1800: First Fit - Dual Solex ADDHE

[tdz840]

Originally Posted by Vintagewrench

I'm looking for a set of 45's and spare parts to replace the Webers on my kit. Who is a good source?

Hi, Happy New Year (et al)!
The Solex ADDHE are a good carb and in preference better than the equivalent DCOE/DLHA.
Unfortunately like ‘Betamax’, it has lost out to ‘VHS’. This has meant spares are not as widely available, nor bodies for that matter.
I’ve only ever seen one set of 45’s for sale and they went for silly money.
There is however a guy in Italy that can supply everything you need including jets, chokes and ancillaries. He even can modify a 40 (widely available on Alfa’s) to a 45, or even 50s.
I’ve collected over the years a very large range of jets, but retained 36mm chokes in the interests of flexibility.
I find they are very stable, have 5 progression holes built into the body, can tune each inlet with air bypass and the throttle shafts have sealed bearings. I believe they were a later version of Side draft and took all the best elements of previous designs and eliminated the worst.
His name on eBay is alfa1750
HTH
Russ

[Vintagewrench]

Russ, I was in contact briefly with you on Facebook while searching to find a manual or detailed information on these Solex 45 ADDHE carburetors. At the time you indicated you were busy with work, although you mentioned knew of a source of info or a manual, but I wasn't able to reconnect with you so I added this here with all of your posts about these carbs, and hope you see this.

One of the key pieces of info needed is how to determine where to set the adjustment on the accelerator pump linkage for each carb.

The before image below shows them as found, and also include the Volvo Comp intake manifolds, a new old stock air cleaner with a modern element (we have the original element,) and the (lightweight 8lb) early Comp Services header.

It has all been been loosely assembled to see how everything fits on a head and block. The carbs have been cleaned up and inspected, and the parts to rebuild them will be ordered soon from Alfa1750 in Italy who you have used in the past.







Photo below from a Volvo Competition Services catalog of the intake system.

[Derek UK]

Do you have the anti vibration mounts that go between the carbs and the manifolds? I think the Solex kit was introduced for the 140 and they may have more room to fit these mounts. You might have to dish the inner fender for clearance the same as Rudd's did when they fitted Webers and a small box filter on the 120's.

[Vintagewrench]

Originally Posted by Derek UK

Do you have the anti vibration mounts that go between the carbs and the manifolds? I think the Solex kit was introduced for the 140 and they may have more room to fit these mounts. You might have to dish the inner fender for clearance the same as Rudd's did when they fitted Webers and a small box filter on the 120's.

Hi Derek, no I don't plan on using a set of the thick rubber mounts, although if you look closely at the previous photos, you will see a set of rubber Mishab anti-vibration mounts between the carbs and the manifolds. These will be used along with a set of Cosworth rubber thackery washers and an original air filter brace.

Just like Russ' installation these are going to be put on our '67 1800s that sees road use, although it is also raced with the VSCCA, and with blueosprey90's MGA, but in this case for the street a narrower air filter element will be used instead of modifying the inner fender well.

The mock up image below shows how the air filter cover just clears the inner fender. By using a thinner air filter element (for road use) than the gap visible between the two air cleaner housings in the photo and by using the stiffer motor mounts already installed in the car clearance will not be an issue.





Here in the US Volvo equipped or imported 122S cars with Weber's on similar manifolds as early as 1964 for racing. In 1965 Volvo changed the setup to Solex 45 ADDHE carbs with Volvo Competition Service manifolds in preparation for the Trans Am racing series.

Comp Services components also found their way on a number of new cars before delivery as all of the parts were available for installation by Volvo dealers starting in the 1960s. The later 140 series kits used the less expensive Solex 45 and 48 DDH carbs with plain bearings for the throttle shaft instead of the ball bearings as used in the ADDHE's, and copied by Weber.

If you are interested in pre-1975 Volvo competition cars check out the "Historic Volvo Racing Rally and Speed Society" we have created with some like-minded friend's on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/232999844689051