Carb identification

[Cliff Rankin]

Hi , y’all, I found a supposed 1963 Thunderbird carb
For sale. I would like to purchase it if it is indeed
Correct. Mr. Tast if you , Karl or any of you guys
Can advise I would appreciate it. Here is what he
Sent me. The tag reads C3A BV next line A 3KD.
He said there is no casting numbers on the carb.
Is there something to look for on the carb casting?
Thanks
Cliff

[6T3BRD]

Cliff,
From looking at my applications list of all Autolite 4100 carbs I show C2SF-B and C3SF-B to be the only ones from the 1963 Thunderbird with a 390 engine. Guessing that early production cars have the C2SF-B then switching over to the C3SF-B at some point. My car was produced 13OCT62 and has a C2SF-B......

~~Craig

[Karl]

G'day Cliff, How are things?

The C3A doesn't seem right, I would say that it is for a full sized Ford.
All the Autolite carb numbers in the OFS start with C3SF or from what I can work out for a replacement one it will be C3SZ.
The 3KD is the date when the carb was made, this translates to year-63, month-Oct, 4th week

I don't profess to be an expert, that is how I read the tag.

Also there should be a date clock on the L/H side of the body. This is the date when the body was cast and from what I understand it should be within a couple of weeks prior the date on the tag. Maybe the first week or second week in October. If the date on the clock is way earlier or later than I would suspect it has the wrong tag on the carb.
Within the inside of the date clock there should be the venturi size.

On the L/H front mounting flange there should be the ID number stamped into the foot as well.

Karl.

[Blobird]

As Karl writes,Inside the date clock should be the venturi size, which I believe is 1.12" on a 63 Thunderbird .
Whereas the 62 and 61 have 1.08" from what I understand.

[Alan H. Tast]

Hi , y’all, I found a supposed 1963 Thunderbird carb for sale. I would like to purchase it if it is indeed correct. Mr. Tast if you , Karl or any of you guys can advise I would appreciate it. Here is what he sent me. The tag reads C3A BV next line A 3KD. He said there is no casting numbers on the carb. Is there something to look for on the carb casting?
Thanks
Cliff

Cliff:

As others have suggested, please post a photo of the carb tag and driver's side of the carb showing the 1.12 'clock' and the driver's side front mounting foot at the base of the carb. There should be a series of letters-numbers stamped into it like "C3AF BV" or something similar. I'd need to look in older catalogs to see what the listing is for, and I suspect it may require updating the OFS listing (whenever I can find time for that, which has been virtually impossible of late due to career demands).

As a side note, please forgive my pedantic efforts, as I've taken the 'hard returns' out of your message to show what it could (and should) look like. Thanks to modern technology, we don't need to add "old-school" carriage returns in messages - remember, we're not using a typewriter and paper here. Text will automatically 'wrap' with new-fangled technology. I know, old habits can be hard to break. Then again, those 'hard returns' are kind of a 'badge of honor' illustrating a person's living through the pre-word processor/computer era (which I do not miss one iota, except for maybe the bell going off warning you have 5 characters left before you need to hit the 'return' lever - Lord, I'm dating myself here).

[redstangbob]

I went to my 4100 collection (I have 7 left), and checked the 1963 carb. As I remembered the left front foot is stamped (not cast) with the carbs intended designation. 4100's in the 50's weren't marked like that. Ask the seller to look carefully near the left front bolt hole for the number. The carb you describe was intended for a Galaxie, but would work on your car. Good luck, Bob C

[Cliff Rankin]

I want to say thank you and I appreciate everyone’s help.
I’m waiting for pictures as this is for sale up north far away It’s a want not a need . Will see what happens.

As for your side notes Mr. Tast. Guilty! I’m old school.
Proud of it.
Cliff

[Cliff Rankin]

Follow up, seems the seller had myself and another guy with a 63 wanting the carb. No other pictures. After thinking over the answer’s here I decided to let it go.
Thanks guys !