The Jalopy Journal

**FordMan53** · 12-09-2009, 10:54 PM

Have an original flathead in my 53 Ford, and need am looking for a cleaner to fit the theme of the car. Thanks!

True till Death · 12-09-2009, 10:58 PM

my 51 has an oil bath style, 51 was the last year for the flattie in the states, 53 is an 8ba style just made in canada so my guess is it would be oil bath as well

**FordMan53** · 12-09-2009, 11:11 PM

Did guys run Edmunds Custom cleaners?

MengesTwinCustoms · 12-10-2009, 02:10 AM

Here is a 54 ford, its the y block but pretty much the exact same air cleaner...

**HOTRODSURFER** · 12-10-2009, 05:38 AM

i have an oil bath on my 53 239

bobscogin · 12-10-2009, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by True till Death

my 51 has an oil bath style, 51 was the last year for the flattie in the states,

Make that '53 in the US, '54 in Canada.

Bob

gas pumper · 12-10-2009, 07:51 AM

Stock oil bath or none.
OR some oil bath cleaners had a metal pre filter. kind of like steel wool with a fine screen inside and a course screen outside. you oiled the wool after cleaning in gas and drying. And made a simple filter out of that metal mesh, doing away with the oil bath part.

I had a 56 265 4 barrel in the early 60's with a rusty chrome base and lid with the wool in between. only about an inch in height.

tommy · 12-10-2009, 08:12 AM

There were a lot of custom air cleaners available especially late in the decade. They were cheap. I never saw an oil bath on a hot rod. That was the first thing that got shit canned in my neighborhood. Even a box stock used shoebox would have a chrome air cleaner of some sort.

Prostreet32 · 12-10-2009, 08:15 AM

The most popular was the 8" tall 12"wide 'removable top', single butterfly nut held,
unit like in the above photograph ( on single carbed units) the different manufactures used different colors on them depending on the application

budssuperpro · 12-10-2009, 08:16 AM

i have a oil Bath in my 55 f-100.

RAY With · 12-10-2009, 08:18 AM

Here is a 52 flatty with early air cleaners and dual carbs. Its a driver and a fun machine on the hiway with 3 speed OD. My first flatty was a 1949 with aluminum heads and dual carbs with a thicksun air cleaner which was the ideal set up back then. I wish I had ownes a camera back then so I would have some shots.

Retro Jim · 12-10-2009, 08:23 AM

My 55 Ford with a Y block came with an oil bath filter . I still have it in the shed but changed that one with something else . I think just about everyone made a different size air cleaner for that carb ! The sky is the limit on what guys put on those carbs back then and today !

RetroJim

AV8Paul · 12-10-2009, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tommy

There were a lot of custom air cleaners available especially late in the decade. They were cheap. I never saw an oil bath on a hot rod. That was the first thing that got shit canned in my neighborhood. Even a box stock used shoebox would have a chrome air cleaner of some sort.

Tommy, as I was reading thru this thread, I was composing my reply in my head. When I got to your post, There were my almost exact words...right down to "shit canned" oil bath. Pretty funny. Like we said ten years ago, when we first met at york, Our lives pretty much parralled each others. I guess that was truer than we realized. HAHA.

blown49 · 12-10-2009, 08:57 AM

Most popular was probably the Stellings & Hellings. Repos are available for 2-barrel & 4-barrel.

Jim

dana barlow · 12-10-2009, 09:05 AM

Had a screendoor screen[brass] bent into a 1/2 ball on top of carb,with a hoseclamp

tommy · 12-10-2009, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AV8Paul

Tommy, as I was reading thru this thread, I was composing my reply in my head. When I got to your post, There were my almost exact words...right down to "shit canned" oil bath. Pretty funny. Like we said ten years ago, when we first met at york, Our lives pretty much parralled each others. I guess that was truer than we realized. HAHA.

That's because we were there. Young and dumb but we knew enough to dress up a daily driver with a chrome pot.

The funny thing is that the chrome pots probably didn't flow as well as that big monstrosity oil bath that it came with.

But we never learned that until the 70s when they came back from the dead.

1955 Edelbrock catalog. Check out Jive bombers 57 Edelbrock catalog.

strombergs97 · 12-10-2009, 08:02 PM

Here are some Thickstuns. I really like them for looks and they allow lots of air in..Some in the air filters are very air restrictive. Buy good one and use K&N filters..
Duane....
MERRY CHRISTMAS

46fatford · 04-11-2010, 11:10 PM

Who made the air cleaners with the v8 cut outs in the mesh? I would love to find a set for my flathead.
thx
Matt

QuatroDoor · 08-08-2010, 09:48 PM

I have a '50 Ford Custom Deluxe with the original flathead and oil bath air cleaner. How do you maintain it? Clean it out? Scrub it down? Change any filament material?

It looks pretty crappy in there.

NONAME · 08-08-2010, 11:29 PM

in So Cal I don't remember seeing an air cleaner till late 60's

12-09-2009, 10:54 PM	#1
FordMan53 Alliance Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: So Cal Posts: 506	What Kind Of Air Cleaners Were Flatheads Running in The 1950's Have an original flathead in my 53 Ford, and need am looking for a cleaner to fit the theme of the car. Thanks! __________________ "LIFE IS TOUGH....IT'S EVEN TOUGHER IF YOUR STUPID" JOHN WAYNE

12-09-2009, 10:58 PM	#2
True till Death Grenade Inspector Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Danielson, CT Posts: 123	Re: What Kind Of Air Cleaners Were Flatheads Running in The 1950's my 51 has an oil bath style, 51 was the last year for the flattie in the states, 53 is an 8ba style just made in canada so my guess is it would be oil bath as well Last edited by True till Death; 12-09-2009 at 11:06 PM.

12-09-2009, 11:11 PM	#3
FordMan53 Alliance Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: So Cal Posts: 506	Re: What Kind Of Air Cleaners Were Flatheads Running in The 1950's Did guys run Edmunds Custom cleaners? __________________ "LIFE IS TOUGH....IT'S EVEN TOUGHER IF YOUR STUPID" JOHN WAYNE

12-10-2009, 02:10 AM	#4
MengesTwinCustoms Grenade Inspector Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Atascadero, CA Posts: 207	Re: What Kind Of Air Cleaners Were Flatheads Running in The 1950's Here is a 54 ford, its the y block but pretty much the exact same air cleaner... __________________ -"The Twins" 6941 D Sycamore Atascadero, Ca 93422

12-10-2009, 05:38 AM	#5
HOTRODSURFER Alliance Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: HATBORO,PA Posts: 5,519	Re: What Kind Of Air Cleaners Were Flatheads Running in The 1950's i have an oil bath on my 53 239 __________________ HOILER AUTO REPAIR est 1918 http://www.pantera-electronics.com/

12-10-2009, 07:51 AM	#7
gas pumper Old School HAMBer Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Boonton, NJ Posts: 2,705	Re: What Kind Of Air Cleaners Were Flatheads Running in The 1950's Stock oil bath or none. OR some oil bath cleaners had a metal pre filter. kind of like steel wool with a fine screen inside and a course screen outside. you oiled the wool after cleaning in gas and drying. And made a simple filter out of that metal mesh, doing away with the oil bath part. I had a 56 265 4 barrel in the early 60's with a rusty chrome base and lid with the wool in between. only about an inch in height. __________________ BLASTERS&BEER

12-10-2009, 08:12 AM	#8
tommy Old School HAMBer Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Davidsonville, Md. Posts: 14,133	Re: What Kind Of Air Cleaners Were Flatheads Running in The 1950's There were a lot of custom air cleaners available especially late in the decade. They were cheap. I never saw an oil bath on a hot rod. That was the first thing that got shit canned in my neighborhood. Even a box stock used shoebox would have a chrome air cleaner of some sort. __________________ Quote...You are hereby Knighted...'Sir Asseth of Hole' Tommy... 3W Larry. Quote...It's called "HOT RODDING", not paint by numbers....Fab32

12-10-2009, 08:15 AM	#9
Prostreet32 Grenade Inspector Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Indy Posts: 146	Re: What Kind Of Air Cleaners Were Flatheads Running in The 1950's The most popular was the 8" tall 12"wide 'removable top', single butterfly nut held, unit like in the above photograph ( on single carbed units) the different manufactures used different colors on them depending on the application __________________ On the highways of life,..keep the pedal to the metal.

12-10-2009, 08:16 AM	#10
budssuperpro Grenade Inspector Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Boonville Missouri Posts: 387	Re: What Kind Of Air Cleaners Were Flatheads Running in The 1950's i have a oil Bath in my 55 f-100. __________________ Me makem Big Noise, Go Fast, Not Say Much. Hmmmm . Bud August,1959 to August,2009 50 years of Drag Racing ++++ http://www.buds-motorsports.webs.com/

12-10-2009, 08:18 AM	#11
RAY With Old School HAMBer Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Montgomery ,Texas Posts: 3,126	Re: What Kind Of Air Cleaners Were Flatheads Running in The 1950's Here is a 52 flatty with early air cleaners and dual carbs. Its a driver and a fun machine on the hiway with 3 speed OD. My first flatty was a 1949 with aluminum heads and dual carbs with a thicksun air cleaner which was the ideal set up back then. I wish I had ownes a camera back then so I would have some shots. Attached Thumbnails __________________ http://www.hotrodchat.com/gallery/ 29,660 +pictures and 160 albums and growing-Many HAMB FRIENDLY and some not. Many subjects and many old drag pictures from the 50-60's

12-10-2009, 08:23 AM	#12
Retro Jim Old School HAMBer Join Date: May 2007 Location: Abbottstown , PA Posts: 3,878	Re: What Kind Of Air Cleaners Were Flatheads Running in The 1950's My 55 Ford with a Y block came with an oil bath filter . I still have it in the shed but changed that one with something else . I think just about everyone made a different size air cleaner for that carb ! The sky is the limit on what guys put on those carbs back then and today ! RetroJim __________________ J & S Kustom Engines

12-10-2009, 08:57 AM	#14
blown49 Member Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: West Union, OH. Posts: 2,230	Re: What Kind Of Air Cleaners Were Flatheads Running in The 1950's Most popular was probably the Stellings & Hellings. Repos are available for 2-barrel & 4-barrel. Jim __________________ My Blown Flathead '49 Merc Website @: http://www.blown49.com

12-10-2009, 09:05 AM	#15
dana barlow Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Miami Fla. Posts: 1,450	Re: What Kind Of Air Cleaners Were Flatheads Running in The 1950's Had a screendoor screen[brass] bent into a 1/2 ball on top of carb,with a hoseclamp __________________ Dana Barlow Miami Fla. not done tell it's shiny AKA"The Bat"out of hell

12-10-2009, 08:02 PM	#17
strombergs97 Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: California Posts: 1,885	Re: What Kind Of Air Cleaners Were Flatheads Running in The 1950's Here are some Thickstuns. I really like them for looks and they allow lots of air in..Some in the air filters are very air restrictive. Buy good one and use K&N filters.. Duane.... MERRY CHRISTMAS Attached Thumbnails __________________ 90% THOUGHT, 10% WORK

04-11-2010, 11:10 PM	#18
46fatford Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Elkhart Indiana Posts: 781	Re: What Kind Of Air Cleaners Were Flatheads Running in The 1950's Who made the air cleaners with the v8 cut outs in the mesh? I would love to find a set for my flathead. thx Matt

08-08-2010, 09:48 PM	#19
QuatroDoor FNG Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Garland, Texas Posts: 4	Re: What Kind Of Air Cleaners Were Flatheads Running in The 1950's I have a '50 Ford Custom Deluxe with the original flathead and oil bath air cleaner. How do you maintain it? Clean it out? Scrub it down? Change any filament material? It looks pretty crappy in there.

08-08-2010, 11:29 PM	#20
NONAME Old School HAMBer Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: HAPPYROCK (GLADSTONE) OREGON Posts: 4,273	Re: What Kind Of Air Cleaners Were Flatheads Running in The 1950's in So Cal I don't remember seeing an air cleaner till late 60's __________________ BLUE SKIES AND SUNSHINE, NEVER HAD A BAD DAY IN MY LIFE www.oldcarglassguy.com

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode