I happened to be in a buddy's shop last weekend and he had a Mercury hubcap hanging on the wall. The thing just screamed air cleaner to me and he was nice enough to give me one of two NOS ones he had. So I bought a cheapie 10 inch round air cleaner from Speedway. I welded 3 tabs on the top cover of the air cleaner and tapped them for some screws. You put the air cleaner top on the carb the normal way with a wing nut and then set the hubcap in place over the air cleaner. Then you put 3 screws through the sides of the hub cap to lock it on. Fits perfectly, sits nice and tight. I didn't have to screw up the logo with a wing nut, and I think it looks good too. Now, lets hope the flattie doesn't backfire through the carb when this thing is mounted! Anyway here is a pic of the finished product.
That looks great. I keep seeing those little moon style hubcaps that the big truck guys stick on their semis laying beside the road (picked up a couple) thinking they would make a decent looking top for an aircleaner in a similar fashion.
Its not about being dumb, its about doing and working with things; like cars. Eventually you start to look at things differently and see where you want to improve or make something look cooler. One of the first things that really stimulated my mind was buying a lathe to make things for my cars. From then on I looked at everything differently, right down to the nuts and bolts. Can I make that? And away you go.
You done good partner. Don't ya just love it when something you visualize comes out really KOOL.... Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Very nice conversation on that Merc hub cap,here's two I threw together with swap meet junk, both fit a 4 bbl.
Gordon, This is cool! Could you post a couple more pics showing the back side of the cover and the tabs? Thanks, Paul
Here's one I made out of a Ford oil bath cleaner ( swap meet $5. ) Gutted it, welded on the bottom ring from a 12" air cleaner ( 4 bbl), stacked 2 6" filters, and done. Also added a bunch of 2" holes for air. 2nd one is a V-8 cap I put on my coupe last year- some like it, some don't! It sits on a 12" base with stock filter element. ( think George Jetson)
Mike I have one of those hub caps as well that I was going to do this with until the mercury cap showed up! Lol!
Guys had asked for a few more pictures of the air cleaner assembly so here they are. First picture is the flathead motor the air cleaner went on. It is a 1950 8ba block bored out to 3 5/16" and the block has been relieved some. It has a 4 inch crank, a Schneider cam, adjustable lifters, aluminum timing gear, a Bubbas distributor, Offenhauser heads, and all the other standard replacement parts of a rebuild. I currently have the 4 barrel on it but also have a 3 deuce set up for it. Second picture is of the air cleaner disassembled on the bench so you can see the individual parts of it. Nothing fancy just a Speedway 10" x 3 1/2" chrome 4 barrel air cleaner assembly with 3 metal tabs welded to the top cover. Part number 2401194. Its $15. I drilled and tapped the holes for a 10-24 screw as that is what I had on hand. Third picture is of the air cleaner cover upside down so you can see how the tabs were installed. Fourth picture is of it being assembled with one screw installed. I did 3 of them and just clocked them approximately at 6, 10 and 2. I made sure to mark/number them on the air cleaner cover and the hub cap so putting it together would be simpler. When installing that lets me put the hubcap on with a screw dead in front with the logo on the cap oriented properly and the other two screws still accessible without banging into the firewall. Now just need to splash a little paint on the tabs so they don't rust!
Ooohhhh I get it now! A picture is worth 1000 words. You welded the tabs to the Speedway cover and mount the old cap to it! Great Idea. Thanks!!! Paul
Very cool...that looks great! I used a 40's era bronze cymbal from my uncle as a top....it was played through out his career as a big band drummer in the 40' and 50's. Sent from my QMV7A using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
2345.coupe thanks. Got a hub cap same as yours and I think Ill do the same thing as this with it. All depends on if I can find a round air cleaner near the same diameter as the inside of the cap. NashRodMan thanks! Where in Mass are you? I lived up there for about 45 years. My daughter is in Stoughton. lbcd thanks! Great idea to incorporate the cymbal in your build!
Any idea what year Merc that cap was from? Like to do one for my Merc, but can't place the year so I know what to look for.
donno21 from what I have found on the web the cap is from 55, 56, and or 57. 41 C28 thats a cool looking lid too!
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