Hot Rods 6-71 blower in the rain question

I am about to start my next project, a 1956 Nomad I pulled from a barn about two years ago. This is a pretty nice old driver-quality car as far as the body and paint are concerned, so my plan is to leave that part alone and build something suitable for every day driving that I don't have to worry about.

The only thing is, I live in Oregon. It rains a lot. This particular car will have working wipers, heat, and a few other things that most of my hot rods don't have, which should make for a simple and straight forward build. Except for one thing: I am stupid and apparently, a glutton for punishment, and plan to run a healthy, blown small block Chevy pulled from another car in the Nomad, with a hole cut in the hood and scoop sticking all the way out of it.

I've looked around and have found guys on other sites asking about running a blower in the rain and found that most people seem to say it's no big deal to run a little water through them. But again, I plan to drive this car every day, eight months out of the year here it's cold and rainy. So my question is:

Who here has had firsthand experience with running a blower in the rain and how often? I'm thinking of trying different things to limit the amount of water it really breathes, everything from *****hose over the scoop, to turning it around, building something around it, or any combination of those things when it rains heavily.

For those interested, here is the car and the engine that will be going in it. You can also read the long version of how I found the car here: No Dice Nomad or listen to it here: Iron and Steele Podcast

ironandsteele.com​

 

Water injection

 

I don’t think you would really **** in that much water, but could be wrong. I would be more concerned with the water coming in the engine compartment/wet on your wires.

 

Been caught in the rain. The air filters will keep all but a downpour out and the Hilborn style scoop actually has drainage areas on the bottom. No intention of any real rain driving. Mr Squirrel may have some real experience with this.

 

Turn the scoop around backward from October thru June.

 

With age, everytime I take a chance, it bites me big time. If you are running at real low throttle opening, then the amount of vacuum is limited. But my question is: how do you keep from ruining your air filters? Because of your area, I'd rather be safe than sorry. I'd have a hump in the hood to protect everything.

 

Turning the scoop around would work, but might be the starting point of way too many unwanted comments.
The only loss would be the ram charging effect, but I don't think a blower relies on that at all......

 

I ran these mushroom air cleaners for exactly that reason. This car was my daily for 18 years. I SWEAR it rained every single day of the summer on the way home.



-Abone.

 

>>I think I'm going to just buff it and drive it as it is.>>>
That's what I'd do too for the 56 Nomad.

>>> My big plan is to make it sit right, install a nasty blown small block with a 4 speed and call it good. >>>
That's what I'd do too for the blue/white 55 post.

Hey, we almost think alike. 8^)

 

Different car, but a better pic of the air cleaners.



-Abone.

 

Anybody who tells you it wont be a problem doesn't live in the Pacific NW! The forecast for the next 3 days is nearly 5" of rain alone, and that's enough to kill your engine from ****ing it in if you're driving in it.
But I'd be just as concerned about how that blown SBC is going to respond to rainy streets and highways driving it daily!
I think you could make up another scoop with opening facing back, or as Bandit Billy said, turn it around for the rainy months. But it wont help with traction problems in our heavy rains! 38"-40" of annual rain isn't conducive to high HP rods and traction Jake.

 

I knew a guy that daily drove a big block with a blower in the summer months , and he had a screen inside the scoop and would shove a foam filter in front of it when it rained . Never had an issue .

 

I have been in some real down pours in my Stude. Usta have a 454/6-71 with forward facing scoop. We had problems on Power Tour with water shooting in around the roll cage tube holes in the floor, despite my tight fitting sliced fuel hose grommets, but that big rat never missed a beat. MSD 6 at the time.

 

Could you imagine ****ing up a wet paper filter

 

I'd say that a secondary air filter setup for the expected rainy months would be the prudent solution. Or a winter hood with a "scoop" that opens in the rear that is just tall enough to clear the scoop.
56 Chebby g***ers with back facing hood scoops are about as traditional as it gets even if they have stock suspension rather than a straight axle. This one even has a blower under the hood.

 

There is an item used in motocross and other off road wheeled sports that’s called Outerwear’s I think .
I can’t remember the name for sure .
This is an opaque looking material that will allow air to enter,,,but it will repel water .
We used this on my sons air box lid when we were In some very bad water situations .
It works great,,,,,and would work on your carbs on the blower perfectly.
They are made in many differing shapes and sizes .
I have seen some made to resemble shower caps to put over velocity stacks on tunnel rams on the street .
Simply install them in rainy weather,,,,,,remove them after the rain,,,,,no problem.

Tommy

 

That's the scoop I'd run even if it never rained.

Outerwears is the name of the company.

https://www.outerwears.com/

 

Yeah, that Outerwear is the ticket. Off road and dirt track guys have used it for years.

 

Jake, I wouldn't park the car in the wind and rain, or you might encounter a problem, like the former owner of my Allis Chalmers D-12 tractor.

 

If the engine is running, rain isn't a problem. If you are hauling the car on an open trailer in the rain, with the engine off, you need to cover the air cleaners so water won't get in.

I've put over 100k miles on the blower in my avatar in three different vehicles, that includes lots of rain miles on the highway and in traffic. No issues.

 

Maybe I’m too much a purist, but I wouldn’t want to cut up a Nomad just to run a blower. Maybe an under hood Paxton or something like that, but not a Roots blower through the hood. Now a 2 door post car, yeah, I’d say go for it. Just my two cents….

 

What's that newfangled Sat Nav doing on your dash? I had you figured for a folded gas station map in the glove box next to the extra set of points kind of guy.

 

I would ***ume it would be just the same as any other car driving in the rain with no hood. Seems like all the guys I’d tag have already chimed in.

should be a rad car

 

I have drove in rain & snow with No issues,, with filters & none with exposed engine """ BUT """ one time with a Bug injector ,I was parked with engine covered after rain went to start , hydraulic a cylinder, The end result I did not cover well enough.

 

Rain no problem. Snow is a big problem. Plugged the filter and was freezing on top of carb.
Long trip home stopping several times to clean it off.

 

Jim,

Are those paper air filters?

I won't have a blower but my Model A will have 2-4's and no hood. I've been wearing my scalp down scratching my head and worrying about rain.

Abone got around the issue by using mushroom air cleaners but I like the air cleaners like you have.

I hope the question ironandsteel first posed has been sufficiently answered and that this doesn't send the thread sideways.

 

Yeah, they're paper air cleaners. I get new elements every year or two or three, depending on how they look.

 

Do you use shower caps or similar over them when parked?

 

No.

 

Mike I've been using same filter for 4 years and about 20,000 miles. It still looks new. Been in the rain more than once. Never have covered it.
Here's my next intake though. This might be a problem. I will run a filter on it.