MTFCA Forum

I’d love to know the story behind this, a very well made carb from American Watchtool Co in Waltham, MA ..... Chas Metz had a connection with this company and also, of course, the Metz car company. I had thought American watchtool Co was long out of business by the time Metz was active in the Orient Co and later the Metz Co. Chas was a friend of Henry Ford, perhaps also a mutual friend of Geo. Holley

According to Franklin Tucker's 1967 article in Antique Automobile: "[In] 1916, the officials from the Metz Company obtained control of the American Watch Tool Company and in addition to the regular lines, parts for motor cars were made; horns, carburetors, etc. This is where the erroneous rumor arose that the Waltham Watch Company manufactured parts for the Metz car. They did not. It was the American Watch Tool Company of Waltham. A prime reason for this maneuver was the higher prices the manufacturers of horns and carburetors were asking."C.H." [Charles Metz] refused to pay these higher prices so began manufacturing the items himself at considerable savings."

The Waltham carburetors have aluminum bodies, and are tricky to restore. Just ask Stan Howe.

Phil

Phil nailed that one. I have two from him and one I found for parts. They will be the last of these. They run pretty well but are hard to do anything with because of the Aluminum bodies. I've been trying to find time on a day I'm in a good mood to get them done.

I also don't work on Stromberg RF's unless I have see it first. I sold all my RF stuff to a guy several years ago.

It’s a shelf sitter for me. I’m interested more in the historical background of it. A license agreement, a pirate job, ?? It’s not a direct copy, and looks very well made, so I’m thinking the latter. The bowl is much better made than the Holley, and probably 1 lb lighter overall. Chas also used the T manifold designs and head configuration on the model 22

I have one of those AWT CO. carburettors on my 1914 Metz Model 22.

The engine starts well most of the time. The rare occasions when the engine is hard to start is usually on a very hot day after an extended period of driving. When running the engine runs very well and is quite responsive. My biggest complaint about the carb is the miserable design of the float valve. I have battled that thing many times and it still leaks more often than it doesn't.

It does resemble the Holley Model G, but not all of the parts are interchangeable.

Bill, it looks more like a Holley H1 as fitted to 1912 T's. The H 1 also has a problematical needle and seat arrangement standard, but Stan Howe has a neat fix to overcome this. Perhaps you carb could be modified in the same way. I had Stan rebuild a second H1 for me, with his modified needle and seat. The trouble is it looks so damn nice I can't bear to fit it and get it dirty.
Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.