My 216 (1946 3100) has always taken a long time cranking over to start in cold weather (30/40 degrees). I found a solution, I put a small hand held hair dryer on a pad on the fender and point it at the carb - about 8-10 inches away. I let the dryer run at the lowest heat and fan setting for 20-30 minutes. After doing this, the carb it is only a bit more than luke warm....definitely not hot. After warming the carb the engine starts almost instantly with very little choking and with 1 pump of the gas pedal. Obviously, I make sure the dryer is stable on the fender and sitting on a hot pad. I also stay nearby while the dryer is running. Doing this has saved alot of cranking and wear on the battery.
