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By 56_Fairlane - 12 Years Ago What would be the best stock air cleaner for an Autolite 4100? I got one to replace the teapot along with a B manifold on my '56 292. I'd like to keep a period appearance to it. It' too bad my original oil bath air cleaner won't fit. By gekko13 - 12 Years Ago DJ, I like the period look too. I have found a lot of useful bits and pieces in wrecking yards that specialize in truck parts or farm machinery. Air cleaners from back in the day were very "functional" looking and fairly universal. If you live near farming country, comb the yard sales, swap meets and Craig's List. BTW, HD Ford trucks had oil bath air cleaners with the 5" nom. base that will fit your 4100. By oldcarmark - 12 Years Ago When you find one that fits convert it to a dry element type.Much less mess etc. By Noob - 12 Years Ago The 4100's were in common use on the FE 390 v8's of the day (think Galaxie, T-birds, Montereys), so they could be considered period correct, at least late 50's to early 60's. The Carter's used on the MEL's (Think Lincolns, Square Birds, etc.) had the same air horn diameter, so they might work. Both are pancake style versus the pumpkin shape, but would be paper element for no-muss service. FWIW... Brian By MplsMike - 12 Years Ago DJ, I dont know if this will fit but it has been on the Minneapolis Craigslist site for a while. Looks pretty nice to me. http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/pts/3636876692.html Mike By 56_Fairlane - 12 Years Ago Thanks all for the suggestions. My carb, according to the model number is from a '57 312 with the 1.08 venturis. It would be nice to find a 57 air cleaner. A paper element would be nice but not that important. The one on that CL is basically the same as my original except for the element conversion so it won't fit. I tried mine on the 4100. By lowrider - 12 Years Ago Good find on that 4100. That's one ancient looking 4100. By alanfreeman - 12 Years Ago With a little modification, you CAN make your Teapot oil bath air cleaner fit on the more modern carburetor. I was able to modify my '54 Mercury oval Teapot air cleaner to fit nicely on a brand new Holley 1848-1 carb. It just required a little trimming around the bottom of the Teapot air cleaner to make it fit perfectly on the modern Holley. Alan By 56_Fairlane - 12 Years Ago I found myself a period correct air cleaner today. It has the right indentations on the bottom to clear the extensions of the float bowls. It's cleaned up and ready for a new coat of paint. I know I could have modified my original air cleaner but I want to preserve everything I'm removing to return to original if I ever do that. By junkyardjeff - 12 Years Ago I gutted a original 4 bbl air cleaner for my 55 and converted to paper element and its sitting on top of a later Holley 4 bbl. By Daniel Jessup - 12 Years Ago That's the same one I use! I "think" I got it from a 59 292... but could be wrong on that. By 56_Fairlane - 12 Years Ago The one I found is from a '58 Edsel. I'm trying to understand why the housing is so large yet the filter element is so small in comparison. Also the air inlet seems small too. By gekko13 - 12 Years Ago Daniel & DJ, those are great looking air cleaners! Daniel, that one appears to be for a FE- note the indentation located at the front for distributor clearance. DJ, one of the design considerations for OE air cleaners is noise or the suppression of it. Over the years, the auto industry has been "encouraged" by the government regulations to conform to specific noise standards. This includes intake as well as exhaust. By manipulating inlet areas, plenum volumes, baffles, and such they can tune out a lot of unwanted noise "pollution". This is just another service that "Big Brother" provides to protect us from ourselves- IMO. By LordMrFord - 12 Years Ago '59 without silencing plates, few big holes beneath the pan and some good flowing filter. Maybe some induction stack too if it fit.A nice flowing and stock looking. By 312T85Bird - 12 Years Ago Find one off a '57 thru '60 Ford F-150 with a two barrell carb. they came in both oil bath and dry element and look as original as your '56 oil bath but fit the later carbs including the 4100 Ford. I just sold one of those to a friend in Arkansas for fhs '56 Sedan and I do not have another but know that they are out there. Good Luck 312T85Bird By slumlord444 - 12 Years Ago Pesonal favorite is the'57 T-Bird air cleaner. Pricey but period and look great. First of the low restriction air cleaners like Ford used in the '60's Hi Po cars. By GREENBIRD56 - 12 Years Ago Maybe the trick is to create a HiPo air filter that looks "Ford" and fifties too ...... The '57 bird cleaner has a neat (and distinctive) domed top and dry element - but the scoop's cork air deflector is out of place on a sedan. The tops show up on epay in rusty shape - maybe a deal can be had? Finish in gloss black? And the "proper" open element is the '57 element with the round holes in the outer screen........ Scott Drake? don't get stung on these - even the Ford replacement P/N has the wrong screen... this link will show one complete version http://www.laurelmountainmustang.com/products/1964-1967-mustang-hi-po-chrome-air-cleaner-concours-versions The base would be the Ford Racing tin job used on the HiPo 289's (more gloss black paint) .... and to finish it off get one of the '57 repro stickers that calls for using genuine FOMOCO parts...... And then invent your own story of how it came to be on your car!!! By 56_Fairlane - 12 Years Ago I thought about a '57 T-Bird air cleaner but I had the same thought about it looking out of place. I'm still waiting for my air cleaner to show up. By slumlord444 - 12 Years Ago On the Bird air cleaner, remove the rubbert seal and it the top is rusty, sand blast it and paint it Ford Argent. Add the decal. Did this on a ratty old factory Hi Po air cleaner for my "Rat Rod" Mustang. Cheap and looks great. By 56_Fairlane - 12 Years Ago I got my air cleaner yesterday and it looks good. I'm just amazed on how small the filter needs to be compared to the size of the air cleaner. Any ideas what size filter goes in it? It's from a 58 Edsel 361. By gekko13 - 12 Years Ago Just for grins, I looked up the listing in an old Wix master catalog and there was only a blank space for that specific engine (Edsel 361) under "air". You will need to measure the housing where the filter sits to determine the i.d., o.d., and height of the original filter element. Then with those dimensions, a competent counterman should be able to cross reference it or post the measurements here and I'll give it a shot. By 56_Fairlane - 12 Years Ago I've seen some measurements for some elements of a few different engines that Edsel used but none for the 361. I'll need to see if any are the same for Fords. Competent countermen are hard to find anymore.