I have a 1972 cutlass supreme convertible converted to 442 with a correct 455 engine and automatic. The 455 engine has a edelbrock performer 455 olds aluminum intake with a edelbrock performer 4 barrel carb. The car has an aftermarket fiberglass ram air hood with the metal screen on the bottom side. I want to put a outside air induction system on the car with the after market oai air cleaner kit including bottom air cleaner pan and top piece with the vacuum activated flapper and the foam gasket. MY QUESTION : given the information I have supplied here , will I be able to do what I want without having to modify anything? Will the air cleaner assembly work alright with my intake and carb as far as fitting under the hood? If I have to modify anything to make it work what would I have to do? Any comments here would be greatly appreciated. I will put you on next years Xmas list.

 

The BBO Performer is too tall. You will need to either modify the air cleaner top adapter or use a dropped base air cleaner housing.

 

Joe, when you say modify the air cleaner adaptor, are you referring to the rubber foam gasket on top of the air cleaner flap assembly? Maybe I can cut down the height of this rubber gasket going to the hood. As far as a dropped base air cleaner goes I would worry that this dropped base would hit the distributor cap and wiring or the throttle linkage . Thanks for your answer here.

 

No. I'm referring to the plastic O.A.I. adapter that goes on top of the metal air cleaner base. The center part where the flapper door attaches sticks up past the mounting surface for the foam seal and will hit the underside of the hood, even if you remove the vacuum actuator. I believe Supercars Unlimited sells a modified version for this application.

 

Last I knew, Dr. Decal sold a steel adapter (to replace the factory plastic one) which is lower profile and fits your application.

I know that SuperCars Unlimited used to sell a plastic adapter, just like the factory one but with the center cut out. I think this was just for performance, not clearance. Maybe they now sell the steel one described above? I haven't checked their website lately.

 

Not stock but pontiac have some low pro ram air set up for 67 -68 years firebird and gto's

 

Would a 70 steel ram air hood fit on a 71/72

 

YES, but must change the core support to a 1970 core support.

 

And the grills, and the headlight surrounds and the bumper. Basically you have to turn the car into a 1970 nose.

 

Ok thx alot

 

The carb mounting surface on the Performer 455 is 1.65" higher than that on the stock W-30 manifold--you have to come up with an assembly where the foam-mounting surface will be low enough to compensate for that difference.

With a stock air cleaner, the best option is to use the Chevelle Cowl Induction top plate, but that only gains you 1 inch. That still leaves your foam mounting surface 0.65" too high. And the Chevelle piece does not have an air flapper door, so it does not appear stock.

Your further option would be to get a drop-base air cleaner housing as Joe suggested.

 

My 1972 455 442 had an Edlebrock Torquer high rise manifold on it so I bought a cast iron stock manifold to use but changed my mind again and ended up putting an original aluminum W30 intake on it so I can use the stock Ram Air air cleaner. Looks better too!

Gotta dig that cast iron manifold out and put it on the classified section!