| Re: 1936 dodge carburetor?
Lots of confusion on the "BB" series carburetors, and rightly so.
There are three separate series of Carter carburetors which have been referred to as BB carburetors. These are:
(A) the (B)rass (B)owl UPDRAFT carburetors used by Carter from about 1918 through 1932
(B) the BB UPDRAFT series carburetors used by Carter from 1932 through the late 1960's
(C) the BBR series DOWNDRAFT carburetors used from 1933 to about 1952.
The brass bowl updrafts are easily identified, as they have a brass bowl, about the size of a coffee cup with no handles. The largest customer for these was Chevrolet, although Chrysler and many other companies used these on 4 cylinder and small 6 cylinder engines. The brass bowl carburetors were originally identified by a red cardboard tag (good luck on finding one of these!!!), but later O.E. and service units were identified by a triangular brass tag. These are normally referenced by casting letters/numbers, a common one being the RJH-08 as used on the 1929-1931 Chevrolet (and others).
The BB updraft series came out with the 1932 model year on Plymouth, Dodge and Chrysler engines. These carburetors were excellent for 1932, and (MOO) some of the better updraft carburetors ever produced. Mechanics quickly recognized the superiority of these units and started retrofitting these on many earlier engines. Carter got the message, and started producing a universal BB updraft in 3 sizes: the 245s was a size 1, the BB1A was a size 2 and the 289s was a size 3. Since the downdraft carburetor was becoming popular, O.E. applications of the BB updraft carb were limited to C.O.E. truck (both Chevrolet and Dodge) and marine application following 1932. The BB updraft carburetors are identified by rectangular brass tag under the 2 choke bracket screws. No other identification on these units.
The BBR series carburetor was Carter's "price leader" 1 barrel downdraft for those companies not wishing to spend the money for Carter's better W series carburetors. The early BBR series carbs had a strange brass accelerator pump, which was updated about 1935 with a leather pump. The 1933 through 1938 models can best be described as "troublesome", and most were replaced 50 years ago. These units had only 4 screws holding the airhorn to the bowl, and thus, like the later Rochester B series, warp profusely. In 1939 the BBR series was upgraded to have a vertical "strengthening vane" that did slow down the warpage (it certainly did not cure it), but also got some internal changes. Carter released a service replacement unit in 1939 for the 1933-1938 Plymouths part number 439s which was a vast improvement over the original 1933-1938 carbs (still way below the W series). Beginning in 1939, the identification was STAMPED on the vertical vane. It may be read by orienting the carburetor such that the fuel inlet is to one's right, and observing the stamped information on the side of the vane facing the observer. Again, 1933-1938 units were identified by tag only. The rectangular tag was located under the choke bracket screw.
An interesting (as least to me) occurance with the BBR series carbs happened in 1947, when the Carter plant making these units went on strike. Carter had sufficient inventory on hand to continue to service Dodge, DeSoto, and Chrysler; but insufficient quantity to service Plymouth. Apparently, Carter, to avoid legal issues, offered Plymouth the W series carb 574s as used on the 1947 Chevrolet at the same price as the BBR Plymouth carburetor. Plymouth must have really liked this proposal; as the Plymouth carb was a size 3, while the Chevrolet carb was a size 2. Thus Plymouth had to fabricate a different intake manifold, which they did.
The interesting part of the story happens later, when neighbors buying 1947 Plymouths with different carbs started comparing notes. The Plymouths with the Chevrolet carbs would significantly outperform the Plymouths with the Plymouth carbs both in power and economy. Needless to say, there were a few unhappy campers.
And you "doubting Thomas" Plymouth owners can verify at least the parts differences above by consulting your factory parts books. The 1947 Plymouth carb was a Carter D6G1 (dee six gee one), whereas the Chevrolet/Plymouth carb was a Carter 574s (five seventy-four ess).
And to the original poster's issue: Dodge did not use the Carter BBR series in 1936; Dodge used the better Stromberg carburetors. The original poster could look at his unit for either a rectangular tag, or the presence of the vertical vane. If neither are present, a search for the appropriate carb would be less expensive than attempting to even identify what he has. And in the long run, much better.
Jon.
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Owner - The Carburetor Shop LLC (of Missouri) 573-392-7378 (9-4 Mon-Wed central time)
The most expensive carburetor you will ever buy....is the wrong one for the application that you attempt to modify!
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July 10th, 2008
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