We all know just how many intricate and delicate mechanical components are needed to make up a carburetter, and it's our Restoration team's job to bring it all back to life and make it run as good as new. They're a talented bunch!
We're extremely passionate about maintaining the originality of SU carburetters and Zenith carburetters. So, all carb restorations are done fully by hand - with the utmost love and care - to ensure nothing breaks or snaps on the originals. You won't find any electric screwdrivers down in our resto department!
First up in the restoration journey is the initial examination and carefully dismantling each part by hand. This is followed by a thorough clean in the blasting cabinet to remove years of grime, in which we use a fine glass media that doesn't compromise the tolerances. If a specific finish is desired, we'll also place the parts in our rumbling machine with conical ceramic beads and a mild detergent.
Once all the parts are gleaming, it's then time for the carburetter rebuild process - which can take a few hours depending on the carb model. The team will carry out the rebuild using all the original parts where available, locating any spares from our warehouse if any parts were initially missing, and adding in new gaskets and washers.
Finally, it’s time for testing on the vacuum flow tester to make sure each carb is pulling the same amount of air and to be bench set for tick-over, and then wet tested to ensure no leaks. We'll either deliver the fully restored carbs to you, or, you can come and collect it from us in Salisbury.
The team have successfully restored hundreds upon hundreds of carbs over the years, including some sets which are over a century old. We recently had a fantastic review in from our restoration customer:
"The triple SU HV4 carburetters were refurbished by Burlen. Their precision and skill is second to none and it was like the best Christmas ever opening the box to reveal the perfectly restored and beautifully polished dash pots. An investment, but worth every penny.”
If you're looking to get your carb restored, get in touch with us to discuss your requirements. Please be aware that due to the popularity of our restoration service and the amount of work they have on in the summer, lead times are currently over three months. Find out more and watch our complete restoration video.
