Selling parts on ebay- first issue in fifteen years.

[pharriso]

I just received eBay NOS Italy 151’s
Nope, new Spanish. They seem good to fine, none of the casting slag etc. Though I will be polishing bits.
Seller claims (we spoke on the phone) he did not have them listed as NOS, luckily I screenshot as I go.
The last pair of NOS 151’s he sold was 5 years ago apparently. Claims he would not have misrepresented them. When you search history on ebay, there have not been NOS 151’s for years. So his story, replies from email, and a chat. Seems eBay is in the wrong.

I do not think there is such a thing as Italian DCOE -151 or 152s. My understanding is that after Weber went bust Marelli re-engineered the DCOE to reduce cost & came out with just these 2 models "Universal" manufactured in Spain.

Correction: Just done more research, it looks like Marelli took over Weber in 1986 & made the re-engineered -149 & 151 in Italy before transfering production to Spain in 1992. Here's a photo of an Italian -151:

Not surprising you haven't seen any NOS Italian made carbs in a while, they would have to be at least 28 years old.

[h20hamelan]

Sure could be, dont know.
They were advertised as such, and seller claims the listing was wrong.
Only a comment as to eBay integrity, if its true which it sure seems like it. I have checked ebay historic listings many times over a few days, again years ago was the last NOS.

[h20hamelan]

Heres another offering for Italy 151

https://www.ebay.com/itm/weber-DCOE-40- ... Pd&vxp=mtr

?

[gherlt]

But a strange offer ...

Due to the Corona Outburst the country is under lock down so I won't be able to ship any items

You bid, you win, you pay, and ... get nothing ??

[rgh0]

what does "original Italy" mean when they are made in Spain. I presume it is intended to be that Webers were originally made in Italy and that it means nothing about where these particular carbs were made. Claiming they are NOS was probably wearing a little thin, where NOS meant they were new carbs that are a copy of the old ones made in Italy.

you can claim anything you want on Ebay

cheers
Rohan

[h20hamelan]

True
Where my type 2 say Italy, these have Italy in the same place.
My replacement say Spain in the same location.

I would guess the debate about quality was between the last of the Italy, who maybe had better finishing processes in the end. Than the new Spain facility? I didnt notice the slag in my new Spain, though I do not believe they are as smooth internally as my Italy.

I had to enlarge the picture to see the Italy, not easy to see.

[Craven]

Could be worse!!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-40DCOE-c ... Swf5BbEkpN

[elans3]

Just to be clear, Weber 40 DCOE 151's and 45 DCOE 152's were made in Weber Bologna for years before the takeover and transfer to the Spanish factory in 1992. Having just retired from working for myself for the last twelve years buying & selling Historic Motorsport parts, DCOE's have been a part of my life during that period, and perhaps around 1000 sets have passed through my hands in that time, including many Italian 151 / 152's, all of the common Bologna made early Tipo numbers, and of course Spanish versions.
The ones in this listing ARE Italian made:-
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/weber-DCOE-4 ... Pd&vxp=mtr

[h20hamelan]

elans3
Any chance you care to comment on the Italy Spain debate.
What I am concerned about is the cleanliness of the passageways. I dismantled my new Spain carbs and found them to be fair. I dont have the experience you do, and would love to hear about any improvements etc that could be made to help, if there are any please.

Kind Regards

[elans3]

Well. for the last twelve years I have been trying to put paid to the myth that Spanish carbs are rubbish, and that the Bologna manufacture was better. I can probably sum the debate up as below :-
Original Bologna carbs are better castings, far more sharp, and without as much flash.
I believe that they were cast in a superior aluminium "mix" to the Spanish version.
If I had the choice between a new Bologna carb, and a new Madrid carb, I'd (just) go for the Bologna version, based on looks, however :-
The Spanish (and late model Bologna 151's and 2's have much going for them, ie. roller bearing throttle shafts (never had to replace a 151 or 2 throttle shaft, ever in 12 years.)
Steel throttle shafts, tend not to twist unlike the earlier brass ones. The hours I've spent re-twisting brass throttle shafts to get butterflies to open exactly synchronised is incalculable.
Rubber top gaskets. When left to stand, the older cork gasket lets in damp more easily. Never had the dreaded oxidisation in the float chambers when buying long-standing 151's with a correctly tightened down rubber gasket.
Exactly the opposite on Bologna carbs.
The151's have the auxiliary air adjusters, (which are usually not required, as the steel throttle shafts tend not to twist), but if they do twist a little, the auxiliary airscrews mean that you can dial a small twist issue out in seconds.
I've also never had a Spanish 151 with blocked internal passages.

My advice is, that a Spanish version that has been looked after is a far better prospect than a knackered old Tipo 18 or 31 any day of the week, and I would always put those on my car, and keep the old ones for originality.

Lots of the old ones have been run with bad throttle shaft bushes for years, and when that happens, the butterflies being able to move about wears the carb bores beyond redemption, effectively making the body scrap.

I''ve sold plenty of Spanish 151's, and Italian 151's to Elan owners, and people on this Forum in the past, who have told me they're delighted with them, most having cured fuelling issues in one fell swoop.
OK, so they don't look as nice, but the resulting improvement in running far outweighs the aesthetics.
I've run both Alfa Twincams & Elans on Spanish 151's, and only changed back to a period pair, if I've managed to find some that have been in exceptional, little used condition, otherwise, it's a Spanish 151 every time for me.

I've also looked at the Chinese copies in detail, (FAJS etc). I wouldn't personally entertain them.
The first time I looked in detail at one was at Classic le Mans some years ago, when they first came onto the market. There wa a big stall at CLM where a French guy was pushing them as replacements.
I showed interest, and asked him if he had a screwdriver so that I could take a closer look. inside.
I removed jets in pairs, and every pair I took out had different sized holes in them, even though they were numbered the same. Some that were purporting to be say, 130 Mains, obviously weren't, and it's partner was bigger or smaller.You didn't need a magnifying glass to tell, either.
To me, that meant if they can't get the holes drilled in jets to the correct size, could you trust them to machine everything else in the carb correctly ? I don't think so.
People have also been to me with them saying "I've just bought these new, and I can't get them to run right ! "
Enough said. Anyone who buys them and has no issues is lucky.