Hello, I'm trying to get my original air cleaner to work on my 56 Olds Super88 but with a dry element. i've found the dry filter element to slide in the top part of the box but I need to find a base to put on the bottom that goes between the cleaner and carb. the carb opening is about 4 3/8". The base needs to be 14" in diameter. I can't seem to locate any air cleaner base with those dimensions. Any ideas what people do to get these original air cleaners to work?

thanks.

 

This is for a 4bbl .
Use the original bottom and top after taking out the screen, filter rests in the middle but can't be more than 1 1/2 inches tall or you will have problems closing the hood. Also you may need a longer hold down bolt as the filter will be about an inch taller than before. Watch the wing nut and bolt height as it will dent your hood if to tall. ....Lost in the fifties ...Tedd

 

On my '55 Cadillac, which I suspect has as similar air cleaner housing, I removed the oil bath element, installed the paper filter and then a foam ring on top of the filter to fill gap between the element and the top of the housing. I also extended the threads on the stud so the wing nut could tighten the whole assembly.

 

Here is what I'm working with. I'm still lost with your all suggestions. To me all it appears I need is a bottom cleaner base that would be 14" in diameter with a 4.5" inner diameter. I can't seem to easily locate one of those. Does this picture change anyone's suggestions?

Thanks,

P1020856_zps9428df6a.jpg

 

Looks like I may need one of these to make it work unless someone has an idea.

http://www.summitracing.com/search/d...ange/4-7-32-in

 

Most GM Rochester 4 barrel carburetors' air cleaners will have the same carburetor opening up to the mid 1960s when they switched to the Quadrajet. If you have access to an old car wrecking yard, search through it and see if you can find one of the size you need. If you can't find the correct size, get one bigger and cut it down to what you need. Otherwise, you can fabricate one from scratch which will be a bit more difficult. I'm using one, in its entirety, from a '64 Cadillac on my '55 Olds. Of course, it doesn't look "original", but the change was easy, it fits well, and allows for a cool air intake.

 

You have all the parts that you need right there, just put the base of the air cleaner on top of what you have now, turn it over and install it on the carburetor. If the base won't fit around the paper filter the paper filter is to large of diameter, it should be about 8 inches by 1 1/2 inches.Sorry I don't have the filter number for you but if you take it to your local parts house and show them what you need they should be able to find a filter that will work......Tedd

 

The paper filter element I use on my '55 Cadillac is a WIX 42098

 

its really odd to me that mine has this big post hanging down the middle plus a lip at the base on the inner diameter of that air filter in the picture. all ones i keep seeing on ebay and google shows it nothing like this. its just a big shell with no obstructions in the middle of the filter. I wonder why mine is different.

 

Yours is bone stock and the cylinder(post) is where it's designed to be,it will give you no problem with the correct paper filter.Mine looks exactly like yours and I have no problems at all with it.

You may be seeing fiberglass reproductions of the batwing on Ebay other wise someone has gone to a lot of trouble for no gain to remove it...Lost in the fifties ...Tedd

 

It seems very restrictive to put a paper filter in there with the lip on top of the housing and the post down the center. Especially since the only opening is a small gap in the back of the cleaner housing that lets air in plus that post is 1 1/4" past the bottom of the housing so the base would have to be just right to get the proper clearances. I found that the Fram CA3492 filter is no good for this application. WAY too big and I pretty much destroyed the filter getting it in and out. The K&N e3699 filter was a perfect fit. However despite this I'm looking at one of those Ebay reproductions because I don't want to modify my original, it'll be an easier install, and should be less restrictrive. Thank you all for the help.