Technical Caddy/Olds air cleaner, how do tell repop from original?

Collecting parts for my coupe build and a mid 50's caddy air cleaner is on the list for my 390. I've ran across a couple of original ones, but they're $150-$200. New repop's are going for $130ish.

Besides the originals being oil baths, is there a difference?

Am I better off going original? Or repop?

Thanks fellas.

 

Some of the originals had a flattened out spot on the back, and some were rounded off, depending on whether they were from an Olds, Cadillac, or Packard, which all shared the same basic air cleaner. Some of the originals had a piece in the center the size of a beer can that has to be cut out to put it on a regular base without the oil bath. I've used several of these cleaners but never with the oil bath, I just use the lid with a paper filter and a base to fit whatever carb.

I've never had a repop in my hands so I can't comment on the quality of them.

 

The originals are very heavy.

 

Some of the re-poppers have a notched area in the back to clear an HEI and yes they are considerably lighter than an original if compared side by side.

 

The originals have the inside air tunnels that run along the side and open on the rear of the cover. The new ones that I have seen don't have tunnels they are just open to the inside.

I picked mine up with the intention to make it work with a modern filter element. I didn't have the heart to cut it up and would have had to blast the rust and repaint it. IMHO if you're going to cut it up it is cheaper and less work on a repop since they are already made for that purpose.

 

You have to modify the cover to fit a paper element? I thought it was a plug and play type deal.

 

I've seen repop's and originals in person and they both look identical on the outside. I can't remember if the inside had the channels in it or not.

Hmmm

 

They do look the same on the outside, it is how the air gets to the filter and the size inside. The new ones I saw don't have the inner structure so they are larger inside and fit the more common 80s GM round filter replacements. If you left the inner structure you'd need to find a smaller filter to fit. Also you'd need to make a bottom cover since you'd be s****ping the oil bath.

 

I'm more than happy with my $130 repop. I've seen the $90 offerings and the tops were all distorted. My (cheap) friend bought the lesser one and later told me by the time he filled,sanded and primed etc. before paint he should've stepped up, and he does body and paint. I was kinda amused.

 

Yeah it sounds like there isn't much difference. I may just go repop. I'm not overly worried about running an original one.

Thanks dewds!

 

At the height of the crazy prices for the originals, I sold a crusty original for quite a bit more than the repop I put on my car. All I had to do was scuff and paint it! The repop looked just like the other original I had, and came with a new base with paper filter, an original style GM decal, and the cool "Rocket" hold down nut!

 

The originals are taller and are two piece. I've converted one using a modern filter but had to open the carb hole to fit the new diameter , drill air holes in the inner part, adapt the new paper filter etc. All in all, the repro's work well. are simple and can be made to look as nostalgic as one wants. Just as a idea. I got this idea from some magazine I was reading. Take an old center cap hubcap, like a 48 ford or whatever. Make a plate for the carb to hold a similar sized (to the hubcap) paper filter. Drill a hole in the center of the hubcap for the threaded rod out of the carb. Put it together and you have something different and home made.

 

I have a repop on my convertible, and it looks just like an original from the outside. They have the flat spot on the rear like the Cad oil baths had. I don't know why the Olds had a totally round filter. It is much easier to use he repop rather that modifying an original filter

 

I did a original Caddie with a 70's Chev LT Drop base fitted with a E1690 K&N filter on a Holley carb.
The drop base sits down over the carb and looks better in my opinion.
It was also easy to connect a crankcase breather from the Oil fill tube to the LT Drop base.

 

Thanks fellas. I ended up finding a original one for a good price so I pulled the trigger.

HemiDeuce, how tall is that K&N?

 

Not sure how tall it is, but worked out just right with the base and depth of the Cad air cleaner.
I had to m***age the inner diameter of the Cad air cleaner for the filter to fit in the housing.

 

Thanks man, I'll look into that

 

I bought a repop and painted and striped it and love it. yruhot