I need a float for my Model A's stock tank. They're only $1.50 from Mac's but $6.95 s&h is just silly for such a cheap part. What are these cork floats covered with to keep the fuel from eating them up? Just wondering if it would be worth it to get stuff locally and make my own.
Hi,don't use cork float. The stock model A parts catalogs have plastic floats that actually float.Milo
The original Ford coarks were not coated at all. Years ago I coated the tank on my 28 sedan with Fuller's fuel tank slushing compound. I used a hardware store cork, and dipped it in the slushing compound. It worked fine. Today's gasolines may have adatives/alcohol that might attack the compound. Now, you would probably be better off using one of the plastic floats made as cork replacements.
Thanks guys. Searched a little and found this thread: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1269 Say to use shellac? Interesting. I think the neoprene float sounds like the best idea yet. I didn't see that on my original search, thanks for the tip!
Get the plastic one. The original ones were coated with shellac which is soluable in alcohol. Don't know what the new cork ones are coated with. I have seen a few original ones sink "recently".
Shellac is thined with alcohol = modern fuel has same ! If for some reason you need to coat a float nowdays use modern tank sealer that is alcohol proof. Main reason floats were coated was to keep them from absorbing fuel and getting heavy/sinking. Carb floats into the early 30s were often made of cork,ditto tank floats even later.
Anyone know if the neoprene part Mac sells is a "standard" part? Meaning, is it something I could pick up at a local parts house if I knew it's "other application"? I'm not trying to get around Mac's here as I've bought thousands of dollars worth of parts from them and am very satisfied. Sometimes it's just easier to shop local.
Couldn't a guy just scavenge around and pull a float out of any old carb, then wire it to the float arm and be done with it? All it has to do it float on the surface.
I've been using the float from a Holley 94 for the last three years. Just solder it to the gauge arm. No worries.
Sounds like a good excuse to find a few more things you need from Mac's to me! Seriously, like others have said, anything that floats will work. I've used old carb floats and mounted them on the arm.
Really? I never would have thought it would be THAT buoyant! I have some 94 parts laying around on the work bench (combining parts from a few incomplete carbs to make one usable). Fortunately I'm almost out of gas, so I'll give it a shot this weekend and report back. Thanks guys!
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