I read that you can increase your carburators performance if you take a 14" air cleaner base plate and put it on your carburator ( where it would normally sit ) and brace it there, with the base plate there, the air flow to the carbutator is increased because of the Venturi Effect it causes, and since the base plate acts as a shield between the hot manifold and the carburator the air entering the carburator is cooler. Has anyone tried this, and if so, is it worth doing.
Wouldn't using the air cleaner do the same thing whilst also preventing crap from being sucked into the engine?
I should have mentioned in the original post that this is done for increased performance at the track, not for everyday driving.
i read once where a fella would remove the hubcaps and turn the top of the aircleaner upside down when he would take his moms stationwagon to the track
I don't doubt it. But the benefits will probably be marginal. On a related note, I know a guy who runs a 426 Hemi in the Factory Appearing/Stock Tire drags, and he found a reproduction fiberglass air cleaner base made a couple more HP at the tires than a stock stamped cleaner base. The fiberglass was a little thicker, and therefore the top plane of the base was a bit above the throats of the carbs, so it smoothed out the airflow. He then found that doubling the 1/4-inch cardboard ring gaskets between the air cleaner and the carbs also added a little, again because it smoothed out and directed the air before it hit the carbs. He's limited by rules though, and must run the air cleaner base. I think you'd do a whole lot better looking for a velocity stack, or a modern stub-stack. -Brad
The Jalopy Journal
