Another major chapter revisited the eternal carb debate. By 2012, original Amal concentric carburetors were causing more headaches than ever due to worn throttle slides and ethanol-blended fuels.
The Power Pack team dyno-tested three setups on a 1971 Triumph Tiger 650:
The results surprised many. While the Mikuni won on cold-start and fuel economy, the Amal Premier (with redesigned pilot circuit) delivered smoother mid-range—and kept the period look.
Crucially, the article included jetting charts for sea level to 6,000 feet, a resource VMR still sells as a standalone cheat sheet today. vmr power pack the journey so far part 12 2012 vmr
What survives from that volume today?
Moreover, the collaborative spirit of 2012–open, technical, non-dogmatic–became the template for all subsequent Power Pack issues.
2012 marked a pivotal year for VMR Power Pack, consolidating earlier technical gains while expanding market reach and deepening customer relationships. This installment reviews key milestones, product developments, operational changes, and market context for VMR during 2012. Another major chapter revisited the eternal carb debate
No discussion of the 2012 VMR Power Pack would be complete without the Bremen Autoworks story. In mid-2012, a major German automotive supplier (codename: “Bremen Autoworks”) was struggling with six legacy HPUs powering a robotic welding line. The units ran 24/6, consuming over 450 kWh daily. Heat buildup forced a two-hour cooldown every Sunday night.
VMR replaced the entire bank with three synchronized 2012 VMR Power Packs running in a master-slave configuration. The results were stunning:
The plant manager was quoted in an internal memo as saying, “We didn’t just buy a power pack. We bought back our weekend shifts.” The results surprised many
In 2012, professional frame jigs were still too expensive for the home restorer. Part 12 featured a brilliant low-tech method using:
The technique was developed by a VMR member in Oregon who had straightened over 200 Triumph and BSA frames in his barn. It became one of the most-photocopied sections in the entire Power Pack series.