spasco442

Hi,I'm needing to know if the base(bottom half) for the oai breather set up is made for a 442 only or is it on other models also. I'm needing bottom half,but finding it to be alot of $

joe_padavano

Supply and demand. The parts are expensive because they are not common on other cars.

jensenracing77

that base is only on cars with the OAI. the standard 4bbl base will function on the OAI but the snorkel is smaller. at one time the top was the expensive part but now it seams that the bottom is worth more than the top.

joe_padavano

Something to do with the fact that the top is being repro'd and the bottom is not.

stevengerard

I am pretty sure the bottom is now being reproduced as well. Try the parts place - the bottom is different but as mentioned will work, you can drill the holes in it as well. I myself have not noticed the snorkel on a normal 442 is smaller than and OAI base. I even compared it, so either I had a different base or it was just not that much of a difference that I noticed it - which is probably the real answer I just didn't notice.

my 1000th post - ugh I spend too much time on this

jensenracing77

you may have two standard bases or two OAI bases. there is a pretty big difference in snorkel size.

Texas442

stevengerard

yep I knew it, Not a big enough difference for me to tell - anything less then 8 inches is all the same

70Post

No--the same base was used on, for example, non-OAI 442s with some minor differences like drain holes around the air filter area and in the end of the snorkel for OAI bases. Snorkels are the SAME size/shape. Still, originals are getting hard to find as more and more cars get done.

jensenracing77

i did not know that standard 442s had the same snorkle. did the 72 442 with the 350 also have the big snorkle?

70Post

I don't know. I'm primarily referring to the '70 442 which used the same base and a single snorkel. Somewhere along there they came out with the dual snorkel base (1 long 1 short snorkel)....maybe sometime in '71.

Anyway---the fact they came on at least non-OAI '70 442's, of which many were made, still hasn't made them any easier to find.

These things can be restored, etc....they are metal so that means they can be beat on, welded on, pieces transplanted, etc to fix them. I replaced about 12" of the base on one here awhile back where it had sat with water in it and rusted out around the perimeter.

Bluevista

If it's just a W29 without the W25 hood I guess it would depend on if it's a two or a four barrel 350? Did they use a single snorkel on the two barrel and dual on the four barrel when you ordered the 442 appearance package in '72?

I gave a dual snorkel base to a friend to use for his 427 Chebby powered tow truck about 20 years ago because I had no idea what it was for.

It's supposedly wrong but the '71 assembly manual illustrations show the same snorkel on the non-OAI four barrel bases with the bulge before it goes into the housing and the OAI snorkel base doesn't like the smaller snorkel in the pics posted?

bkeese

Toranado used the same base without drain holes.

Allan R

71/72 did have the dual snorkel. I have one in mint shape. BTW, nice work on the air cleaner resto. You've obviously got some great skills, but is all that extra work cost effective for just an air cleaner? Just curious....

Patton, help me understand. I just looked at the post from texas442 and checked out several air cleaners in my stash. see my post below....to me this looks like the base may be the same, but the snorkels are definitely not. Then again I don't have documentation stating my wider one is actually Oldsmobile since there are no part numbers stamped on it. It was however reddish/orange in color. Could it be a Ramrod air cleaner?

Holy Cow! I've got one of these!!! Didn't even think about measuring the snorkel. I compared the measurements side by side with some other air cans just like texas442. Side by side you can really see the diferences, When they set apart from each other it's less noticeable. Crikey, I was going to sell it cheap. Now I'm thinking I should hang onto it...

Anyway, the bigger one I have does have drain holes in the bottom, but I thought all of them did. Also, does anyone know if they made the OAI snorkel in the red/orange color, or was it only in black?

spasco442

Thanks thats the info I was looking for,gives me another area to search Thanks alot

70Post

Thanks!! "Extra work"???? Depends on how you define it. On an hourly basis for a customer...No, it would not be cost effective at all unless it was some ultra-rare, non-repro'd part which this one isn't.

This wasn't extra work for me...it was a spare base I acquired and I did the work in my spare time. Have a matching flapper top, etc so it would have been a shame not to complete the package or toss out an otherwise nice piece. Plus it presented the opportunity to try a repair on this thin-metal type part and see how it would come out.


The Orange/Red air cleaner color is typical of a pre-'70 Olds.

Many other Olds's and other cars used similar, but-not-exactly-the-same-shape/dimension snorkels. I think on the '69's they snorkel may even be the same (maybe not) but the Thermactor is placed in a different spot on the snorkel. I have a 4 bbl 455 Buick Electra air cleaner base/lid here that also has a nice large snorkel similar to the Olds...but again, not an exact match. In a pinch, one of these could be used to at least provide a look that's similar to the original, while not exact. Also, you may not be able to hook up the hot air pipe on these "close but not quite" bases since the Thermactors are in different spots. Of course, who wants the hot air coming in the snorkel anyway!!?????

The repair work was enjoyable..especially since it worked!! LOTS OF TACK WELDS....

Sorry about the "hijack"

w-30dreamin

The bottom is being reproduced.