That's not a bad idea either. If the little diaphragms have dried out and cracked, they'll be useless. Pretty simple to replace. As mentioned, don't lose the little bits!
I also had a problem where tiny pin holes allowed the fuel to leak from the pickup bowl back into the tank proper. Unless you had started it recently, you had to pull it over several times before it picked up enough fuel to allow it to run. Unlikely in this case, I reckon, but something to consider.
I find with spares, if they're reputable, you'll be good to go. I've had no problems with the likes of GA Spares, Bynorm and Stens. You can pick up HEAPS of old Briggs gear from the US on sites like eBay. Unfortunately, shipping is usually the most expensive part.
