The Cal-look Lounge

proabably, only second to real BRM's, a pair of Weber 48 IDA carbs carry more mystique and "street cred" in the Cal Look world than anything else...

What is it about the 48IDA carb that makes the hot rod VW fan gasp in awe?

Of course, the mere appearance of the carburetor commands respect. Open the decklid of any self-respecting Cal Look Bug, especially for the uninitiated, and the shock factor of seeing these giants on a VW motor is off the chart. Car guys might recognize them from Ford V8's or big Cam Am Chev motors. But even little kids know there's something not so "cute" about any 48IDA Bug motor.

The performance offered up by IDAs on the right motor, well nothing need to be said, really. Go watch a properly tuned VW with IDAs on it run through the gears. Better yet go ride in one. Unlike anything else, having a muscular VW motor come up on the cam, getting those carbs to work where they should and being slung back in the seat HARD.

But most of all, to me, it's the sound of a pair of 48IDA's being cracked wide open. By no means polite, quiet, refined or subtle....the sound of a tuned VW inhaling though a pair of 48's is demonic. A deep chested, hard-edge growl off idle, a bit of a crackle as the rpm's rise, never losing its bone rattling bass note, as the engine races to 5000rpm +, the carbs now howling, almost as loud and intense as any open exhaust, rising in pitch to a screaming cry until redline. Given the motor is running a bunch of overlap, that wide throttle opening under load, a pair of 48's will make the most evil sound you've ever heard.

after hearing jims engine race buy at 6800rpm - carbs overpowering exhaust tone;s - sends chills down my spine - and thats only 2 carbs - that sound of a heathy small block with 4 air grasping 48 IDA's is truly a sound of evil power

I have to say the best sounding IDA VW motors I have heard:

Dave Mason's 2165 in his black '62 sedan

Damon Leiataua's 2276 in his '57

I remember the first time I drove a cal looker with a big motor and IDA's , put a grin a mile wide on my face and the Devil in my right foot  ;)
After driving the car like I stole it I backed it up my drive , my wife gave me a the sort of look that turns most into ice and said , I heard you a mile away and how much is this going to cost  ;D

NO! Dual 48 IDAs are far more significant! You can bolt wheels onto any old car and it'll just be another Bug with alloys/mags. BUT IDAs are another matter. Your car could look almost stock but open that deck lid and... well, I rest my case.

Amen to this...Keith!!!

Frank

Got to agree with you on that one Keith , its what's under the hood that counts . Think i've heard that some place before

CANT FORGET PETE'S DRAGON - TUNED THOSE CARBS IN ON A SATURDAY WHEN WORKING AT BUGGY HOUSE - ( MANY SATURDAT'S ) - GOT PETE IN THE CAR - I WAS DRIVING - PULLED UP TO A RED LIGHT WHEN A 69 Z28 PULLED UP NEXT TO US - WE LOOKED AT HIM  - HE LOOKED AT THE BUG AND LOL - AFTER PUTTING THE FRONT WHEELS BACK ON THE GROUND AFTER A FULL PULL IN 2nd GEAR - LOOKED BACK FOR THE Z28 - NOT THERE - PULLED UP TO THE NEXT LIGHT AND HE DID NOT EVEN COME UP TO THE CAR - WANTED NO PART OF THAT - THE Z28 DID HAVE A GOOD SOUNDING ENGINE IN IT TOO

I get that every time I get home from a "test drive"....women!!  ::) ;D

Tony you have some of the best stories, wish I coulda been there.

AS DO YOU - THAT WAS A FUN TIME AT THE OL BUTT HOLE - PETES DRAGON DID BARK - COMES BACK TO THE 48'S AGAIN - SIMPLE BUT DRAMATIC. JIM YOU WERE THERE IN SPRIT.  ;D ;D ;D ;D - US OLD FARTS THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND DO HAVE SOME GOOD STORIES

What about the sound that is produced when a 48 motor is ready to be driven after a cold start?? Get in, fire it up, let it idle for a few minutes...ahhh the barrels are all resonating evenly, LETS ROLL.

I find that the more overlap the cam has, the more compression (of course), the louder the IDAs. Also, EFI dual throttle bodies are too quiet for my ears.

Which one of us hasn't made the sound of a big cc VW with IDAs in the shower?

IDA's make me horny.











Did I say that out loud???  ???  :o

hi guys,
i ll be using efi,
but want a that bark as well :)
what is it that the IDAs make louder ?
what do you think?

BTW Jim, your story gave me the chills :)

I can recall attending Bug-In's at the famed OCIR and how a few race cars shared a unique engine sound.  Nearly all the race cars ran IDA's, but a few would sound different - meaner - angrier - better.  When these cars made a pass you could clearly hear the howl of the IDA's over the loud exhaust stinger.  Simply awesome. 8)

To make sure your getting the full "bark" out of your IDA's, make sure your getting full throttle.  I drove around "handicapped" a few months before discovering my problem...the change in sound was amazing.

This would be like shooting fish in a barrel.  ;)

--louis

Hi Louis  ;) ;D

Ever since owning a 59 Bug with a JMR 2276 on IDAs, I have wanted to build my own motor with a pair of Italy's finest. I have secretly been stashing old school parts on my top shelf for 'that rainy day'. Trouble is, where I live it rains every other day ;D

One day I will roll a Bug with a beautiful induction roar 8) After I have built my Turbo Oval, of course Mr Sanchez

You ought to keep those 46's to see if they produce the same effect  8)

I remember back in 1999 I was part of the "Return to the Fatherland" tour. The cars were off loaded in England and we had an appointment the next day at Stanford Hall (?).
Of course there were several Brits welcoming us. Ivan from VolksWorld fame was there with his white 63 Ragtop. A buddy of his grabbed the keys and I asked for a ride. We took off down the road and he let into the gas pedal. At first I thought someone was shooting a machine gun at us!!! But it was the sound of the two 48!!! Damn!!! I have to get me a pair of those! I was hooked, period
Erich

48's are overrated!!!!


they dont fit under the decklid of a type3.

now 48 DELLS that is what you need





 ;D sorry guys had to do this.

Dells sound like there is a bird under the decklid at idle. Chirp,chirp.

I have no idea, but now that i'm stepping up to IDAs i'm hoping to find out!!  ;D

Convert it to T1 style and ditch the decklid.  ;D

--louis

seems like this guy didn't see any problems.

n.b. such an awesome IMHO  8)

Those are just glued to the engine cover.  Probably ICTs under the lid.   ;)

Thanks for ruining it for us...next thing you know, there won't be a Santa Claus...SHHEEEESHH  ::) ;D

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/SunsetSea/Santa.jpg)

 :'(

   :'( :'( :'(.....ROFL!

Could you please warn me when your going to do something like that . Now how do you go about explaining that one to my little girl  ::)

Lynne not that little Glenn. :D

i dated a girl that just went crazy at the sound of them carbs howlin.....got lucky alot.......












damn....i miss her

To get the most auditory effect out of your IDAs build a small engine with a big friggin cam and floor it way under the power band of the cam. It'll make the hair stand up on the back of your neck until it gets "on" the cam.

(http://blogsimages.skynet.be/images_v2/000/017/568/20061110/dyn005_original_640_480_pjpeg_17568_4bcf51aed6b826d82e47c5e29e68f219.jpg)
(http://blogsimages.skynet.be/images_v2/000/017/568/20060921/dyn003_original_600_450_pjpeg_17568_0b8ba8b4f91adf2790d45adfe057bf90.jpg)

i still have some sweatshirts and tshirts for sale to show off your preference for italy's loudest carbs from bologna... contact me at fastfred@autobahn.be

honestly, and I know this sounds weird, but I think the venturi makes all the difference. Seem like 48's with "smallish" vents really REALLY bark, almost like a pierceing snap. I think the venturi makes the carb kind of like a horn or a reed instrument. the air passing through vent makes a harmonic vibration we can hear. I don't know, I'm not a scientist. Just a guess.

You are right, John. 1914, 86b and 48s ;)

hey jim it think you hit a good one here - and you were woried

This morning, a friend call me because he will start his race car. 6 longs years of sleeping...
Engine is a type 4 2.4l. 48IDA, one off exhaust, 214hp on the dyno. Built to run endurace race.
Men, the sound of this engine reving in the garage  :o :o . how could you not fall in love off this. 15min off happiness.
I hope next time he will repair the gearbox and go for a ride  ;D

No kidding! IDFs sound the same way.

IDAs and Kadrons sound the meanest!

I remember that mission Erich!
You had a good blast in my old '63 Ragtop, didn't you?! I can remember you being a changed man when you came back from that e-ticket ride!

That car is now owned by Matt Sanchez, but I still have that motor - it's now in my '67.  Since then it has had a bit of reworking done to it, but it's still basically the same Gene Berg 78mm forged crank, Carrillo rods,  FK10 bottom end. The heads are VW040 by Mary at Pauter Machine. The Berg rockers have gone and I've replaced the 48IDAs that were on it with NOS Italian stallions.


I can also remember the beer flowed freely that night and this in turn lead to some of us spiraling off into oblivion. I also won't ever forget the next morning when driving to Stanford Hall, in the usual spirited manner, and nearly loosing the '63 at speed half way through a fast right hand bend - I think the fact the passenger door window was my windshield at one point should give you an idea of how close we were to becoming part of the scenery...
I don't think I've ever come as close to thinking it was all over in a VW. After coming out of it in one piece - I turned and looked at my friend Ben Lawrence who was a whiter shade of pale in the passenger seat, held my nose to help me do my best Raymond Babbitt impersonation and said "Of course, I'm an excellent driver" - We laughed for about five minutes!

honestly, and I know this sounds weird, but I think the venturi makes all the difference. Seem like 48's with "smallish" vents really REALLY bark, almost like a pierceing snap. I think the venturi makes the carb kind of like a horn or a reed instrument. the air passing through vent makes a harmonic vibration we can hear. I don't know, I'm not a scientist. Just a guess.
[/quote]

   I think you might be on to something there I run 37 vents. in mine and I love the "bark"  great thread.   
                                       
                                                       hmmm maybe this is what Cal Look means..... 8)

37mm vents in such a large engine?  :o

yup,   180 mains  50 idles   F11 emulsions dont remember airs.  FK10  it rarely sees more than 6500rpm 

   never have tuned it for the track. Since my trans is geared so tall.

honestly, and I know this sounds weird, but I think the venturi makes all the difference. Seem like 48's with "smallish" vents really REALLY bark, almost like a pierceing snap. I think the venturi makes the carb kind of like a horn or a reed instrument. the air passing through vent makes a harmonic vibration we can hear. I don't know, I'm not a scientist. Just a guess.
[/quote]

I wish my EFI was quiet Dean.  Maybe it's that big engine bay..........

I don't think that sounds weird at all, Uncle Jim.  Having spent some time in the back of Allen's vert two weeks ago and with the time I've spent driving the truck, both 2110's with EFI, the sound is the same, but different from a 48 motor in that I didn't hear what I thought was the air going past the venturis.  The throatiness is there, though, to me.

The throatiness comes from the Size of the engine and the separate runners, so it should be the same for all similar sice carbs. But the higher tones, like the "hiss" sounds I think comes from the layout on the rest of the parts in the IDA, that would not be the same in an efi motor.
And those noises is part of the "crazy" feel you get when you are flooring a IDA engine.