What's the best way to make the carbs look new? I heard soaking them in Coke will do the trick, is this correct? Obviously gotta remove all the jets first. Any other way?

Get a can of Carbi-cleen stuff from Repco or similar establishment. It gets the fuel stains and minor build up off easily. A toothbrush is good to get the thicker stuff off.

Oh Yeah. I wouldn't recommend Coke as the sugar will react with petrol and clog stuff up. Like putting sugar in someones petrol tank.

OK, thanks

i have yet to try it but was told that baking soda in a sand blaster works v.v. well. plus it will totally dissolve (in either water or kero/petrol? can't remember) so won't gum up your carbs.

Theres a product called carbosolve which we used to use for cleaning aluminium housings might be the same as Peter's carbi-clean the carbo stands for carbon and it was great stuff.
Can remember it was a bit pricey but you can strain it and reuse it.
Makes carby's look like new.

my 2c is kero first

nice and cheap. Give it a good soak and scrub and then hit it with propper carb cleaner

Im a kero and toothbrush guy, not to hard on the hands, and makes crappy old alfa carbs look like new. Pretty good on the teeth too:repuke

Carby clean is bloody expensive and hard to find these days. I disassemble mine and soak all parts a long time in an ultrasonic cleaner - cleans everything without corroding (which can enlarge orifices.) A bit of poking with toothpicks helps everything along...

fill a tin up with kerosene and soak them overnight, then attack it with some carb cleaner and a toothbrush