Marvel carburetor to ID

[Layden B]

Can anyone help with this one?

[carbking]

I have been waiting for one of the Marvel guru's to respond. I'm not suppose to know anything about Marvels  

 

The Marvel model I-E stood for (I)mproved model (E).

 

Model I-E Marvels were NEVER used as original equipment, rather as replacement (aftermarket) units ONLY.

 

Marvel literature on the Model I-E is fairly sketchy. There are no (well, I have never seen any) illustrations; although I do have an applications index.

 

Best GUESS, based on the flange arrangement, is that this is Marvel 10-538, replacement for the Detroit Lubricator (Stewart) carburetor on 1916~1926 4-cylinder Dodge vehicles.

 

This unit is exceptionally scarce; but probably much less scarce than a Dodge owner that would want it

 

Jon.

[TerryB]

Jon you have such a great way of describing the good, bad and humorous facts about carburetors!  

[carbking]

Terry - the information was meant to be factual, but with a dose of humor to help one swallow the facts.  

 

The Model I-E is exceptionally rare. I have been working with carburetors now for more than 60 years, have currently about 250 Marvels (had more, but sold, or scrapped), and this is the first one I have ever seen pictured. I have never owned one, nor have I personally seen one. I would say that is rare. According to Marvel, the I-E was made in three sizes (I still don't understand Marvel sizes): size 2 (c-c 2 5/8 inches), size 3 (c-c 2 11/16 inches), and size 4S (c-c 2 15/16 inches).

 

But I will copy a paragraph from the Marvel dealer handbook:

 

"This book holds data for Marvel carburetor set-ups for practically every make of car, sufficiently complete to easily made up the jobs. However, in all cases with certain exceptions mentioned below, Schebler carburetors are recommended for replacement installations on cars not regularly equipped with Marvel, Schebler, or Johnson carburetors."

 

This particular dealers handbook was serial-numbered 1211, and printed in 1930.

 

At some time Marvel acquired Schebler and Johnson. I am not really sufficiently interested to determine the exact year. Eventually, these three, and several others came under the Borg-Warner blanket.

 

What does interest me is that, even though Marvel offered the model I-E carburetor as replacement, dealers were instructed to sell Schebler carburetors instead?

 

Probably the best compliment I can offer to Marvel is that Marvel was in the same class as Stromberg and Zenith in supplying support to their dealers. Marvel offered dealer handbooks, master parts books, master parts interchange (early, have not seen one printed after about 1921, but partials were printed later), specialty tool kits for Marvel carburetors, and master parts cabinets. They even offered service update bulletins, but these are exceptionally rare. The only other carburetor company that came close to these three was Rayfield, but their support virtually ceased by 1916.

 

Jon

Edited January 12, 2022 by carbking (see edit history)

[edinmass]

Carbking-aka Jon..........your comments are Marvelous! 😏
 

Using the voice of Billy Crystal.

Edited January 12, 2022 by edinmass (see edit history)