Identification of Stromberg carburetors

[carbking]

There are occasionally threads here on the forums looking for rebuilding kits, throttle shafts, jets, etc. for various Stromberg carburetors. To obtain the correct parts, it is necessary to identify the carburetor.

The following applies to carburetors produced by the "ground" division of Stromberg USA; and should not be applied to carburetors produced by the "aircraft" division of Stromberg USA or carburetors produced by Stromberg-Great Britain. Please note that Stromberg USA used the term "aerotype" on many NON-AIRCRAFT carburetors. The term aerotype does NOT mean aircraft carburetor.

First, the following link will help to identify the TYPE or MODEL of Stromberg carburetor, as well as understand the meaning of the various models:

http://www.thecarburetorshop.com/Str...ebreakdown.htm

Knowing the model is helpful, but to acquire correct parts one really needs the actual identification number of the carburetor.

Stromberg knew that the commercial rebuilders would automatically remove tags on all carburetors they rebuilt (thus creating havoc for everyone who ever tries to work with those carburetors in the future); thus Stromberg did not rely on tags (except on universal replacement carbs, covered later) and actually STAMPED the identification number on the carburetor. This practice began in the mid-1930's, and I believe was done on all non-universal Strombergs by 1939; and was used up through the 1974 model year (the last year Stromberg sold carburetors for new vehicles in the USA).

The identification number was stamped (a recessed number, created by using a metal marking stamp), NOT a raised casting number. In general, raised casting numbers are for "blank" castings, prior to machining, and cannot be used for identification.

To make life much easier for those in the know (you will be, after reading this); Stromberg codified the identification numbers. The identification number will be in the format:

ccc-nnne

where

ccc is a 1, 2, or 3 digit number representing the customer company

nnn is a 1, 2, or 3 digit number representing a sequential number of different carbs sold to this customer

e (may or may not be present) is a letter representing an engineering change

Example 7-92A

7 is a code representing Buick

92 means this is the 92nd different carburetor sold to Buick

"A" means this version of 7-92 has one minor engineering change. A second change would change the letter to "B"

Some commonly used company codes:

2 = Ford

3 = Dodge (later...mid'60's.... all Chrysler Corporation)

4 = Chrysler

6 = Studebaker

7 = Buick

10 = Packard

205 = Cadillac

Stromberg sold carburetors to 267 different customers. The highest customer code is 268, as code number 1 was used on universal replacements.

Virtually ALL of the stamped codes would be on the top casting (airhorn/bowl cover). The most common exception would be the 1937-1938 Buicks where the stamped code was stamped on the throttle body.

The universal replacement carburetors (customer code 1) were issued in a number of sizes to replace many different carbs on many different applications. Generally, universal replacements have externally adjustable main metering jets, where original equipment carbs came with fixed metering jets. CAUTION - the externally adjustment jet doesn't always interchange with the fixed jet! SOME of the universal carbs were stamped, but most were identified by tag only.

And the engineering change CAN be significant. I can think of several carbs, all MoPars, where different throttle shafts or fuel valves with different threads were used with different engineering change status. Best always to supply the entire number when asking for parts.

Jon.

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[Guest LONG]

great write up