Simmons Carburetor

[grantsauder]

Just restoring a couple of Zenith carbs, and in the cuboard was this Simmons carb. Bottom was "zenith 1" and top the letter"S". A brass
plate was pinned to the top stating the following:Simmons Carberator,
The Simmons Mfg. Company, Oh. Pat. 1815650. The float valve is not a zenith and the butterfly is steel . Any comments appreciated.
Grant

[Tom Endy]

I came across a simmons top casting for a 31 indented firewall that was mounted on a standard Zenith bottom casting.The Simmons casting is similar to the Zenith side bowl casting. The Simmons is said to be a superior carburetor to the Zenith. I restored the hybrid carburetor and it workd fine on my late 31 Victoria, however, I saw no difference than a standard side bowl Zenith. Without a bottom Simmons casting I believe you must lose something as there must be extra pasageways on the bottom casting that line up with the extra pasageways in the top casting. I have no idea what they are for, but they must be there for a purpose.

Tom Endy

[redmodelt]

Could it be for an air balance tube? I think that's what it called.

[Rowdy]

Exactly what I was thinking. Rod

[Mike V. Florida]

This may be a helpful thread;

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57988

[Purdy Swoft]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

If a Zenith lower casting is used with a Simmons upper casting you will lose the high speed feature of the Simmons carb. . The Simmons lower casting has an open passageway to the float bowl. The Simmons carburetor has a passage in the upper casting that aligns with the passage in the lower casting. Unlike the model B Zenith, the Simmons doesn't have the jet in the upper casting, but draws through the open upper and lower passageways. Like the model B carbs, the Simmons has a slotted throttle shaft. When the slot in the throttle shaft aligns with the open passage to the float bowl, vacume draws raw gas from the float bowl and works similar to the model B carb.

[Joop]

I would like to buy a SIMMONS Side Bowl Carburetor.

Not only for the performance but my wife's maiden name is Simmons.

It would make a good pair.

Please email me direct at: [email protected]

[2manycars]

I have an unrestored Simmons carb on the shelf. I will rebuild it some day, but for now am trying to build a good model B carb from 3.

[grantsauder]

Hey Guys, great info on the simmons carb. I shure would like to see some pics of one with the Simmons bottom bowl.
Thanks . GRANT

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Joop

I would like to buy a SIMMONS Side Bowl Carburetor.

Not only for the performance but my wife's maiden name is Simmons.

It would make a good pair.

Please email me direct at: [email protected]

You are such a romantic!!!

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

You are such a romantic!!!

Well what about me, Mike?
I named MINERVA after a far away relative in Pat's family tree!! Skipped my mother-in-law, she had a FUNNY name. Bill W.

[Purdy Swoft]

Originally Posted by grantsauder

Hey Guys, great info on the simmons carb. I shure would like to see some pics of one with the Simmons bottom bowl.
Thanks . GRANT

[Gary in MN]

Simmons carb 001.jpg

Simmons carb 003.jpg


Gary in MN

[Purdy Swoft]

Here is a pic of one of my Simmons alloy carbs. Check the link that Mike V posted above for more pics and info.

[Joop]

In a summer 1931 Western Auto catalog I have they are called the "Duplex Improved Carburetor"

Does someone have a Western or Other era catalog that shows the side bowl one.

Thanks

[Purdy Swoft]

I have an alloy version with Wizard improved on the brass name plate. I don't have a side bowl version. I'll have Deb make some more pictures and post them later.

[hugeal]

Hi,
i jut noticed the post on the simmons carb. During the last several years i have collected a total seven of simons carbs. Five of them are all different the other two are duplicates. I havn,t researched them so here are a few questions

how mainy different types of simmons did they make for model a,s

are there any publications ever printed on simmons


i noticed on page 79 of the book those wonderful unautherized accessories for the model a ford. Also they made acessories for .
Model t,s.

Thank you

al

































































those wonderful unautherized accessories for the model a:


















;d
























;

[Joop]

Some nice picture of a Simmons Head and Manifold would be great also

[mot]

this is for 2many cars
i have an excellent 32 carb i would trade
if you would send Joop info on your simmons
if joop likes the simmons i would just trade straight across
tom

[Joop]

What A great Deal!

[email protected]

[Purdy Swoft]

More pics. This one showes the difference in the engine side of the choke and throttle bosses. The bosses on the left carb are shorter on the engine side. This was probably changed to save cast iron.

[Purdy Swoft]

I see that two different styles of needle valve and seats were used, Im not sure which came first but they won't interchange.

[Purdy Swoft]

Here is a pic of the two different style needle and seat assys.

[Purdy Swoft]

Here is the idle jet, it is similar but about 1/8 inch longer than the Zenith idle jet and the threads are different.

[Purdy Swoft]

This shows the difference in the threaded holes that the different style needle seats connect and why they won't interchange.

[Purdy Swoft]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

This shows the high speed passages in the upper and lower halves of the castings. Its the small hole on the outer edge, next to the large hole that the venturi fits.

[Purdy Swoft]

The ventiri on the left is used with the cast iron simmons. The venturi on the right is used with the alloy Simmons and won't interchange with the cast iron Simmons.

[ctlikon0712]

Interesting, nice pics Purdy Swoft.
I got these indexes from ModelA.org
•"Restorer" magazine, Nov/Dec 1995, Page 15, "Simmons Carburetors for the Model A"
•"Restorer" magazine, Mar/Apr 1996, Page 10, "Model A Era Carburetors"

[Purdy Swoft]

Here is a bottom view of the Two venturi styles . The upper venturi was used with the alloy version. The Simmons alloy venturi doesn't have a tapered lower edge and the inside diameter is smaller. No wonder that the alloy version delivers less CFM and would be less desirable for performance. Both style carbs still have the high speed passage. The Alloy version will give less umph.

[Purdy Swoft]

Here is a Simmons Alloy and a Wizard improived carb side by side. Same carb just different name plate. Some alloy version parts will interchange with the cast iron version, such as float, needle driver and assy. choke and throttle shaft and some other parts. The big difference is the venturi.

[Purdy Swoft]

This shows the Wizard improved brass name plate. Notice the beveled edge at the flange above the throttle butterfly.Western Auto sold both and as far as I can tell, they are both the same. I don't know why the Wizard name was used on some.

[Purdy Swoft]

A few cast iron Simmons carburetor cores.

[Joop]

Thanks Purdy You are the SIMMONS "Guru"

[Purdy Swoft]

Here is a few dismantled for show and tell.

[Purdy Swoft]

This shows the main jet. The main jet attaches to the plug under the bottom of the air horn with a 1/2 inch wrench. the jet protrudes through a tube in the lowere casting and there is no cap jet.

[Purdy Swoft]

The area arround the main jet looks different on the alloy version. The jet looks the same to the naked eye when removed.

[Purdy Swoft]

Originally Posted by ctlikon0712

Interesting, nice pics Purdy Swoft.
I got these indexes from ModelA.org
•"Restorer" magazine, Nov/Dec 1995, Page 15, "Simmons Carburetors for the Model A"
•"Restorer" magazine, Mar/Apr 1996, Page 10, "Model A Era Carburetors"

Thanks, I have the info that you have listed, its the only written info that I have found. The first time that I heard of a Simmons carb was several years ago and was the one that was briefly shown on the Carburetors and carbohydrates video.

[Purdy Swoft]

Originally Posted by Joop

Thanks Purdy You are the SIMMONS "Guru"

Thanks Joop, I'm not much of a guru, I've just mostly played it by ear. There is very little info that I have found on the Simmons carb and no replacement parts that I know of.

[ctlikon0712]

Purdy, for someone who doesn't have the two articles, could you scan/post them? Or anyone?
Thanks Purdy