'42-'48 LC air cleaner canister

[larry butcher]

Has anyone that has restored a '42-'48 LC using the V12 w/ the original air cleaner adapted or modified the air cleaner to use a modern paper

filter insert( K&N?). I had an oil leak in the oil reservoir, repaired it, but there must be something better. Larry

[19tom40]

I modified a 50 Ford truck air cleaner to take a standard paper element. The task was easy, but now the element is no longer available. The paper elements do a better job of filtering, but also restrict the airflow much more than the stock oil bath air cleaner. You need a deep filter as well as allowing airflow around the outside of the filter to allow enough airflow so that the engine will not be running rich. The round elemnts are fast disappearing from the parts houses.

I don't know if K&N makes a round filter that would fit inside of the LC air cleaner. If they do, will they continue to make for the next 15 years? Once you convert the air cleaner, it cannot be used as an oil bath cleaner again.

IMHO, you are much better off using the original aircleaner as an oil bath cleaner than converting it to a paper element.