Great success with Weber/Redline32/36 Single Two barrel setup Options

[pcdarks]

I have recently rebuilt my mother's 72 1.7L 914 engine. She bought it in 1976 and it sat unused in her garage from 1998 until she passed in 2013. I decided on the Weber/Redline single two barrel kit for three reasons.

1. My mother kept all of the receipts of work done and most of the last ones involved fixing the fuel injection and injectors.
2. I already have a full complement of cars and motorcycles so I gave the car to my son who has very little mechanical knowledge and a simple fuel system fit the need.
3. The guy that let me use his car lift to pull the drive train has 5 914s, 3-73,1-74 and one 76. He has put the same single carb system on all of his and has had no problems.

My first impression? The car starts easily and idles smoothly. It accelerates from a light easily and cruises at speed on the freeway with very little pedal. How is the power? Climbing from 4000 feet to over 7000 ft on interstate 80 in less than 10 miles was effortless. This is a system that will run well and be simple to work on in the future. The added bonus is that the engine compartment isn't cluttered with all of the wires and hoses involved with the FI.

[PCH]

They didn't deliver them with carbs because they had an eye on the smog regulations that were emerging.

I switched to dual Weber IDF 40s and appreciate the the reliability even in cold weather. My right foot has become the "brain" for my fuel system. Any start just requires the right amount of throttle priming.

The car came with D-jet fuel injection. When it ran, it was a work of beauty. But went it failed, it was a bitch to find the fault and repair it. In fact, each fault finding session took more time than it took to remove the FI and install the carbs.

The trade off for reliability was increased fuel consumption.

[Superhawk996]

They didn't deliver them with carbs because they had an eye on the smog regulations that were emerging.

A bit more context:

The majority of cars in the 1970's were carb equipped both Foreign and Domestic.

Although emissions standards were part of the Clean Air Act of 1963 and ammended in 1965, there wasn't any serious emissions regulation until 1968 model year. EPA didn't even come into existance until Dec 2, 1970.

The main issue with aircooled is high HC and NOx emissions. High HC at startup when things aren't yet fully expanded and sealing well, and high NOx when running from hot cylinder head temperatures (compared to water pumpers). IIRC VW Beetle did go to FI in 1975 but certainly the early 914's weren't as heavily emissions regulated and probably didn't require FI.

I drove several Mazda's, Datsuns, and Toyota's of that mid to late 70's era with carbs. But being watercooled, they didn't start from the emissions disadvantaged postion of air cooled boxer engines. IRRC all had air injection pumps to reduce unburned HC.

Not a carb hater -- had a 73' 1.7L (later rebuilt to 1911) that ran great on IDF's. But starting was quite a chore if the temperatures went single digit and below.

But at the end of the day . . . FI is superior from a mixture and emissions control perspective.

Glad OP's happy with car -- just drive & enjoy (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)