I have an old Carter AFB carburetor that I would like to rebuild and use. It is pretty grungy looking though so I would like to clean it up before I rebuild it. Is there something that I could dip/soak it in that will clean and brighten it up or am I going to have to bead blast it? Or is there some other method that works?

Most cleaners today are mediocre at best,bead blasting will work but you must be sure to get "all" the beads out of "all" the passages.Other alternative is send it out and have it done right but it must be completely dissembled,that means every part removed from the casting.

Send it to Scott;

http://www.harmsauto.com/

Tom...

What d'ya think???

Never glass bead aluminum.

If you glass bead the aluminum it opens the pours and makes it stain easier. SCOTT has a super secret method to restore carbs. They look very good.

My 70 Holley looks amazing!! Well worth the $$

Same thing goes for alternators.

The "finest" glass will not open the pores,just the opposite,after that ceramic tumbling is the final process.

Very nice work that looks amazing..

i am still experimenting on my stuff but getting there.

There are several threads on stripping and refinishing over on RFS.
Some pictures are missing due to the tapatalk takeover, but the content is still good. For example this one, even though it originally started about aluminim carb parts, the zinc ones are also discussed.
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/racingfu...parts-t346.html

If done right,you can do very well with Zinc.

Used to work in a buddy's carb restoration shop, and I can say that Scott does the absolute best work I've seen from anyone else. (my friend doesn't do holleys anymore or aftermarket or carbs for modified engines or I would drop his name)

My recommendation for an AFB at home where appearance isn't critical. 1) if its really gunky quick work with purple power and a nylon brush to get the crude off, no soaking because it reacts to aluminum, or skip to 2) Berryman Chem-Dip 3) Spray carb cleaner through all the passages followed by dry compressed air and let it dry COMPLETELY 4) bead blast with fine media 5) clean out all the passages with more compressed air and any picks, needles, bent wires needed to poke up into passages. If there is any water in the passages, the glass beads and dust are hard to remove completely 6) clear coat the castings outside surfaces only.

As to some of the other pics here, zinc in a can, eastwood carb renew, and what the holley shop does looks like crap in my opinion. I opened up a lot of original carbs at my friends shop and never saw that color. Original coated zinc castings have a unique finish I can only describe as iridescent-ish, goldish light green that is hard to reproduce. Scott at Harms and my friend are the only ones that look right to me, hell even I can't get it right anymore trying to duplicate my friend's method.

In one of these pics you can see the difference between the tacky carb renew on the outside of the bowl and the original finish in the fuel inlet. The other is my street avenger I tried to make look more like a vintage carb by beadblasting and using an alodine solution and satin clear coat.

Interesting note. My friend's shop was contacted first to become the Holley's Custom Shop back when he did Holleys, being a one man and occasional helper business he turned them down because he didn't want to expand his business. So Holley went to someone else who does that horrible brown-gold refinish. It was after that started showing up at shows as "restoration" that "horrible brown gold in a can" came about.

By the way DO NOT USE those clear plastic sight plugs in my last picture! The new stuff they make them from WILL soften and break off in the bowl from nothing more than engine vibration.

Scott does excellent work.

I soak mine in a few gallons of gas in a 5 gallon pail.
Turns all the gunk into a dusty residue that cleans off easily with small brass brushes.
Then the small bits and linkages get cleaned in a rock tumbling outfit.