After doing the HOT ROD POWER TOUR this year I decided to update the two small air cleaners on my 52 Plymouth suburban station wagon with its modified Flathead 6. Wanted to use the factory blower motor used for the factory heater that I had removed and take advantage of the fresh air and a better type of air filter. Used a 69 big block tri power vette air cleaner and some modifications. Works quite well and looks good
The only fly in that ointment that I can see is that the air you are pumping in from the heater blower is not filtered. Unless I am looking at that all wrong.
Looks like it to me too. Might as well sell the fancy air cleaner and run without an air cleaner. Put the money back for new rings.
The inlet I used that the blower pushes thru is a brake cooling duct that I then used an interior new car air filter to filter the air
I have fresh air pick up scoops under the front bumper of my 68 OT 442. They channel tons of cold air (and bugs and leaves and cigarette butts) into the air cleaner and it is effective on the strip. I see you do have your inlet filtered in your last post but aren't you defeating the purpose by allowing hot engine air in past the open element and vise versa allowing the cold air to escape through the filter? I like the look of the vette air cleaner but if you ran a band of steel or other material around the inside perimeter of the filter it would retain the look and add functionality...right?
Just put the system together and I'm still considering some different approaches may put a band behind the filter and try that. The heat from the exhaust manifold was my mission to get some relief from that. After the power tour I found that the rear carb air filter base rubber had started to melt and that was my reason for making a better system. The flat head needs all the help I can muster even with dual Webers ,aluminum head,split manifolds, .040 overbore thanks for the input
And then the newly closed system becomes dependent on the blower's ability to supply enough air volume... which I suspect it cannot... it's a blower fan.
Yeah, I wouldn't mess with the squirrel cage either, I can see where the OP might be concerned pulling air at an idle but I can speak from experience, it wont need it. Now a 5 hp leaf blower, maybe.
The intent of the heater blower motor was just to assist ambient air to be blow thru during extended idle. The air inlet of the brake duct is about twice the size of the blower outlet so the engine is capable of pulling air from in front of the core support. The blower motor just happen to be there and so was the factory opening for the heater case which also was a fresh air duct for the right kick panel
I played around with ducted air to the air cleaner a few years ago. A cheap manometer is really useful. I found some ducts showed pressure at cruise, but went negative at WOT. No point in supplying cold outside air if you run out of it when you need it. You can pick your accuracy/price point, but this one is cheap and it worked for me. I’m not a racer looking for the last .001. If you’ve got a buddy who’s an HVAC guy he might have one. My engineer friend gave me advice about placing the pick up. https://www.amazon.com/Manometer-RI...UTF8&qid=1532998064&sr=8-3&keywords=Manometer
Thanks for idea. Think the fellow who works on our spray booth has one but I just might go ahead and order the one you listed
That's Kool, lotsa things need tweaking "out of the box". Did you notice any differences in the way it ran, gas mileage, etc.? I Like It! And it didn't cost much. Thanks for sharing, I like the wagon. Could you share some more pics?
Hi.. Good looking engine. I have a few questions for you on your engine mods. I just purchased a 1950 Plymouth Deluxe with the stock 217 flathead engine that I plan on keeping. It is running but not very well as it sat for several years. Just starting a tune up that will include a check of both vacuum & compression to get a handle on the internals for now. What brand is you head, headers & intake? I ask because I have a Clifford dual 4 bbl intake with adapter plates for the 2 two bbl Webbers on my 46 Chevy coupe with the 57 Chevy 235 inline 6 with cam & bored 0.060 that recently got rear ended & totaled out. I would consider moving the Webbers over to the Plymouth with proper intake manifold and perhaps change the head also to take better advantage of the Webbers. I also have a heat/cool/defrost Vintage Air unit in the Chevy Coupe that surely will end up in the Plymouth and allow me to remove that huge under hood heater that totally covers up that side of the engine bay. Hopefully I will have it on the road by this weekend. Jimmie
Thanks for all the comments. The motor is the original 217 bored .040 with a earl edgerton aluminum head that raised the compression ratio to 8.0 added an offy intake with two weber/carter carbs split exhaust manifolds by Fenton 3 speed w electric overdrive Detroit Eaton springs fatman spindles. Tons of other things. 51000 original miles drove the power tour this year. Had a ball
Just got thru running to South Georgia this past week and I also found Spectre made an in-line air filter for their 3” hose that I used. Worked perfect..the system worked well and one thing I noticed was that the blower motor can supple more air than needed at idle so the engine seems to have a more stable idle when it’s approaching 100 degrees and stuck in line. During the power tour I had experienced an unstable idle sometimes when sitting in lines getting into the events. It’s about a 50 degree diff from outside air and under hood air Nice smooth running great
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