I'm asking for ideas for an air cleaner for my 65 Cutlass or What would you do? Here is the car: 1965 2dr. Holiday. 200R4, 468 cid, American mags, super clean inside and out, underneath, console re chromed, detailed, etc. What I have tried to do is build it within my criteria which is pretty much stock but with mods, but try to keep things somewhat "period correct". This is hard to describe. In other words I've tried to use original parts in most cases. It has the W-manifolds, and Walt's 65 442 tailpipes.

So here is the question: It has a 830 Quickfuel carb on an Edlebrock 455 Olds intake. I'd like ideas for an air cleaner. I saw a bat wing ac on a 65 in ABQ that looked kind of neat but I'm not sure. There are double snorkel, single snorkel. I really don't want to put on a generic round air filter like you'd find at OReilly's or Wal-Mart. Ideas????????????

 

Stock 66-67 air cleaner, which has the larger opening to fit the newer carb. Punch or drill a series of holes in the base outboard of the filter element to increase airflow. Stock look but not the restriction of a stock air cleaner.

 

Get a dual snorkel, it will look period correct. Run hoses to feed cold air to your motor. There are multiple styles, the mid 60's style are different than later ones.

 

Here's mine. A generic round filter that I painted engine color and added a factory air cleaner decal:

 

Both good ideas. The engine is a 66 "D" block so that would make sense. CutlassFi made the comment that during the dyno run it made 470/540 with and without an air cleaner. (Although he didn't say which AC)

 

If you get a piece of vacuum hose cut to make a perfect circle on top of your air filter element, you can use the stock unit without modifying it but ,increase your airflow .
Most people won’t even notice and the ones that do just smile.

 

in 65 the original 442 aircleaner is just a chromed stock V8 one, so that would be cool too

 

I am a firm K&N believer, got a tour of their facility, was very impressed. Paper just doesn't cut it. Good luck


https://www.knfilters.com/video/kn_air_filter_2016.htm

 

I agree with the KandN and use them in other vehicles. Now to the filter. Ya'll will have to stand by on this issue. In between doing venison jerky I got a base of the air filter assembly that fit on the Edlebrock carb that was 330 motor. That assembly has a 5 1/6 hole. (I restored this piece to keep it with the original motor.) Anyway, that base will NOT work on the Quickfuel carb for two reasons. It appears I need a 5 1/8 hole and the base contacts the two bolts that stick up on the front and back of the carb. Even if I altered my base it would still run into the bolts and I don't want to start carving up an original part. I don't have other bases to try, so I will have to do some research.

 

One more option

 

It looks like your option or something like it will have to do. I simulated putting on the Cutlass assembly. Even if it would work I don't have clearance as the carb sits to high. The air cleaner runs into the hood insulation. Not by much but enough.What I am going to have to use is a low profile air cleaner.

 

I decided, while checking how much clearance there was, to replace the hood insulation and properly tighten the hood center molding which the previous owner had not done. And most importantly to find exactly how much room it had and if I needed to cut out an area for the air cleaner. So ordered a #4339 Holly low profile air cleaner. I will post the results for future reference.

 

This will work under your flat hood, I have one on my car with no hood insulation. Its the same type thats been used on Vettes, Camaros and chevelles. I don't think that Mr Gasket one will work.
http://www.ss396.com/chevelle/ATE-3907.html

 

two things:

1./ plastic fuel filter = fire hazard when they melt
2./ copper fuel line = electrical conductor to ignite the fuel filter.

don't want to hear of that nice car going up in smoke, just sayin

 

I and 100's of thousands of people have used the same plastic filter for decades. I agree on the screw together ones. I don't understand the electrical conductor remark, can you explain the theory there?

 

guess i'm old school, but i was taught to never use a plastic or glass fuel filter or use copper for a fuel line.
had a plastic fuel filter like that one dissolve on me back in the eighties and ruined a good carb.
copper line is just to conductive next to high energy sources like coils and spark plug wires. same could be said for steel but why risk more than u have too.

 

A steel fuel line is as electrically conductive as a copper line. However, a copper line will crack from stress or vibrations but a steel line will not.

 

I have a steel fuel line pump to carb, and my fuel filter is the same as in the above pic, except i put it in the line just coming out of the tank. I do plan to change it to a steel filter of the same dimension, keeping it up tight and out of site behind the tank.
Steve

 

Getting back to the air cleaner: the 4339 low profile air cleaner will work. It is close and will work with the hood insulation. I have not got one yet but K&N has a filter E-3740 that measures 2.313 in thickness that would work. I'll probably try that one as it would add more air flow.

 

I like it! That ties in with the valve covers nicely. I almost didn’t catch the painted intake. I did the same with the edelbrock on my 70. It seemed strange to paint a brand new aluminum intake but I dig the stealthinesss factor. ��

 

I would argue that 1) if the plastic filter is hot enough to melt, the engine is ALREADY on fire, and 2) the stock steel fuel line is also a conductor. In either case, the fuel line is bolted to the fuel pump and the carb, both of which are bolted to the block, which is grounded. Where, exactly, does this electricity come from?

 

I'm trying to keep it "Oldsmobile original" as possible but I can't do everything but as much as possible.

 

Good looking engine compartment.