1 BBL carb to 2 BBL intake manifold insulator

[rgentry]

My late '68 FJ40 has been sitting for 10 years but I am getting back in the game. I have a 1BBL carb (thank goodness I have a few rebuild kits) and the 2 BBL manifold. The phenolic spacer and associated gasket (see picture) are likely unobtainable but I thought I would check. The spacer is a bit complicated because it provides vacuum from the base of the carb, likely to the air injection pump. My spacer is cracked so I have covered it in form-a-gasket to eliminate leaks, but I would like to have a new spacer and gasket. Is there any hope of finding these? Otherwise I can waterjet one from phenolic plate but I won't be able to replicate the vacuum channel. I guess I can use the same pattern to cut a new gasket. But it's a lot of work. My guess is that these parts only apply to cruisers made for about 6 months, from late '68 to early '69.

 

[charliemeyer007]

Seems to me you could make a second spacer with the vac port and use some longer studs to hold the assembly in place. If that is your gasket surface you need to match. Cut a piece of gasket paper to cover the area. Hold it in place, gently tap around each hole with a small ball peen hammer, the hole will be cut to fit exactly. A spark plug socket will work nicely if you don't have a small ball peen hammer.
This process works much better with many small taps than a few BFH strikes

 

[rgentry]

Seems to me you could make a second spacer with the vac port and use some longer studs to hold the assembly in place. If that is your gasket surface you need to match. Cut a piece of gasket paper to cover the area. Hold it in place, gently tap around each hole with a small ball peen hammer, the hole will be cut to fit exactly. A spark plug socket will work nicely if you don't have a small ball peen hammer.
This process works much better with many small taps than a few BFH strikes

Thanks Charlie. The insulator is 0.25 inches thick so I could make it in three layers with the middle layer being the vacuum route. Sounds like a project all on its own!

But the gasket is exactly like the insulator I think. so for that I will try your tap tap tap method.

 

[charliemeyer007]

I have one of the tungsten wire grid, mixing enhancer spacer on top of my insulator with vacuum take off. I think it was man-a-fre item that was given to me.

Tap right at the corner of the hole, 45 degrees from the flat - so the 90 square edge does the cutting.

 

[timmyisinthewell]

I have one of the tungsten wire grid, mixing enhancer spacer on top of my insulator with vacuum take off. I think it was man-a-fre item that was given to me.

Tap right at the corner of the hole, 45 degrees from the flat - so the 90 square edge does the cutting.

Charlie, something like this? Voodoo technology back in the day.

 

[charliemeyer007]

Mine has a more open grid with heavier gauge wire. If you make the grid out of fine wire like bug screen it will dissolve away quickly. Turbulent flow is very good for mixing. Re#'s in the 5000 range. Mixing length should be 5 times the diameter or more

 

[Living in the Past]

Here in my 9/67 68 FJ40 that's been out of the game for nineteen years. Not sure the which carburetor it had on when it got parked. The vacuum for the distributor runs to the base of the Carburetor itself. The port off the distributor on the insulator is capped. The large port runs to the PCV valve on the oil fill tube.

 

[rgentry]

Here in my 9/67 68 FJ40 that's been out of the game for nineteen years. Not sure the which carburetor it had on when it got parked. The vacuum for the distributor runs to the base of the Carburetor itself. The port off the distributor on the insulator is capped. The large port runs to the PCV valve on the oil fill tube.
View attachment 3669978View attachment 3669976

The Man-A-Free bases are cool but are both for 2 BBL carbs. Hard to believe their claims though!

Living, you have exactly the same cruiser as I do, the single BBL carb on the 2 BBL manifold. Mark (of Mark's Off Road) has written that this 2 BBL manifold was built for an optional 2 BBL carb but that most LC's of our era continued to receive the 1 BBL carb, thus the adapter. I happen to be very attached to this year: newer F engine, simple parts, round lights, old school steel vacuum lines. The only emissions control was an air injection pump which has been deleted on almost every cruiser of this era that I have seen (including yours it seems). Thanks all for the feedback.