Carburetor for an A65T

[ferretjuggler]

As my engine rebuild progresses, I've just started thinking about buying a brand new carb.
Looked up an Amal Concentric Premier.
£181 + VAT from one place 
Strewth! the last new concentric I bought cost £60 all in !

I'm wondering at  over £200 whether a Mikuni VM might not only be a better carb, but also cheaper into the bargain too ?
And if the purists are cringing just at the thought, I believe the VM carb was actually designed in Birmingham by Amal, but BSA wouldn't pay the extra costs.
Otherwise what about the Wassell copies ?
Are they viable or just cheap junk ?

[DAVE BRADY]

Hi,

Personally I would go for the Amal 28mm Premier.  All the jetting is the same so easy to set up.  The Mikuni is probably a better carb. but you may have to mess about with jetting to get it right.  Also, the standard air filter can be used with Amal whereas the Mikuni needs a thin pancake filter as it comes out further from the head as it is fitted with a spigot rather than attached directly to the manifold.

Dave.

[ferretjuggler]

Cheers Dave !
I want to use the original type OIF air boxes so using a Mikuni would be very difficult I'd imagine, if not impossible.

[ChrisG]

The Mikuni wont fit under the bend of the frame tube on the OIF Thunderbolt as its mounted in the centre. A Twin Carb Lightning it would be OK. To get around that, others have made a bent spigot so the carb points backwards to the left or right of the Frame Tube/Oil Res. I think that looks awful and you wouldn't be able to fit the present airbox and covers. 

[ferretjuggler]

Thanks for that !
I think I can manage to live with an Amal Premier TBH.
I believe that the terrible arangement of having a Mazak slide running in a Mazak carb body has been addressed by the Premier carb having a slide made from a harder metal that doesn't "pick up"

I found the old type Concentrics to be good carbs when new, but I hated the cronic wear rate