Who wants to convert their air cleaner to a 5 1/8” opening

[BulldogDriver]

So in my pursuit to keep my car looking as original as possible I am getting ready to modify the original air cleaner to be able to be used on a 5 1/8” carburetor or EFI air horn opening.
 

I have verified with an AFR gauge that the adapters that take a 4 7/32” air horn bore to a 5 1/8” are not a good solution. Matt Russell of Nailhead Buick.com as written a Facebook blog on this. They disrupt the air flow and create flat spots and in my case a severe lean condition. So I’ve found a solution that will require cutting and welding, but if done with care you can retain the original look, only needing to respray where no one will see unless the cleaner top or the whole unit is removed. 
 

I’ve found a source for a piece of pipe that has an ID of 5 1/8” and OD of 5 1/2”. This will clear everything and will allow the air cleaner to sit at the original height. You need to cut an opening in the base of the cleaner to 5 1/8” and weld the pipe to it. There will be some flattening of the sheet metal but can be done if you are comfortable with that sort of thing. A body shop that is any good can perform this. 
 

I’m looking to see who else other than myself has interest in doing this. If I buy one piece it is some ridiculous amount of $120 for one piece. If I buy quantity of 10 it drops to  about $20 each. So it would be $20 each plus cost to ship to you. 
 

Let me know.

 

Ray

[telriv]

Ray, 

 

What are you trying to accomplish???

IF you swapped to an EdelBrock carb. from your original AFB all you have to do is change the tops. 

Exact bolt-on.

 

Tom T.

[BulldogDriver]

Tom this is an option for when you can’t or don’t want to use an AFB top. EFI is an example or Qjet.
 

Just throwing the idea out there.

 

Ray

[gungeey]

1 hour ago, BulldogDriver said:

So in my pursuit to keep my car looking as original as possible I am getting ready to modify the original air cleaner to be able to be used on a 5 1/8” carburetor or EFI air horn opening.
 

I have verified with an AFR gauge that the adapters that take a 4 7/32” air horn bore to a 5 1/8” are not a good solution. Matt Russell of Nailhead Buick.com as written a Facebook blog on this. They disrupt the air flow and create flat spots and in my case a severe lean condition. So I’ve found a solution that will require cutting and welding, but if done with care you can retain the original look, only needing to respray where no one will see unless the cleaner top or the whole unit is removed. 
 

I’ve found a source for a piece of pipe that has an ID of 5 1/8” and OD of 5 1/2”. This will clear everything and will allow the air cleaner to sit at the original height. You need to cut an opening in the base of the cleaner to 5 1/8” and weld the pipe to it. There will be some flattening of the sheet metal but can be done if you are comfortable with that sort of thing. A body shop that is any good can perform this. 
 

I’m looking to see who else other than myself has interest in doing this. If I buy one piece it is some ridiculous amount of $120 for one piece. If I buy quantity of 10 it drops to  about $20 each. So it would be $20 each plus cost to ship to you. 
 

Let me know.

 

Ray

just roll flat stock and tack weld to desired sized diameter It'll cost about a dollar

[BulldogDriver]

Flat roll is a thought and I have a local guy that can put a bead/lip on it. Either way you will still have to cut and weld the air cleaner base. The pipe option is a cleaner way and in my opinion a better fit to the carb/EFI air horn. Also it gives more substance to weld and flatten the air cleaner base to.
 

I’ve been looking into this for quite some time now and this to me is the cleanest solution if you don’t have the “old” AFB horn option.

 

Ray

[steelman]

Ray, I assume you want to reuse the 64 air cleaner and the large 16” air filter these came with. Here is what I would do, or will do if I decide to put a Sniper or other type fuel injection on my 63. Find a 14” air cleaner base. I have 2 or 3, but not one handy for an illustration. Swap meet, eBay, or order one off the internet. We just received the 50 Cad repop that fits the Sniper on the Graham just right. Center this new base on the old one and mark it with about a 1” overlap. Trim both as needed and rivet these together at 2-3 inch centers all around. This will be just inside the base of the stock 64 filter will not interrupt the air flow. You could add some adhesive between these, but shouldn’t need it if you trim carefully. Now your old base fits your new throttle body. No welding needed.

[BulldogDriver]

Steve the whole point of this topic is to keep the car looking as original as possible while upgrading things that are getting hard to find. I have 14” air cleaners and they are a compromising option. Plus to me they look out of place on our cars. 
 

I know the options out there but what I’m presenting is another and I’m looking for people that what to get this pipe at a fair price rather than the ridiculous  price quoted for 1 piece. 
 

Ray

[steelman]

Ray, I must not have explained well enough. All you need is the base of the 14” air cleaner. Use it along with your original base to make a new base. The new base with the proper sized hole in the middle surrounded by the original base, which would support the 64 air filter and top. 

[BulldogDriver]

Steve, I looked at that option and the problem was that using a 14" base for the opening created a problem with having both the air cleaner bottom and the new 5 1/8" opening metal to conform to each other. To do this right you will need to weld it together. The new metal is so much thinner that the original and to bend/hammer the new metal will distort it too much to be useful.  Your photo shows how much needs to be done to have the two fit. Just cutting the opening out of the 14" base is going to distort it greatly unless you have access to a metal nibbler or plasma cut which I'm sure is not in everybody's shop, definitely not in mine. even if you did get the two to mate properly you still have to contend with removing the plating on the new metal. 

 

My idea of the pipe allows the new opening to be tacked in place, the base hammered to conformed to the new opening and finished welding without the opening being distorted. both have greater strength; the original base is heavier than a 14" air cleaner and much larger surface area to flex. 

 

Anyway, the post was to see if anyone wanted to use my suggestion.

 

Ray

[XframeFX]

On 8/20/2022 at 9:55 AM, BulldogDriver said:

Anyway, the post was to see if anyone wanted to use my suggestion.

This has been a thought for me as well as I'd like a 1966 intake and Q-jet to replace my original AFB.

I do not have the parts and if I did, there was my desire to mount the original air cleaner and variable pitch linkage to the Q-Jet.

 

I do have a spare crusty 1963 Air Cleaner that would be perfect for this. But modifications to it is simply not on my radar at the moment. Too many other issues to address.

 

Thanks for putting this out there Ray. Anyone else interested?

[RivNut]

2 hours ago, XframeFX said:

This has been a thought for me as well as I'd like a 1966 intake and Q-jet to replace my original AFB.

I do not have the parts and if I did, there was my desire to mount the original air cleaner and variable pitch linkage to the Q-Jet.

 

I do have a spare crusty 1963 Air Cleaner that would be perfect for this. But modifications to it is simply not on my radar at the moment. Too many other issues to address.

 

Thanks for putting this out there Ray. Anyone else interested?

I have the intake, an original ‘66 Q-jet, and a ‘66 factory replacement Q-jet but I’m not worried about a “year correct” air cleaner for it.  Since I acquired my parts some time ago, prices for these items have skyrocketed. 
 

The air cleaner for the 66 Q-jet is nothing like the 63-64 unit.  Unless you can find a chrome air cleaner from a 66 GS.  Very similar to the pancake 63-64 air cleaner but it would be a shame to paint that chrome unit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 26, 2022 by RivNut (see edit history)