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By GREENBIRD56 - 13 Years Ago
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I recently "gathered up" a dry element air cleaner for a '57 T-bird and it had an oversize replacement filter installed. The one fitted was a 14.0 diameter and 3.0 height for a Chevy truck or high perf engine. It fits into the base OK but it doesn't fit correctly into the relief in the domed top cover. Is there a part number that will do the trick for a quick paper replacement? The OD of the element seat in the lid is 13-5/8. How tall should it be to stack as original? I went through the list that K&N has on their site and they show five part numbers - four for Ford products that are 13.25 OD and another for a Buick (also 13.25 OD). Heights are: 1.88, 2.19, 2.50, 2.75 and 2.88. Part numbers are E-1550, E-1560, E-1580, E-1577 (for the Buick), and E-1570 in order of height. Were all of the factory '57 covers chrome plated? or were some gloss black? Restoration guys -what do you do about the goofy "staples" that hold the cork shield? I've seen the "unclosed" staples for sale - do you just stick them through the original holes and clench them over?
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By gekko13 - 13 Years Ago
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Some time ago I grabbed a few discarded master filter catalogs from my local parts store. Most all of the major manufacturers list filters by physical size. A good parts house should be able to find what you need fairly easily. I prefer WIX or Hastings. They seem to have the widest range of sizes. Have you tried Ford (Motorcraft)? Although I've used K&N too, but the dry paper filters are cleaner and more authentic, IMO. Re. the staples, yes, you have to fit them carefully and "clinch" them with needle nose pliers. It is tedious but just go slow and measure/mark precisely, pre drill the holes and you'll be fine. Good luck.
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By bird55 - 13 Years Ago
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Steve, I've always just ordered the "stock" element for that air cleaner setup, which was a dry filter. 55,56 were oil bath as you know. Also, As you know your rig will have to allow for clearance. I do recall the "low-budget" birds may have had painted Air cleaners but you got me wondering so I'm going to check some of my old stuff. Low budget was the 292 with a 2 barrel.
On the staples I used stainless wire, thread thru the holes bend it an clip it to fit, much easier, won't rust.
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By tbirddragracer - 13 Years Ago
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The "57 T-Birds with the dress up option
had chrome air cleaner tops, chrome oil
filler caps, and aluminum valve covers.
The air cleaner tops on the standard units
were painted argent silver.
Ernie
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By paul2748 - 13 Years Ago
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As far as staples are concerned, I have used the ones you buy from the TBird parts suppliers and have made my own out of stainless wire. If you make your own, be sure the diameter of the wire fits the holes.
I set the cork in place, insert an extra piece of wire in the holes in the metal to make the holes in the cork and then insert the staples.. Do the same with rubber pieces.
Do a test fit with the staples as you go along. some can be either a little wider or a little smaller then the spacing in the air cleaner.
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By Duck - 13 Years Ago
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Steve; NAPA Gold P/N 2063 is the correct element for the application.
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By Genuinerod - 13 Years Ago
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The B7S-9601-A filter has a 10.81" I.D. - 13.69" O.D. - 2.12" high. Ford still sells these but it is a little smaller than the originals. T-Bird suppliers sell these for about $12.00. I have looked for years for after market filters that match the above numbers and some only have one or two measurements that are close. The cork 'shield' is there to keep a lot of the dirt off the air filter from the fan. T-Bird suppliers sell the staples. Some people want the stock look, and the staples are it. I use the stainless lock wire.
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By DANIEL TINDER - 13 Years Ago
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[b]Genuinerod (6/19/2012) The cork'shield' is there to keep a lot of the dirt off the airfilter from the fan. Some people want the stock look, and the staples are it.
While the cork was painted argent at the factory, I see that most T-Bird "restorers" (the same ones that bring their supposed concours-correct show cars to high-end auctions wearing repro Kelsey Hays wire wheels, something never available from the dealer originally), now leave the cork unpainted. Apparently it stains the freshly painted hood. I cut the cork down slightly before installation/painting on my own car (especially since my aircleaner is taller due to the PVC spacer plate), so it just almost (but not quite) touches. Still functional & stock-looking, and few notice the cork is shorter.
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By GREENBIRD56 - 13 Years Ago
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Many thanks for all of the replies guys - I think the NAPA/WIX unit is probably the one I'll go with. Another lead I got was to use the Motorcraft FA-41 - and I found one of those too. After a serious soak and clean-up, I'm sure the outside was Argent and the lid (has the internal reinforcment ring at center) was chrome. To use the original part - it will have to go to the plater - the rascal knows me by name any more....... Daniel - What method did you use to determine the length of the cork shield? I've got the '57 intake on there now - and a half inch spacer - and the Demon carb is (I think) the same height as the Holley 4160 - so it must be close to stock height? I had an awful time fitting up the "air pan" arrangement I have on there now - not looking forward to another struggle.
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By DANIEL TINDER - 13 Years Ago
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[b]GREENBIRD56 (6/20/2012)
Daniel - What method did you use to determine the length of the cork shield?
Steve,
Don't really remember for sure, but likely I cut a strip of thin cardboard much shorter than the cork, slipped it into the slot on the aircleaner, and then slowly closed the hood. Then measured the amount left above the metal, and cut the cork to the same height dimension (after full insertion) minus 1/16" to allow for hood bounce.
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By GREENBIRD56 - 13 Years Ago
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Thanks Daniel... found this one for sale with a nice set of photos....shows the Argent painted cork nicely. http://www.ebay.com/itm/thunderbird-57-air-cleaner-/110901682153?hash=item19d2415fe9&item=110901682153&pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr
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By bird55 - 13 Years Ago
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fyi Steve, back in the day my Dad and I used rubber as a replacement for the cork. It might be a good consideration for you since you probably not going for concours stYLE. IT WILL OUTLAST THE CORK FOR SURE AND IF YOU PAINT IT WITH HAMMER FINISH MOST WON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE ANYWAY. woops sorry about the caps key. 
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By GREENBIRD56 - 13 Years Ago
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Yeah Al - I was thinking about that rubber substitute myself. My intentions for the dry airfilter are mostly to put on the car when its static. The air pan intake version (sealed to the hood scoop) that I use for driving around drops the inlet air temperature by 60°-80°. It goes on (and off) with a single fastener and is easily exchanged for the "right" part when she's stopped with the hood up.  
Arizona being the location it is, you can imagine the temp in the carb throat on a 106° day like today.....sometimes I'll swear the radiator is cooling the air passing through it rather than heating it.
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By DANIEL TINDER - 13 Years Ago
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Steve,
Interesting setup. Since you have obviously managed to measure the air temp in the scoop-fed airtight space you have created, I wonder how hard would it be to measure air pressure also? I'm thinking there must be a minor supercharging effect at high speed (?).
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By GREENBIRD56 - 13 Years Ago
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Daniel - I've got a device my outfit used to use to check inlet and outlet temps of big mill motors. It has a pair of thermocouples that are designed to be used in an air-stream situation and I dangled one right down in the carb throat. It has some interesting uses - but doesn't have a way to make a paper or electronic record (the reason its been replaced with a better instrument). Holley publishes data that says the HP goes up one for every ten degrees the inlet air temperature drops so I became interested in feeding my motor something besides air from the radiator. I don't have a manometer but a guy could probably make one with a "U" tube and distilled water to check out the pressure situation. I have a sneaking suspicion that the only gain the T-bird scoop can give you is a temp drop (in ordinary use) - and not too much in the way of pressure. There is a photo around of a Bonneville bird where they put an extension on the scoop that led clear out over the leading edge of the car - it probably reaches higher pressure there when the ground speed gets "up there".
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By miker - 13 Years Ago
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Many years ago someone, I think Hot Rod, did an article on that. The "engineeringtoolbox" site gives 1 lb pressure as 27.7 inches of water. They had a 3 foot board propped up from the tunnel to the dash, and had the passenger take readings as they taped the end of the tube in various places around the car, outside. As I recall (after 35 years or so, ha), they confirmed the use of air intakes around the base of the windshield, facing aft, or a scoop as you describe with an intake above the hood boundary layer/turbulence, etc. Couldn't really find a pressure effect, so much as clean, undisturbed, air flow. Most air scoops seemed to end up in disturbed, or negative pressure flow. I don't have the engineering knowledge to evaluate any of this.
After removing the supercharger I resurrected an old 55 repop air cleaner that was made as a dry element. I had cut the whole bottom out of it, and attached the top to the body, converting it to a cover for an open element air cleaner ( I had an old base to set the small dry element on the carb). What little I can find seems to indicate that these have about half the filter area required for a 312 at 5000 rpm. I'm still working on that for a solution.
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By DANIEL TINDER - 13 Years Ago
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[b]miker (6/23/2012) they confirmed the use of air intakes around the base of the windshield
There is an anecdote from Smokey Yunick's autobiography re: high speed testing of one of his stockcar racers. They used to tape a cover over the heater duct outlet under the dash (fed from the intake behind the windshield). Once, at top speed, that panel blew out with explosive force.
Seems like plumbing THAT duct to the aircleaner should have a noticeable effect?
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By pegleg - 13 Years Ago
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Check the intake arrangement on the Hoosier Hurricane some time.
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By GREENBIRD56 - 13 Years Ago
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Yeah - and I was thinking of the double ducted set-up on the '56 T-bird of Speedpro56 too. The front bulkhead where the radiator mounts must build a bit of speed "air compression". The two snorkle inlets attach to the front - and the top seals to the hood? That's how it appears in the photos I've seen.
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By pegleg - 13 Years Ago
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John's HH is ducted from the heater plenum, ala NASCAR.
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By miker - 13 Years Ago
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I was able to promote a low pressure manometer from a buddy. 3/16 id tubing inlet. Since my car is a heater delete, I pulled the cap on the original heater fan duct, capped it with cardboard, and taped the tube in the middle. On the inH2O scale, I got about .5 inches at 30mph, .75 at 40, and 2.0 at 65. That was down in a little valley, when I crested the hill and caught a little breeze, it spiked to 3. Not very scientific, and I'm not really sure how I should do this. Given its water, it's not much pressure at street speeds, but maybe cooler air? And it doesn't look linear to me.
With the tube poked thru the triangler hole next to the hood hinge, I got about the same on the trip home. Electric fan off.
Steve, if you want to try it with your scoop set up, let me know and I'll send it down. I know you know more about testing and engineering than I do.
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By MoonShadow - 13 Years Ago
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I've always heard that intake tubes to the front at least get air that has not been heated in the engine compartment. I have been told that the cooler air charge simply makes horsepower! My 56 has a large K&N filter piped from in front of the radiator. I'm sure there is some specific science involved but I'll leave that up to you guys. Chuck
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