Got first pix from VS of my new build today. I won't be seeing the car until next week.
Here's the engine, showing the carbs, which were supposed to be Webers. Judging from other pix I've seen, these look like EMPI's to me. Can anyone tell from this pic?
If they're EMPI's, does that still matter today? I've dug up some old threads from a few years back about EMPI's having serious quality control issues, but being OK once sorted.
Is that still true or should I insist on Webers?
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They could easily be Webers with an EMPI linkage. You're used to looking at CB linkage.
Those are EMPI carbs. You can see the oval shape of the empi logo on the barrels.
I wouldn't be worried about the carbs on a running and tested engine. If they had problems, they'd mostly come out during initial tune, just like webers. If it does bother you that much, make sure you get Webers made in Spain (doubt you'd find the old Italian made ones) or a set of Dells.
The one on the left is Ralph an on the right is Eddy..... Couldn't resist..... 
Thanks Justin, I thought I recognized the logo.
And thanks so much for naming my carbs, Leon.
I probably won't name the car, so this will have to do. I just hope I won't be calling them Beavis and Butthead once I start driving it.
Is it safe to say that quality control on the current Webers is about the same as for EMPI?
I don't know the answer to your question about quality control between the two carbs. But if I specified Webers...and paid for Webers, I wouldn't accept a substitute.
And speaking of 'quality control' it might interest you to review old SOC posts from Todd in Florida concerning his experiences!!!
I havent had any issues with my empi's since I put them on soon after they cam out about 8 years ago.I would not have a set of webbers(would not pay for them) the usa made ones are crap as the story go's and the spain ones were not a lot beter, the itailano ones were pretty good but long since out of production.and the empis have been updated over the 70's webbers.and I think there on thier 3rd generation of hpmx crabs. I have 2 sets of 44's. as with any thing it is usualy the instalation or the operator that is the issue. but I could be rong as I have been 5 times now.
Five times?...I only recall three.
I'll have to start paying closer attention to these posts!
They are empis...same ones that came on my new vs. same part sizes idle jets etc as webers. Once theI are dialed in and synced they won't be an issue.
I agree with Todd and Mark. I set up a pair of EMPI 44's on Peter McEwan's 2,110 a while back. Did a full rebuild on them (they were about 8 years old at that point and were off the engine, so I figured a full rebuild was $$$ well spent). The floats were off quite a bit when I rebuilt them, and they were jetted pretty rich in the idle circuit. We set them up using my A/F gauge and a temporary bung for the O2 sensor. Much like most Webers, with the jets you think they'll need, they seem lean until you get the Ign. timing and accelerator pumps dialed in and then they settle down and run just fine. His were running fine for a couple of years until his "friend" managed to crash his car and he then sold it.
I should start by saying that the mere mention of 'Weber Carburetors' brings to my head visions like this:
from the pimply-faced days of my youth, when I dressed up in a sport coat and tie, trying to bluff my way into the local Ferrari dealership, just to get a glimpse of the engine bay of the unobtainable 275 GTB that was parked there, glistening like an alabaster monument, and protected from riffraff like me by a velvet rope.
Oh right, the Speedtser...
I was fully expecting to get EMPI's when I checked off the '1915cc option' at VS, but Kirk volunteered that they were installing Webers with all of the 1915cc packages now, along with an external oil cooler and fan. So, while I didn't spec Webers, and wasn't paying extra for them, hope was springing eternal. And while todays' Webers, even the ones from Spain, may not be those of my boyhood dreams, at least I thought, I'll finally own a little piece of that hallowed tradition.
Well, like so many dreams of my youth, this was not to be, I guess.
As folks here are saying, though, it may be just as well. It seems that for every story of EMPI nightmares, there's one of Weber nightmares, too, and what seems most important is getting either brand sorted.
I'm confident Roland and Kirk will make it so.
The V-12 would totally make your car tail-heavy.
hmm thay kinda look familur.. just a little, my old boss bought don johnsons personal power boat from miami vise,(S...crab) it had twin farrirriees in it, what a effing turd.we gave it back, and bought a 48 Apatchee from ralf martin @ everglades marine with tripple supercharged 580's in it, it was the apba offshore pace boat for the offshore races,it pased the boats at about 120mph then cut them loose for the start of the race. the motors were about dead so I built 3 new ones for it with a lot more power. I miss those days.
as for the flot level on the empis they were all way off when new, that was the first thing you needed to do with them, the newer ones are supposed to be a lot better in that aera.
and yes you need to have the timing curve right or you will probably need to ritchen up the idle circut, the 09 was /is very bad about a flat spot(hesitstion,snapfart whatever) that a lot of guys think is the crabs transfering from idle to the main circut, well with the low float it does affect it, but it's mostly the dist curve, and a mild or small motor makes it even worse with 44mm crabs. it's all in the tuning of the entire engine.my 2028cc motor idels just about as smooth as a stock motor but makes 2x the power and then some when you step into it. with wedge port heads,about 560 lift&256 duration,10.4 cr. it drives like any other car.for me it is way extreamly mild.
