ConcoursMustang Forums
Restoring - General discussions that span across many different groups of years and models => Drivetrain => Topic started by: TLea on January 03, 2018, 01:00:03 PM
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Who are people using for Autolite 4100 Restorations? This would be concours Restoration not just rebuild. Thanks
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Email sent.
I used this guy and he seemed very knowledgeable.
Best to talk to him first.
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My brother rebuilds these carburetors too. He rebuilt mine. He is a certified automotive/diesel mechanic and also does restoration/fabrication etc... Very knowledgeable. 20+ years of experience. He built my engine too.
Charges $200 and he will buy the carb rebuild kit for you (ethanol resistant parts). What he doesn't do is the "Dichromate" finish. But I prefer my 52 year old carb to have some patina on it. ;)
Here is his contact info:
Jason T
cell: 208 - nine nine nine - 00 two four
He lives in Boise Idaho.
Give him a call.
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Rebuild, remanufacture, and even the common usage of the word "restoration" processes will not return a Ford 2100/4100 family carburetor back to a close approximation how it would have looked as Ford bolted them to new engines. New 2100/4100 carburetors had parts using many different finishes.
I will state up front that most of my research involves the Ford 4100 used in new Cobras 1962-64 and 428 PI equipped 427 Cobras in the CSX32xx chassis range. While concentrating on O.E.M. Ford carburetors for those vehicles I crossed paths with many models 2V and 4V. The carburetors I found interesting are ones that were new car take offs (I have a few and have pictures of others.) and genuine made in the production runs new old stock carburetors (I have a few.) I found it interesting that a 2V and 4V carburetor assembled in the same time frame had the same finishes and color codes for any part or assembly technique they shared. Carburetors of the same engineering numbers assembled later not only did not have the same finishes and color codes but often not the same small parts. Said another way a 1962 engineering assembly put together in 1965 used some parts like a 1965 made carburetor would have.
To "restore" every 2100 or 4100 covering years of production with the same small parts as applicable and same finishes would historically be a mistake. In the 1980s there was a man that expended a lot of effort to return popular 4100 models for Mustangs to as close to a day one appearance as he could. I thought he did very well, especially with the two big die cast aluminum parts. Unfortunately his services cost so much, on the order of $800 in 1980s dollars, he did not do many before ending such difficult restorations. I spent some time with him one day and he was glad to be appreciated but he would not tell me how he deep cleaned the aluminum die castings such that the looked very much like new made instead of restored. The platings I did not need coaching on because I have by that time already dismantled a rare carburetor into collections of different substrates and finishes, hunted refinishers, and sent the parts off to get day one type finishes. It was a lot of trouble and involved several refinishers in multiple states. The finished carburetor sure looked like a new old stock one but I decided right then I did not want to go through that again.
As an example of how many different "appearances" there were I created this general list this morning based on a couple new car take off C4OF-9510-AL carburetors.
Aluminum die castings exactly as molded except for secondary machining operations. (Once damaged chemically or mechanically as cast surfaces will never look just like day one again.)
Brass machined and or wrought with no add on finish. (Once damaged chemically or mechanically as manufactured surfaces will almost never look just like day one again without lots of fine detail work.)
Dye: Dye daub or dip in black dye on just a small section of a part.
Dye: Steel stamped zinc plated then dipped, complete part coverage, in black dye.
Dye: Steel wrought protected with bright zinc plated and then lightly coated with pink dye.
Grease pencil mark, light blue color.
Grease pencil marks, black color.
Grease pencil marks, scarlet red type color.
Nylon? type thermoplastic natural (no colorant added - common reproductions are pigmented "white").
Paint daubs in a vermillion type color.
Paint daubs in a safety yellow type color.
Steel stamped protected by completely leached clear dichromate.
Steel wrought and machined protected leached clear zinc / zinc dichromate (most of the time a noticeable amount of iridescence).
Steel wrought and machined protected leached clear zinc / zinc dichromate with various depths of "color" depending on part.
Steel wrought and stamped protected by leached clear zinc / zinc dichromate (just a hint of iridescence).
Steel wrought and stamped protected with zinc plating zinc dichromated iridescent yellow conversion coating. (Common modern restored parts are usually deeper in color than original finishes.)
Steel wrought and stamped steel plated in bright zinc (no yellow, no gold, and no iridescence).
Steel wrought protected by gray phosphate and oil.
Zinc die castings protected with bright yellow (no iridescence) zinc chromate.
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Great post, thanks for sharing. I've also found varying finishes/plating on all the bits and pieces. Quite different than what some of the 'concours' restoration services, where they usually just do everything in zinc w/dichromate. I prefer to restore carburetors myself these days as I have not been able to get consistent nor correct finishes on the parts. I've had shops ruin the carb body by blasting them with coarse/abrasive media.
Paying to have a small batch of zinc and zinc w/dichromate isn't terribly expensive. I'd rather pay the extra to make sure it's all like it should be.
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Great post, thanks for sharing. I've also found varying finishes/plating on all the bits and pieces. Quite different than what some of the 'concours' restoration services, where they usually just do everything in zinc w/dichromate. I prefer to restore carburetors myself these days as I have not been able to get consistent nor correct finishes on the parts. I've had shops ruin the carb body by blasting them with coarse/abrasive media.
Paying to have a small batch of zinc and zinc w/dichromate isn't terribly expensive. I'd rather pay the extra to make sure it's all like it should be.
You are welcome. The tough pieces are the two large aluminum die castings. If they are damaged it is a waste of time for me to mess with them on my behalf. Everything else can be dealt with one way or another.
I have helped Cobra owners come up with correct functional carburetors for their cars. I do not restore them but I help find great cores and fix any issues they have, most often missing or incorrect parts but sometimes damaged or modified parts. It takes me on average three (3) carburetors and a few parts purchased loose from a given time frame to come up with 100% of the parts one (1) would have had originally. On one commercially "restored" assembly that a Cobra owner had already purchased every screw and washer in the assembly was something brand new that just looked sort of like what Ford used. I bought a fantastic condition common Galaxie model made the same month and rendered all the way down to the little press in core plugs to UN-restore the "restored" carburetor the best I could.
I also come across, in commercially restored units, modified or incorrect calibrated parts (jets and auxiliary booster clusters) in high performance models of carburetors, rare parts of rare assemblies. Some auxiliary booster clusters are really hard to find as loose parts.
Carburetor wise I concentrate on Cobras and a lesser degree 427 Cobras so I can discuss what I know about the Ford and Holley brand carburetors used in Cobras with XHP-260, HP260, HP289, 1965 427 8V (CSX31xx 427 Cobras) and 428 PI (CSX32xx 427 Cobras) engines. I do not know much about the carburetors for XHP-260 as they seem to be engineering prototypes (Ford and Holley) and I have yet to find one to examine. I have a sample of the carburetors Ford installed on HP260s. The C3OF-AJ and C4OF-AL models I know well. I know some about the ultra rare C4OF-AT model that just thirteen Cobras used. I am very familiar with the Holley R-3259/R-3259-1s, only three new Cobras finished in 1965 used them, because so many have ended up on Cobras as post production accessories. I am familiar with the R-3259 Prototypes made during the fall of 1964 and the 2-4V carburetors of 1967 GT500s (Perhaps the best designed "factory" 2-4V system ever. Tuned well the 1967 GT500 is a marvelous driver and performer. )
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Wow, very interesting and what a wealth of knowledge!
I don't know if you are one to document your findings but if you would, it would be a wonderful piece of reference material. Bob Mannel's Small Block Ford book comes to mind. ;)
Do you have a any pictures of some of those unique carburetors?
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Wow, very interesting and what a wealth of knowledge!
I don't know if you are one to document your findings but if you would, it would be a wonderful piece of reference material. Bob Mannel's Small Block Ford book comes to mind. ;)
Do you have a any pictures of some of those unique carburetors?
Circa 2002 I noticed that the same questions arose over and over so I started recording everything in some manner. Cobra/ 427 Cobra wise I have something like 15,000 pictures of details of unrestored cars, dozens of commentaries on many subjects, dozens of reverse engineered part drawings, photo copies of many SAI race shop drawings, and hundreds of holotype parts saved as samples. Most parts are just as removed, carefully labeled inventoried, and stored. About half the used parts I know what Cobra or 427 Cobra they came from. And many new old stock parts saved as holotypes, especially to capture paints and platings as they were. I also collect some reproduction small parts and who made them when to show in comparisons with used or nos originals.
The two most detailed oriented restorers have come to visit to see specific original parts and materials to guide their Pebble Beach bound work. I also send out commentaries or spreadsheets on more complicated subjects to owners, restorers, and a few people that get called to judge Cobras at shows. Right now my "file space" is 34.1 GB, with 19,863 files in 1,063 folders.
Yes, I have pictures of some of the new car take offs and rarer carburetors. Most images are stored as 3 MB or larger files so sending groups of files or even reducing and posting them is a lot of trouble. One single broad Cobra subject slide show is 72.9 MB in size. My current revision of engine notes installed in new Cobras just bumped into page 78. You could say my notes would be footnotes to Bob's book if he covered new Cobras.
Typical new old stock production 2100/4100 from one time frame.
(http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/9/4111-260118195819.jpeg)
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Circa 2002 I noticed that the same questions arose over and over so I started recording everything in some manner. Cobra/ 427 Cobra wise I have something like 15,000 pictures of details of unrestored cars, dozens of commentaries on many subjects, dozens of reverse engineered part drawings, photo copies of many SAI race shop drawings, and hundreds of holotype parts saved as samples. Most parts are just as removed, carefully labeled inventoried, and stored. About half the used parts I know what Cobra or 427 Cobra they came from. And many new old stock parts saved as holotypes, especially to capture paints and platings as they were. I also collect some reproduction small parts and who made them when to show in comparisons with used or nos originals.
The two most detailed oriented restorers have come to visit to see specific original parts and materials to guide their Pebble Beach bound work. I also send out commentaries or spreadsheets on more complicated subjects to owners, restorers, and a few people that get called to judge Cobras at shows. Right now my “file space” is 34.1 GB, with 19,863 files in 1,063 folders.
Yes, I have pictures of some of the new car take offs and rarer carburetors. Most images are stored as 3 MB or larger files so sending groups of files or even reducing and posting them is a lot of trouble. One single broad Cobra subject slide show is 72.9 MB in size. My current revision of engine notes installed in new Cobras just bumped into page 78. You could say my notes would be footnotes to Bob's book if he covered new Cobras.
Typical new old stock production 2100/4100 from one time frame.
WOW.... :o Impressed doesn't even begin to describe my thoughts about your effort, dedication and attention to detail. Amazing....no... more than amazing.
Thanks for sharing some of your insight.
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You are welcome.
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Dan, not sure if you’ve seen this approach to cleaning the aluminum body. It’s common with motorcycle carbs but this video shows someone using a 50/50 mix of pinesol & water on a 4100. I have tried this on various cast parts and the results were very good with no perceptible change to the original finish. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zDkOgnPidPs
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Dan another picture and confirmation from what was reported to be a low mileage take off from a 66. We have what appears to be a match with the blue mark one or more workers were applying to the same location.
(http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/7/6-010817165251-7699136.jpeg)
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Dan, not sure if you’ve seen this approach to cleaning the aluminum body. It’s common with motorcycle carbs but this video shows someone using a 50/50 mix of pinesol & water on a 4100. I have tried this on various cast parts and the results were very good with no perceptible change to the original finish. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zDkOgnPidPs
Thanks, I will have to test that method.
For unrestored applications I have been somewhat successful in improving appearance without make big surface texture changes. This was a carburetor for a 427 Cobra that has been stored poorly for nearly four decades.
(http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/9/4111-270118185721.jpeg)
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Dan another picture and confirmation from what was reported to be a low mileage take off from a 66. We have what appears to be a match with the blue mark one or more workers were applying to the same location.
Neat, probably meant the same thing in the assembly and or inspection process.
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I tried Pinesol(R) based water solutions and didn't get real far. I bought some commercial carbon remover for engine pistons and that didn't do much either.
What works best for me is soaking in WD40(R) lubricant for days to weeks, gentle well used walnut shell media 'blasting' [[[MY CABINET HAS NEVER HAD ANY MEDIA BUT WALNUT SHELL IN IT.]], and a rinse in lacquer thinner. Brass parts get dipped in tarnish remover I get at a grocery store. Soft metal (lead and soft aluminum) plugs must be protected during media 'blasting'. I use two or three layers of very heavy aluminum foil tape cut into little discs to protect the soft metal plugs. Old jets filled solid, aluminum foil tape in layers, junk clusters, junk mixture needle valves, junk screws, and a junk power valve help keep walnut shell out of places it does not need to be. I cleaned the accelerator pump drive lever with a tooth brush to preserve the original black dip dye the best I could. Super fine steel wool and oil brings the sheen back to the inlets of auxiliary venturi. The assembly tag was gently cleaned with a large eraser's flat sides and WD40 working in the direction the strip was originally made in. Cover screw heads were brightened up with a daub of soft metal polish on cotton and just enough work to bring the bright zinc appearance back.
In the picture below the air cleaner stud is a new one supplied by the owner as the old one had several threads stripped. All other metal surfaces were just carefully cleaned. Cleaning removed factory paint color codes and assembly line grease pencil marks, which I endeavored to recreate accurately.
One thing that helped make this one easy was it was thoroughly covered in old red fuel varnish stains. The crud actually provided corrosion protection.
(http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/14/4111-271020104245.jpeg)
This job was not really a restoration to me but a careful service with preservation in mind. It goes to a late Cobra with factory automatic transmission.
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Thanks for sharing Dan. Like the way it appears that the cover and main body does not have the monotone look that you often get with "restored" ones.
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Thanks for sharing Dan. Like the way it appears that the cover and main body does not have the monotone look that you often get with "restored" ones.
You are welcome. Many chemicals and most physical methods of removing grime forever change die cast aluminum surfaces.
Lots of sellers think that hard media blasting, wet or dry, anything aluminum makes it more valuable. If somebody is building a custom car it might but for authentic service of unrestored cars or true restorations a very rare $3,000 or more dirty Ford 4100A core can become a $850 "restored" piece real quick.
The only media blasting that makes no changes in metal surfaces is dry ice blasting. Created for the aircraft service industry to clean jet engines for routine inspection without having to completely dismantle them, it works on many things. It is also used to remove paint and coatings from aircraft skins. I bought our manufacturing plant a complete system in the early 1990s and it saved out plant millions of dollars a year on maintenance and downtime costs. The shiniest aluminum molds for plastic parts were not harmed in any way. I told a 427 Cobra owner about dry ice blasting. He gathered up all his aluminum and magnesium parts and got a contractor to quote removing all the paint, undercoating, grease, and oxidation from everything. They even did the dead soft aluminum inner panels and all the magnesium wheels. When they were done he called me very excited. He was very pleased. Except for existing wear and incidental scratches on parts for decades he said everything, even the magnesium pieces, looked brand new, not restored, but new made…even those soft inner panels. No damage to anything.
I have been disappointed for a long time that no shop that I have become aware of catering to the old car hobby has gotten set up to do dry ice blasting. You can even preclean things like engine long block assemblies, suspensions, and cylinder head assemblies before disassembly. Dry ice blasting is a super degreaser method.
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I'm almost finished building a wet blasting cabinet and plan to use soda to try cleaning some carb bodies. Will report back when it's done. Soda will not etch the surface and is easy to clean off by rinsing or ultrasonic cleaning.
I've also tried many chemicals with mixed results. The better the carburetor, the better it will look when finished, no matter what the cleaning method is.
Using any type of abrasive media on the cast alloy carb housings ruins the original appearance in my opinion.
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I remember sending in a NOS 66 hipo carb to Pony carbs after talking to Jon Ernhart RIP . Although shelf worn and exposed to humidity the surface of the metal cast body was in perfect condition. We talked about re gasketing and replating hardware emphasizing the condition of the metal body being left alone. You can understand my horror when the carb showed up in the typical restored condition. Jon understood what I wanted but his employees only understood the typical "restore' procedure. The body had been bead blasted losing the unmolested smooth finish and look. He didn't charge me for the restoration was his solution. I wanted him to find me another comparable non blasted body explaining how he devalued the carb. That never happened.
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I remember sending in a NOS 66 hipo carb to Pony carbs after talking to Jon Ernhart RIP . Although shelf worn and exposed to humidity the surface of the metal cast body was in perfect condition. We talked about re gasketing and replating hardware emphasizing the condition of the metal body being left alone. You can understand my horror when the carb showed up in the typical restored condition. Jon understood what I wanted but his employees only understood the typical "restore' procedure. The body had been bead blasted losing the unmolested smooth finish and look. He didn't charge me for the restoration was his solution. I wanted him to find me another comparable non blasted body explaining how he devalued the carb. That never happened.
Ouch, I'd have been furious!
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I remember sending in a NOS 66 hipo carb to Pony carbs after talking to Jon Ernhart RIP .....................
Think many of us have similar experiences. We so want to believe and trust that we are on the same page as the other person and often we have not been able to completely communicate our needs and or concerns. Sure this is why many of us have learned to do things ourselves and why IMHO it is so important that we share what works and what does not - One of the pillars this forum was designed around
Down off my soap box
Young ens might need to look that up ::)
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A C3OF-AJ A 4AB assembly I just completed here in January 2022. Headed for a highly detailed original Cobra's restoration.
(https://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/16/4111-170122153443.jpeg)
(https://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/16/4111-150122150429.jpeg)
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Dan, what is the finish on the choke housing called ?
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Dan, what is the finish on the choke housing called ?
The manufacturer, Ford or their supplier, used some kind of very thin paint over the dichromated zinc die casting. Painted castings were submersed such that every surface was painted inside and out. Some organic chemical solvents and other harsh chemicals will wash the paint off. The reddish copper (light bronze?) color seen was called red in period Ford Master Parts Catalogs. Ford had several different 2100/4100 carburetor choke mechanisms in the 1960s identified partially by their main body casting's color code. I have a new old stock 2100 (2V) carburetor with the plain color (just the dichromated zinc casting) choke mechanism body, a new old stock 4100 (4V) with a bright blue paint coat on the choke mechanism body, and a new old stock C3OF-AJ (4V) like above with a bronze paint identification.
Not my listing but here is a blue 1960-61 version.
Listed is a NOS 1960 FORD CHOKE HOUSING. Ford Part #C0AE-9850-E, Autolite #CC-18. Should be correct for 1960-61 Ford Galaxie, maybe other years/models.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/232932998535?hash=item363be37d87:g:yIcAAOSwropboV8Z
(https://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/16/4111-150122185336.jpeg)
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In general, its is a historical mistake for carburetor shops to "restore" every 2100/4100 series carburetor with every part finished on every carburetor just alike. On the carburetor above I separated out parts to be replated into six different depth of "color" groups for the person doing the plating to work to. I sent spreadsheets and color pictures to match. My list of parts and colors for them covers November 1963 through January 1964. If I was doing a late summer 1964 list some items would change group(s). If I was interested in other time periods research would be required. Cobras only have a few dates HP260 and HP289 carburetors were made in batches between mid 1962 and July 1964 so they are not impossible to research.
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So I have a question about the carb housings and their original look. I've seen a lot of these restored carbs even between all of you and wondering what the housing/body would have looked like originally, would it have been a bright aluminum or more of a slightly grey almost patina look. As you see when you have these housings or any other aluminum part vapor or soda blasted they come out pretty bright, so I'm wondering if that would have been the way they were originally, and we're just so used to seeing NOS ones that have that grayer patina look from sitting around for several decades?
Thanks,
Jason
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Dan how much of what your posting can be applied to later Autolite carbs? Know your focus has often been for cars built before the Mustangs other than some early 65's. Just wanted to get that out there and clarified before someone with a 71 302 starts detailing theirs like a 63 or other year
So I have a question about the carb housings and their original look. ...................
Think one of the negatives to most efforts to cleaning is they often result in a monotone finish rather surfaces that look like they just were cast. We see this also in things like automatic transmissions, bellhousings and aluminum intakes as well as other aluminum parts
Guess we could post some pictures of NOS carbs from the same period or very close to when they would have been installed on the assembly line at the engine plant. Remember that anything a few years later possibly has details you don't want to copy. Sort of like looking at a 63 NOS carb for your 67 engine.
Colors and finishes may vary a little from original depending on how the parts were stored. I've got a small number left that came out of a high school so they were stored nicely in a pretty much climate control area for decades
Maybe we need to do that in a different thread since this thread as a slightly different focus
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So I have a question about the carb housings and their original look.
Thanks,
Jason
Pretty bright as cast, no secondary operations to change the castings appearance. On carburetor body and covers (a.k.a. air horns) large flat areas sometime exhibit a little bit of iridescence as an artifact left from molten aluminum working its way over the molding surfaces. Day one the die cast aluminum clutch bell housings had the same type appearance. Below is a new old stock 2100 (2V) made during the 1964 production period that has been protected well ever since.
(https://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/16/4111-180122154317.jpeg)
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Dan how much of what your posting can be applied to later Autolite carbs? Know your focus has often been for cars built before the Mustangs other than some early 65's. Just wanted to get that out there and clarified before someone with a 71 302 starts detailing theirs like a 63 or other year
Think one of the negatives to most efforts to cleaning is they often result in a monotone finish rather surfaces that look like they just were cast. We see this also in things like automatic transmissions, bellhousings and aluminum intakes as well as other aluminum parts
Guess we could post some pictures of NOS carbs from the same period or very close to when they would have been installed on the assembly line at the engine plant. Remember that anything a few years later possibly has details you don't want to copy. Sort of like looking at a 63 NOS carb for your 67 engine.
Colors and finishes may vary a little from original depending on how the parts were stored. I've got a small number left that came out of a high school so they were stored nicely in a pretty much climate control area for decades
Maybe we need to do that in a different thread since this thread as a slightly different focus
Jeff,
All good points and I mentioned the time frame I was covering with the carburetor just completed on purpose. The Ford 4100 family went into production sometime in 1956 for 1957 model Fords I think. Almost every part of them evolved quickly and over time a few new car applications morphed into dozens of vehicles covered a year. Holley Carburetor Company was involved also and some parts in Ford 4100 models are exactly the same in Holley 4150/4160 models in a given time frame.
Yes, as indicated, redoing every carburetor part of every year for every engine package the same way appearances wise would be a historic mistake. The only generalization I will risk is any 2100/4100 made in week X of year Y will use the same small parts finishes and most of the paint daubs and grease pencil marks. Less general, you could reasonable stretch the time frame to a week to a month or so. Example: In the C3OF-AJ assemblies for 289 High Performance engines built between 3EE and 3FA are so similar finishes wise I call them the same with only tiny variations most likely due to batch to batch manufacturing variances. The same models made between 3LA and 4AB are for the most part the same but some parts differ enough I keep two different spreadsheets of details. (Note: Even though the two groups are under design level A not all their parts are physically the same design level or time frame version.) Over the years I have specifically looked for new old stock or super low mile examples of 2100s and 4100s made in those time frames and details with a given period are pretty consistent.
I have made or started files for:
C3AF-S which I have never nailed down exactly what it was for. Users in Ford Galaxie related forums claim a rare 390 High Performance engine package for a police car with manual transmission. Ford also used them on 260 High Performance engines sent to go into some new Cobras. The vacuum secondary is controlled by a very small brass air flow control orifice, a silicon bronze spring, and a check ball. The secondary opening characteristics are the slowest I have ever tested for a Ford 4100-A carburetor assembly.
C3OF-AB assemblies for 289 High Performance engines March 1963 into May 1963.
C3OF-AJ assemblies made from May 1963 into June 1963. (Which have late 1963 model year versions of parts and chokes in them.)
C3OF-AJ assemblies made during November 1963, December 1963, and early January 1964. (Which have late 1963 and mid 1964 model year parts in them.)
C4OF-AT assemblies made 4DE (The only assembly date I have found for 1964 Fairlanes and 1965 Fairlanes and Mustangs (and 13 each new Cobras).)
C4OF-AL assemblies between 4DE and 4KD.
C5OF-L assemblies between 4GD and 4JD that were stamped on flanges C4OF-AL.
C6AF-J assemblies for 428 Police Interceptor manual transmission 6AC.
C6ZF-F assembly new old stock but shelf worn and robbed of its assembly tag.
My recommendation for any 2100/4100 rework between 1956 and whenever they were dropped is to find the best low mile never separated from its original details carburetors and new old stock carburetors from the time frame you are interested in. I have done that since 1986 for the models used in Cobras. I have a few new old stock 2100 and 4100 models held as holotypes for fine details.
Aluminum die casting wise, many Ford O.E. parts looked just like they came out of the mold except for any machine work they received as a secondary operation or painting as a third operation like aluminum cased water pumps and time covers when engines were painted.
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I want to point out that it is very common for find model year incorrect parts from main body castings onward in commercially rebuilt, remanufactured, and restored carburetors. Getting all the model and time frame correct parts can be a challenge before worrying about finishes. I cringe at the modern replacement screws some shop use in their jobs, similar to what Ford used but not exactly the same and very visible without an air cleaner installed. Many cores and restored carburetors will have some version of non-stock support (a.k.a. booster, cluster, auxiliary venturi) in one or both locations. It is getting to be real common to find cores and restored 1964-66 289 High Performance carburetors that originally came with M primary supports to have something else in use.
Some main bodies have dates marked into their undersides. This was probably a date that something was done to the mold cavity. It is possible to have a 10..15..63 marked body in any carburetor made after that date. It would not make sense to have an assembly tag of May 1963 on a body marked October 1963.
Many parts were different between carburetor assemblies and or model years. Some easy to spot ones include but are not limited to:
Top (a.k.a. cover or air horn), exactly which die casting.
Top assemblies, exactly what small parts get attached.
Many of the small parts in choke systems.
Primary throttle shaft, exactly which of several levers was installed.
Secondary throttle shafts, shaft material and lever design.
Fast idle adjust lever design.
Fast idle cam design.
Accelerator pump system design and components.
Some parts vary between 2V and 4V.
Mixture needle screw design, different grip designs and different needle tapers. (There were three common needle tip angles used by various carburetors that I have serviced: 17?, 21?, and 24? plus different end sizes between 0.025 and 0.032.)
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I will describe how one type part changed color code identification over time. Below is a widely used B8AZ-9A523-L (marked BA and two scarlet red paint daubs by 1963) assembly in 4100-A carburetors of the late 1950s and in the 1960s. I have recreated original type and color paint daubs but for this post it is just an assembly to label areas of.
Area 1, the whole top side of the assembly. A similar part in the mid 1950s was usually dip painted with enough thin paint color code paint to cover all the exposed top side surfaces.
Area 2, the soft core plugs over the emulsion tubes. By the early in the 1960s paint daubs on the core plugs had replaced top side paint dipping. The C4OZ-9A523-B (marked M and a yellow daub in 1964) was marked with a yellow daub on the driver?s side core plug for 1964 and at least into the 1966 model year.
Area 3, most mid 1960s but not all models. the tubular struts between main tower casting and the two auxiliary venturi assemblies. By 1963 color code paint daubs were often only on the tubes. One tube could be daubed or both could depending on assembly. Both tubes could use the same color or different colors depending on the exact assembly. This type of marking scheme was used in production at least through the 1966 model year. The factory markings vary a lot in how large and neat the daubs are.
(https://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/gallery/16/4111-190122102201.jpeg)