SCH Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 Hi all, This is going to sound like a very obscure question, but does anyone know which version Weber 40 DCOE carburetors were fitted to the Prisoner Edition Caterhams? When I say "version" I'm referring to the digits following the 40 DCOE designation (ie. 2, 18, 32, 151, etc...). I'm primarily interested in the 40 DCOE versions fitted to the Ford Kent Crossflow engined cars; the BDR equipped cars had 45 DCOEs I believe. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated. Thanks very much in advance. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDingo8MyBaby Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 I'm assuming 151, as that's what the super sprints are fitted with. Sorry I cant give you an answer with more certainty, but I'd be surprised if they used something different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCH Posted February 2, 2013 Author Share Posted February 2, 2013 Thanks for your response. I have a feeling that you might be right on this. The only info I've been able to find is that the Caterham Academy cars equipped with Ford Kent Crossflows were fitted with 151s from '95-'97. However, the Prisoner Edition 7 was introduced in 1989. I know the 151s are the current 40 DCOE offering from Weber if purchased new today, but were the 151s available from Weber in '89? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bball7754 Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 I thought that the series/edition was related to the age of the carb. So a "2" would have been made - well, a while ago - maybe the '50's (?). It may also be related to where the carb is made - maybe. I thought the 151's were made in Spain. This is not based on any actual research - so, I could be way off. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCH Posted February 3, 2013 Author Share Posted February 3, 2013 You're not way off at all Steve. The series number following the carb model number (ie. 40DCOE2 or 40DCOE32, where the "2" and "32" respectively denote the series) do, generally speaking, relate to the age of the carburetor. So as such, a series 2 carb would have been built before a series 9, which came before a series 18, and so on. And while the 151s are indeed made in Spain, I don't know when within the series production moved from Italy to Spain, nor do I know what series was being produced by Weber during the late 80s/early 90s when the Prisoner Edition cars were available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffee break Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 According to the documentation on my 1995 it has the "151" version of this carb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCH Posted February 3, 2013 Author Share Posted February 3, 2013 According to the documentation on my 1995 it has the "151" version of this carb. Thanks! This corresponds perfectly with what was stated earlier about Caterham Academy cars being equipped with 151s as far back as 1995. Excellent! Now, if someone with an '89 or '90 Caterham, equipped with a crossflow and Webers would chime in, I think we'd have a definitive answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffee break Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Michael, Are you looking for a set of carbs? I am in the planning stages of a conversion to FI. Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCH Posted February 3, 2013 Author Share Posted February 3, 2013 Hi Carl, That's a very good question. Yes I am... sort of. I've purchased a pair of matched 40DCOE2s with the intention of installing them on a Crossflow which is slated for a Caterham Seven. I've always been a huge fan of the Prisoner Edition cars but with only about 40 built the chances of ever getting a genuine Prisoner car - especially one here in the U.S. - is almost impossible. So I figure I'll build my own (I realize it'll be a replica, which I'm ok with). And being a sufferer of severe Automotive OCD, I'd like it to be as accurate as possible. So I'm contemplating selling the pair of Webers I have and getting a 'period correct' set. Which is why I had originally asked whether anyone knows what series of the 40 DCOE was fitted to the Prisoner edition cars. Are you planning to install FI on the Crossflow, or will be conducting a full Zetec/Duratec conversion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobone Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I have an 89' chassis with a crossflow. Twin 151 dcoe40s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCH Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 I have an 89' chassis with a crossflow. Twin 151 dcoe40s EXCELLENT! I think we're getting closer to a definitive answer. Thanks for chiming in twobone! Now, if you don't mind me asking, did you (or a previous owner) build the car or was it a turn-key car? Not knowing the history of your car - and given the bespoke nature of Sevens in general - I'm only asking because even though the chassis is an '89, the engine may be been assembled after the chassis was built. And as was mentioned earlier, I don't know when the 40 DCOE 151s were introduced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffee break Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Michael, I am changing over to FI to reduce HC and CO emissions. Weber carbs are great at making power but... With FI I'm looking to have better control of A/F ratio. My daughter's Focus has a nice twin cam but she might object to a swap :toetap05: Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Call Chris at Sevens and Elans for likely definitive answer. Or, consider cross post on the usa@se7ens.net list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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