Projects Custom made air cleaner?

Not a bad idea, just remove the shroud and that might be a little better

 

If the right part can't be found.....build it, or modify what you have....LOL

Good luck, I can't wait to see what you come up with

 

A couple more pics for your viewing enjoyment. I think a 14" round filter maybe a problem because of the fuel line but I'll try later today. I think the best option is to either run the big old ugly stock one and paint it blue to match or send it out to be jet coated like the valve covers, or get a spectre system when it drops down

 

Dumb question, is the engine mount broken?

 

I don't think so, why do you ask?

 

@samdjr74 I have a perfect dropped Corvette air cleaner base I'd part with

 

Thanks, funny you mention that, I own a C3 and was just about to try my air cleaner on it

 

From the picture it looks like it is hitting on the drivers side, so is this only when the engine torques up?

 

Ah, ok, because of the linkage on the driver side I can't get the air cleaner to sit any lower. So it only rubs on one side

 

I tried my C3's air cleaner and no good. Two things, first the heater hose, which is easy to relocate but I would need to add a 90 degree fitting to move it correctly and second, the base hits the fuel supply line and filter. Which again can be rerouted but not sure it's worth it.

 

Instead of rerouting the fuel line, what about notching the air cleaner base?
A little bit of sheet metal and a couple of hours and you could cut out for clearance around the line and weld in a new piece.....maybe

 

It would still be in the way. That fuel line is almost even with the carb throat. I would need to experiment with a few bases to see what can be done

 

Looking at this pic



I still think the easiest solution would be to fabricate some new filter bases (or modify the ones you have) and lower the 2 filter bods on the main housing.

It sure is tight between the top of the carb and the hood.
Maybe something like this;


or this;


Do a Google search for "low profile air cleaners" and tons of stuff comes up

 

I was thinking about the Spectre system and they will work from what I can tell. I'm just not sure if they will have the right "look" for the car. I'm going to take the air cleaner apart today and post a few pics

 

Ok, a few more pictures of the air cleaner, this time taken apart

 

And I threw the stock air cleaner back on, it's ugly!

 

Cut the big ugly off, then find a filter that will slip over the end where you cut it off.

 

Cool, all you have to do is fabricate these base plates with an offset hole, and/or you could cut out the section with the hole in it and move it up a bit then weld it back in place and fill in the gap. Either way, not too bad.
It looks like you could move the opening about 3/4" to 1" maybe

I don't have the capacity (or talent) to do good aluminum welding When we fabbed the filter housings for the 58 Packard we fabbed up all the parts and then found a guy to weld them together for us.

 

True, but I also don't have the best aluminum welding skills and getting those plates fabricated aren't going to be cheap.

However I'm leaning more towards the Spectre unit. It'll fit fine, it just has a very different look about it.

 

Can the end pieces be lowered a bit . Re-drill or ? How are they attached
Cut lower reweld...

 

First, nice profile pic your ride? No, not really, they would need to be fabricated. the backing plate is recessed so it makes a tight seal with the plenum.

 

If you fabricated new plates you wouldn't necessarily have to recess the base into it. You could just build it flat and have it welded to the base.
Or what about this, cut out the recessed bit, cut out the area above it, slide the recessed bit up, move the cut out piece down below it and weld it all back together.
Ask around, maybe you have a buddy that can weld it for you for a few cold beers..

 

I like the way you are thinking, but how about if you just cut out the whole rectangle and flip it 180. There will be one less line to weld. Also, I'd heard that you could cut and shape aluminum with a router. I just looked and there are Youtube videos showing how. That, along with the use of hole saws and maybe you could make your own custom bases.

 

Instead of all this welding ,just cut it some offset bases out of 1/2" aluminum plate ?? Find someone in your area who fabricated with plate , they usually have s**** for cheap ..

 

How about replacing the WCFB with a AFB.

 

Thanks all, I'll see if I can find a local shop. As far as the swap out of the carb, sure I can do it but I don't think it's going to help with the hood clearance issue. That adapter isn't tall enough to cause a problem. I ground off the bottom of the Holley air cleaner and put the adapter on it. So this has a slightly lower height then the stock air cleaner.

 

There's been a lot of good ideas posted. Should give you a lot to think about.
Once you decide on which way to go then the hard part starts. What I call the "hand wringing" stage. Where you worry and stress about if its going to work, if you are going to ruin your parts, if its going to look like ****, etc.
After you get through that stage then the actual fabricating usually goes pretty smooth.

Get after it! It's all going to work out
Bobby

 

Thanks all, I just took a bunch of measurements and even though I'm not happy with the results, I at least know what I'm up against. I only have about 2 3/4" between the top of the carb and hood.

 

The problem isn't only the 2 3/4" between the carb and the hood.... it's that the WCFB has a fuel inlet and a choke at the top of the carburetor that radiate outward a few inches toward the front of the car and toward the p***enger side. Together, they are keeping you from being able to utilize a common drop base air cleaner.

Eliminating the gl*** bowl filter would allow you to put an elbow at the inlet, which might open some possibilities for running a standard round air cleaner. You would still have to cut a hole out in the base to allow it to fit over the choke, and then patch that hole to seal it all back up. Such a plan would almost certainly require a 14" cleaner, and you would need to run a very short filter for hood clearance.

Just my unsolicited opinion here, but while the stock air cleaner is ugly, it is less ugly than the generic '80s Princess Leia thing you're trying to replace it with.

 

PS, who put a Hemi in your '58 Coronet?