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Strombergs, Solexes, Webers and SUs

Jay Laifman

Donation Time
Wondering if anyone has had success mounting SUs on Alpines.

Strombergs get worn out with throttle shaft leaks, and have a bad reputation. Webers are great but expensive and some say hard to dial in and overcarb’d.

Is it even sacreligeous to put SUs on an Alpine? Also don’t know how difficult an intake would be.

As an aside, did you know SU stands for skinners union? The diaphragms that are the hallmark of SUs and Strombergs were originally leather.

I am not remotely thinking of doing it. Just idle contemplation on a slow Sat morn.

Besides, I have a really nice pair if Mikunis…
 

puff4

Platinum Level Sponsor
First, SU’s don’t have diaphragms - just a floating air valve, very closely machined to match the bell chamber. Strombergs have diaphragms to get around the SU patents.

As to your question, using SUs makes a lot of sense - properly tuned, they can easily match the performance of a Weber. Indeed, back in the day there was an SU kit specifically for Alpines. However, because they were quite costly and folks weren’t as familiar with tuning SUs as they were with Webers they never sold particularly well.

Here’s a photo of a period kit from a posting here in the forum:

index.php
 

Jay Laifman

Donation Time
Thanks for the info on the manifold! Looks like we are both wrong on the Skinners Union. According to the infinitely reputable (joke) Wikipedia: "Skinner" was the last name of the man who founded it - and his prior profession was leather shoes and goods. However, his first carbs did have leather diaphragms.
 
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puff4

Platinum Level Sponsor
Well, that’s really a technicality. SU carburetors didn’t really have diaphragms after about 1919, so any SU carburetors that you, I, or any other person sees today is very likely not going to have a diaphragm.
 

Thor 1211

Silver Level Sponsor
First, SU’s don’t have diaphragms - just a floating air valve, very closely machined to match the bell chamber. Strombergs have diaphragms to get around the SU patents.

As to your question, using SUs makes a lot of sense - properly tuned, they can easily match the performance of a Weber. Indeed, back in the day there was an SU kit specifically for Alpines. However, because they were quite costly and folks weren’t as familiar with tuning SUs as they were with Webers they never sold particularly well.

Here’s a photo of a period kit from a posting here in the forum:

index.php
If I recall correctly, in one of his books/articles David Vizard asserts that properly sized and set up SU's will perform as well as any set up including fuel injection. I don't know if it's possible to mount a pair to an Alpine Stromber manifold. However, if I could find an old SU and manifold combination I would snap it up to install on my series 1 if it would fit and just for the hell of it (as if I don't already have enough projects).
 

puff4

Platinum Level Sponsor
If I recall correctly, in one of his books/articles David Vizard asserts that properly sized and set up SU's will perform as well as any set up including fuel injection.

Yes, he did indeed say that... and I agree with him. The design of the SU is superb - it is easily maintained and tunes predictably. There's been many a race car that's done very nicely with them.
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
Here are some options other than alexander manifolds.

Custom 2xSU for rootes alloy head.



150CD stromberg manifolds adapted with spacers for SU's



150CD stromberg manifold with modifed inlet face for SU.
 

Thor 1211

Silver Level Sponsor
Here are some options other than alexander manifolds.

Custom 2xSU for rootes alloy head.



150CD stromberg manifolds adapted with spacers for SU's



150CD stromberg manifold with modifed inlet face for SU.
I see that for the various applications SUs have the mounting holes and flanges on the carb bodies in all sorts of configurations. It looks like it wouldn't be that big of a deal to fabricate plates to mate the SUs up with the Stromberg manifold. I guess H6 would be the carb of choice (1.5 inch bore?).
 
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