Im putting together a 283 and going for a stock look, like pulled out of a wrecked vette in the 50's. Anyway, what kind of aircleaners cam on single quad vettes in the 57-59? Anybody have pictures? maybe point me where I could find what I need? I have looked through google and some vette boards, came up with nothing. Also, I assume most guys who ran a single quad in the used the stock aircleaner, but where there any popular aftermarket styles?
I had a 1959 corvette single quad air cleaner, that was made from aluminum, with louvers on the side. It was a very thin, and was made to fit the WCFB carter carb. I'am pretty sure corvette repop stores, sell these, i know they have the dual quad 56-57 air cleaners....Ed
Single carb and dual quad's used the same style air cleaner, only the base was different. It is an all aluminum super low profile because of hood clearance problems (the base is recessed almost all the way up to the top). It has a solid top with a couple rows of louvers around the sides. Some Pontiacs used the same exact style but I think they were stainless steel instead of aluminum. These are currently reproduced and available from several vintage Corvette suppliers. Kind of pricey. Every original one I have seen has had a few dents in the soft alum. top from closing the hood while the wing nut or a wrench, etc. was sitting on top of the air cleaner! Good luck. (I think an early Cal Custom finned top would look cooler). Casper.
Hey Timmy, from what i remember seeing, they look kinda like this one I think thats it!? Later Timmy, John
Okay, I see. I still don't know though, I can't seem to find a single 4bbl air cleaner that I like/is correct for the era. The big aircleaners cover everything up and the smal aircleaners look lost in the middle of the manifold. My favorite look is sans aircleaner, kind of tough, racy, mechanical, which I guess may work, because if the hood is open and people are looking at the engine the car probably isn't running. Therefore, if it is running, it does not matter what the aircleaner looks like because the hood is closed. Anyhow, thanks for the info guys.
There are repops of those Corvette air cleaners. Try Eckler's or Paragon. Here is the web addy for Paragon. http://www.corvette-paragon.com/ They have them for single 4bbl, 2x4bbl, and fuelies. The 4bbl and 2x4bbl I think run $170 to $200 for an assembly.
Nitro... I wish they repoped those individual style you showed the link to. I bought a set of NOS about two years ago for a future project...
They do repo the dual quad A/Cs I don't think they repop the single 4 bbl A/C. It's larger in diameter. This is the only picture I could find of the single 4 bbl. I always thought that they were cool. I had a single 4 bbl top hanging on my wall for many years. I don't know what ever happened to it.
Did vette 283's have finned aluminum valve covers? some of 283's? or did they not arrive until the 327?
i think the repops are made of stainless or chrome tin. check with andy mason at 252 4530453 in north carolina. tell him dave from new york sent you. i was justthere last week and pretty sure he had one there. GM offered a repo, but it was only a pontiac GTO item. good luck cadillac dave
Yes the 283s did have the finned valve covers, the early ones are a bit different though and not interchangeable. The early ones have the mounting holes staggered instead of straight up and down.-Jim
There were 7 rib and the rare$$$ 9 rib design. If you want to be authentic then you need the stagger bolt heads and valve covers a dead give away of a later engine. You can get crazy with the authentic parts deal just like the Corvette collectors but one nice thing is that many of the parts are available from the Corvette and Tri five parts houses. I went so far as to rebuild a 57 water pump with a kit from a 55-57 house. (it has the correct screws) Not many people will ever know but I do.
I'm not interested in going nuts, its a hooded car after all. There is a picture Tommy posted above where the motor has steel valve covers, did the lower HP Corvette 283's have the steel covers?
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