Want to install new Amal 29 carburetor - need input

yorchie

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Looking at ordering a new Amal 29 carb. for my 1950 Comet with corresponding intake. Replacing 930 concentric. Would like to know any information from current users. Good, Bad or Indifferent.
 

vibrac

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well it will look the part, and nowadays with Vincents that seems to be what matters.

and to be fair later Amal products in their historic context only marginally improved the performance when used on earlier machines. Some say it took the japs to make a good carb I could not dare to comment
 

greg brillus

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Hi Yorchie, I have fitted quite a few of the new 29 carbs to Comets, Shadows and Rapides. They seem to run lean off idle and you need to use the choke slide for quite a while until the engine warms, this i have found is mostly due to the number 4 slide they come with standard......perhaps this is due to the nature of the fuel we have to use these days. A number 3 slide will be on the rich side, so ideally you need a number 3 1/2 which are available from time to time....otherwise i simply machine 30 thou off the base of a number 4 slide, and this works very well. Run the needle in the middle groove to start with, with the standard 106 needle jet, and a 200 main jet is normal on a Comet.....finally, try and fit an air cleaner, as this will save engine wear and also the slide in the carb itself. The idle mixture will be correct with the screw approximately 1 to 1 1/4 turns out after being carefully wound fully in, this on a warm engine. All Vincent's look much better with their original carbs, and they run well on them too.....But thats just my oppinion. Cheers and good luck........Greg.
 

yorchie

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Have always liked the look of remote float bowl and the 1 1/8 inch Amal is the 'correct' carb. I bought the vinnie to have an old bike to 'fettle' with and joke that I own "half a black shadow" Have not met an English moto enthusiast who has never said " works great . . . Once it's set up properly". I have learned that the proper setup takes from 1 hour to 5 years. I know I can install a Mikuni, but what is the fun in that? I live at 4000 feet and up to 7000 feet for some of the roads here in the Rocky Mountains.
 

bmetcalf

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The 2012 North American Rally was at 7000 ft and most Vins there did not suffer much from the elevation.
 
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