even so it still should not be leaking around the carb and now I'm worried the float needle could be dissolving to, is it possible to replace both without removing the carbs.
If you have to ask the above, you cannot afford to do your own carbbies. While you are at Ayers, check the price on a slide diaphragm. There are four of them.
Shoodaben charges $300 + for extra parts. For this, you get carbies back that are properly and thoroughly cleaned inside and out, his proprietary jet kit to remove the stumble, over flow tubes, and everything adjusted and tested to be perfect.
Some tasks are just much better performed by experts. Carburetion and heart surgery come to mind.
To me, it's a no-brainer.