I have never owned a modern vehicle (cars built after 1972 and trucks built after 1979). All of my vehicles have carburetors and use ethanol fuel. Around here there isn't a convenient place to buy ethanol-free fuel.
The only problem associated with ethanol that I have experienced with any of my vehicles is when the Feds mandated ethanol fuel in the metro-Atlanta area in 2007 or so.
Within 2 months of ethanol's introduction to the fuel supply, the original fuel pump in my 1956 Cadillac failed. The ethanol had swelled the diaphragm to the point wher it would only pump half the requisite amount of fuel.
Modern pumps and rebuild kits are made with ethanol resistant parts. I have never had an ethanol related problem since.
Having said that, it is extremely important that you actually drive your vehicle if you purchase ethanol fuel. If it sits around in the tank for months and months, it will gum up the fuel lines and gum up your carb.
I rebuilt my Carter YF for the AD truck a couple years or so ago and have over 4000 trouble free miles of driving exclusively on ethanol fuel E-10.
