cares what the problems are!!
Be careful when you buy a carburetor, make sure that you know what you need and make sure you get what you need!!!
Never be nice and give positive feedback at Ebay at an early time!

I found so many very nice guys in America when I was looking for parts, it is incredible, how many Americans stand up and help, but these guys were the worst vendor I ever had!

Thanks

 

You should've hit ****ster27 up on here... He does a ton of carbs!!!!!!!!

 

I can't believe how many guys get a box and put it on the shelf for months without opening it. I always open my **** and mock it up immediately in case it won't be right when I need it.

 

You are right, but pls do not forget that the car is not necessarily around when you get the parts and you have no clue, if the part really fits, before you have the car in front of you.
Also it is very difficult to tell, if the carb will fit, when an Offenhauser 3x2 intake manifold is ***embled, 3 x 2 carbs on it and the right manifold is on it s way from the USA and no comparison with an existing carb around.
So, finally, when the new intake manifold is available, the car is available and you try to put the parts together, you realize it is totally wrong..
My fault, I know, but if I make a mistake, I stand up and fix it and do not just hide and say nothing...

Chadillac, thanks very much, will see, if can get help there. We still have an old Rochester carb that we try to revive, will see, if that functions.

 

Wouldn't the first clue that you might not get the carb done right be "..and RC Hobby" ...?

 

As I said, I tried to sort it out with them and no reactions whatsoever...

 

Yea, I usually wait longer on money than parts. I could see it happening the other way around.

 

Did you bother to check out their website and read the policy before throwing out the cash? Site states that no refunds on misapplication at all. Quit buying **** off E-Bay and look elsewhere for your parts.

 

Thanks for the hint, point is that sitting 3000 miles away like me here in Germany, does not necessary give you the access to the market place that you guys have in the US

 

Another excellant - in your case might be better than the ****ster - is Jon, 'carbking' here on the hamb.

 

You have the internet just like us.Just punch up Rochester 4-barrel carbs for sale and you will see what I am talking about.Rebuild the one you have and save some bucks.

 

You are looking for a Rochester 4GC. Try a google search for it.

 

A 4bbl Rochester is what I got and it is sooooo wrong, it can t be anymore wrong...

 

What did he send to you, a Quadrajet?

 

You have to be real care buying Rochester 4 barrels, they have more than one bolt pattern, and more than one air cleaner size. There are adapters to fix both issues.

 

The problems are:
Wrong automatic choke
wrong base, no link for the vacuum tube
wrong accelerator linkage
too small throttle opening
these are just a few of them. I got a Rochester, but as I said it is wrong, nothing fits ....

 

Yes, show us what you recieved and maybe you can get some feedback on what to do. Pics????

 

Okay, this is what I got, just the accelerator linkage to be compared to the manual of the 56...

 

Take a look at this link:


http://www.thecarburetorshop.com/Carburetor_ID_Rochester_4G.htm


Just an oddity, but we use a picture of a 1956 Olds carb to show the tag and the occasionally stamped ID number on the 4-GC Rochester. Take a look at this section of your carburetor to see the identification number.


And before you ask, we took this picture BEFORE shipping the carburetor. We do not have a 1956 Olds 4-barrel carb in stock at this time. But the picture should help you identify the next carb you buy.


Sorry that someone in this country took advantage of you. If no one on these forums chimes in with a carburetor that is correct; try Packard Industries in Boonton, New Jersey. They have a decent selection of carbs for Olds, and the guy (Steve) that runs their carburetor section is a good friend and very knowledgable about carbs. Ask for him specifically.

One other suggestion: when attempting to buy a carburetor, GENERALLY one size does NOT fit all. I looked on the website and virtually all of the carburetors offered by this vendor are "multiyear" applications. Some of the commercial rebuilders do group carburetors in this manner, but the user is ALWAYS better served to determine the original identification number of the carburetor needed, and demand that (or a factory supercession) FOR ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT VEHICLES. As much of the demand on this forum is hot rod, the preceding sentence would not apply.

Jon.

 

Jon, thanks so much, it is always overwhelming, how much Americans stand up to help!!
We love to do our vacations in your country, nowhere you find so many friends in such a short time!!!

I am just coming from the my garage and the boys took the carb into pieces that came with the manifold. The friend from the cl***icoldsmobile.com forum helped me out with a manifold and left the theromostat and the carb on it. These parts were not really meant to be reused, but it turns out that the carb is not bad.
We will ultrasound clean it and then put some new gaskets in and I pray that we get it back to service. That is a REAL and ORIGINAL Olds carburetor.
If it turns out that it won t do, then I will get back on the phone and see if I find help with the guys you mentioned!!
Thanks again!

The_German

 

From my experience, the best bet is to get YOUR carburetor rebuilt or reconditioned. It may cost a few extra $$$ but you get back something that works. If you can't find a service through the alliance here, try Hemmings.

Bob

 

I guess I am too cheap but I can't grasp the concept of buying a replacement carburetor for one that you already had that could be rebuilt.

That said, have you researched the number on the carburetor that you received so that you can find out it's exact application so that you can resell it and recover at least some of the money?

 

one small thing to Ebay buyers. Don't leave feedback until you have the piece in your hand and it proves to be exactly what the seller said it was/exactly what you ordered. Many vendors ask you to post positive right away....I never do. Although I've not been burnt on an Ebay purchase yet, I will withhold any feedback until it's appropriate to post it.

Sorry you had a problem - rebuilding the correct part that you already have is almost always preferential to ordering a subs***ute from somebody that likes radio-controlled scale vehicles.

dj

 

I no longer buy from eBay. Too many problems. I do use them for reasurch.

 

Sounds like you need to plan your next vacation to visit Southern Carbs and RC Hobby to return your recent purchase (through the front window).

 

Great Idea ! Wicked 50 LMAO!

 

i bought a rebuilt edelbrock 1406 from carburetorshop above. it has worked flawlessly since i have had it four year(?). would absolutley use them again or anyone they would refer!

 

The ebay feedback time expires and I would have lost the feedback totally, which would have been better, most likely.

I bought the new carb, as my friend from the cl***icoldsmobile.com forum told me that his carb on the manifold was frozen and not far away from s****.

It takes a while until all the parts arrive in Germany, not a problem when they come by Fedex or UPS, but it is a lengthy story when we have to ship it in containers over seas and you want to put a heavy intake manifold into a container and not ship it by FEDEX.

You wait until you have enough volume for a container.
Then you wait that all docs are clear.
Then you wait for the transit, which is easily 2 weeks.
Then you need to strip the container and move the contents to the garage guys. Now the parts arrived, but you cannot move the car as in Germany we seem to have invented the rain, so you do no want to move the precious "old metal" in rain.

So week by week goes by until finally you bring the parts and the car together and then comes the ugly wake up phase...
I will see what I do with the carb, I may want to frame it and nail it to the wall!!

When I come to America for vacations, I just want to have fun and do not want to fight with vendors who do not know what they are doing!
You can drive in America so easily and you get away with mistakes that you would be killed for in Germany!
Nice people over at yours!!!

You guys certainly know that we have no speed limit on the Autobahns...

 

Next time you need parts just post a note here on the Hamb. Most of us realize how difficult the sourcing and shipping issue is for 'you' guys and we are willing to help as much as we can.

.

 

Will do, 73RR, but I did so some times and I had no success! May be that the requests were too specific... Just search for the user name The_German and you will see the posts...