Hygrade products catalogue for Marvel air valve springs

[hugh.venables]

Hello knowledgeable ones, does anyone have an ancient catalogue from probably the 1930s for Hygrade Products. There are quite a few Marvel carburetor air valve springs on eBay at the moment with Hygrade part numbers in the range from CP280 to CP288. Marvel air valve springs control the mixture throughout the entire speed range and are crucial but over the years misguided folk have often stretched, snipped and substituted springs rendering the carburetors useless.

Hugh Venables

Melbourne Australia

1930-32 Oakland Pontiac V8 enthusiast

Edited January 4, 2022 by hugh.venables
More interest? (see edit history)

[carbking]

Hi Hugh:

 

Here you are:

 

Marvel     Hygrade

 

24-114     CP-280

24-115     CP-281

24-214     CP-282

24-215     CP-283

24-315     CP-284

24-316     CP-285

24-414     CP-286

24-415     CP-287

24-417     CP-288

 

Jon

[hugh.venables]

Ahh Jon that’s fabulous. Thank you so much. The seller is asking $24 for each one. They are on eBay. What a shame there are no 24-117 for 30-31 Oakland but I see there are some 24-214 Pontiac V8. There are no 24-115 for 26-29 Oakland either. Have you pondered whether the ‘32 V8 jets and spring are a better setup for 30-31 V8? Do you have an opinion of these Hygrade springs? Can we help the seller out with what the other springs suit?

Hugh

[carbking]

Hugh - 

 

First, I do not remember seeing a Marvel parts interchange printed after about 1923, so one has to look up the bill-of-material for a specific carburetor to see what spring was used.

 

As to 32 calibration versus 30-31 calibration, PROBABLY, if it will interchange, then the ENTIRE 32 carburetor would be an upgrade from the 30-31. But I would not suggest the 32 calibration to be installed in a 30-31 carburetor; we do not know the calibration of the air jets.

 

Hygrade was the premier aftermarket supplier of carburetor parts (opinion) up though the early 1950's. Not only did they offer a much greater selection of parts, but I believe their parts were probably of a higher quality than some of the other suppliers. They had a warehouse in Queens, NY, and we bought all of the antique (pre-WWII) parts they had left about 1980. If you look at the virtual carburetor museum on my website, you can see a number of pictures of a Hygrade carburetor/fuel pump/speedometer, etc. repair station:  Hygrade section of virtual carburetor museum

 

Hygrade also made parts for tractor carburetors, but I have searched in vain trying to locate a Hygrade catalog which covered the tractor parts.

 

As to my opinion on the Hygrade springs, I hope this does not sound self-serving, but:

 

We reproduced all of the Marvel air valve springs (I think) 30 years ago because I always thought our rebuilding kits SHOULD have the springs. We had one of each new old stock Marvel or new old replacement stock Hygrade springs for samples. The Marvel documentation told us the free length of the springs, and the new old stock samples gave us the configuration and wire size. Springs do fatigue. I really believe that in 2022, our 30 year old springs are better than the Hygrade 90 year old (or older) springs.

 

Jon.

 

 

[hugh.venables]

Thanks for your information Jon. The Hygrade springs have all disappeared from eBay, not sure if the listings expired or were withdrawn. I had a private message from someone looking for a spring for a 1932 Pontiac V8. Would you be able to supply one?

Hugh

[carbking]

Hugh - yes, but only as a portion of a rebuilding kit, not ala carte.

 

Jon.