66 GS air cleaner decal

[Bill Faughnan]

I found my 66 GS post coupe years ago with no engine or trans. It had the conversion pads for 400 430 455 motors in the trunk so I went that route. In the trunk was the original nailhead air cleaner or so I think. Last week I cut the bottom out of it and welded a bottom from a stock plain jane 455 air cleaner so it would fit the Q-jet. It looks cool but I need a new decal as the old one is beat up. Its more then a decal as it feels like tin almost. It says wildcat GS. Is that the one that came stock? I have not looked to hard but the repos I have seen say wildcat 300 or wildcat 465. And where can I get one? Thanks Bill

[wkillgs]

It says wildcat GS.

:eek2: :eek2:
Hi Bill, the ones that say 'Wildcat GS' only came on the optional 401 with Q-jet! It was rated at 340 hp instead of the usual 325hp.
Only 132 cars built with that option......it's rare. rare, RARE!
What is the history of the car? did it ever have the original engine while you owned it?

The air cleaner monograms are reproduced by CARS. They are silk-screened alum discs, just like the originals. You'll have to settle for one that says 'Wildcat 445'.

www.oldbuickparts.com

Welcome to V8 Buick!:beer

[Bill Faughnan]

The nailhead was gone when I got it :( BILL

[Bill Faughnan]

But since I had to modify it to fit the Q jet I would guess it came with a carter. Bill

[Bill Faughnan]

A pic I hope :)

[wkillgs]

But since I had to modify it to fit the Q jet I would guess it came with a carter. Bill

Right. The regular GS came with the Carter AFB and a 'Wildcat 445' monogram. The optional 340 hp Q-jet cars had a 'Wildcat GS' monogram.
Somehow your car ended up with parts from each!

[Bill Faughnan]

Thanks for all the info and I will be getting a new wildcat tin/sticker soon. maybe I should have put the snorkle inlet to the side but it just looked better and I feel it kinda balanced out the ugly hei. Bill

[Bigpig455]

Bill -

I'm looking to do the exact same thing with my 65 Gran Sport. I've still got the nailhead, so hood clearance is tight. The original air cleaner has a 2" drop from the carb mating surface to the area where the air filter rests, and the recessed area is about 14" in diameter.

I fit a Q-Jet with the Switch Pitch linkage in the AFB air cleaner, it looks like I dont need all the space (14") around the carb, but I need ALL of the drop (and maybe more) as the linkage will strike the bottom of the air cleaner at full throttle.

How much drop does your donor section have, and what is the circumfence of the recessed section? What was your donor section out of?

I dont want to cut this air cleaner up until I know this will work...

Thanks,

[Bill Faughnan]

I used a section from a full size Buick wagon with a 455 and a Q-Jet. I am sorry but I did not measure any thing. I can tell you this I did not remove much from the stock Nail head bottom and I surely added some clearance when I added the larger piece from the plain jane cleaner right on top of the stock one overlapping it a good inch. I guess I just let the plain jane section be a guide for the drop needed. Thinking now I might have just got lucky but Ill say I am good LOL. I think once you cut the section from the stock Q jet air cleaner and drop it on the bottom of the stock one you will see it much clearer and see just how simple it is. I will look at it after work on Tuesday and see if I can get some useful measurements. Bill

[Bigpig455]

Thanks Bill - look forward to it.

[Bill Faughnan]

Rhett I measured the piece I cut out of the stock Q-Jet bottom about 8 inches across and close to round as I cut it free hand with a plasma cutter. All I cut on the nail head air cleaner was a bit to open it up to the size of the new Q-Jet size hole. The kids borrowed the camera so I can not post a pic. Bill

[Bigpig455]

Gotcha - you did the weld up near the carb opening, not down on the floor of the housing...

[Bill Faughnan]

I welded on the bottom of the floor where the new piece met the old a few tack welds then I sealed it with silicone. Bill

[Bigpig455]

Thanks Bill - if you ever get your camera back, I'd be interested in seeing photos.. this is exactly what I'm trying to do..

[doc]

OK ,,,,, I did this whole thing when I made my cold air intake ,,,, go to 65gs.com then to 65gs forum then to how to's.... then to my post there to see a pic of the final product....
Butttttt, i dont know how to post photos on v8 buick.....:Dou: but I have a bunch of photos that I can send to you if I have your email address.... I know how to do that.....:laugh:

[wkillgs]

Here you go Doc!:
http://65gs.com/board/index.php?topic=747.0

[Bigpig455]

Thanks for jumping in Doc - it was after I talked to you that I started seriously considering modifying my existing air cleaner... but as I recall the shots you sent me (and the ones posted on 65GS.com) didn't have a clear picture of the carb opening weld, they were more about the cold air intake mods...And for whatever reason, the li nk that Walt put up just brings me to the thread, but there are no pictures there anymore..??

[doc]

Rhett,,,, the difference in the 2 air cleaners is the inner flange that is spot welded in.... one has the smaller hole in it for the carter and the other has the bigger one for the qjet.... the only thing you have to do is cut out the spot welds, and then weld in the flange from the qjet air cleaner... and cut the little locator tabs out of that flange...that way the assembly will fit down on the carb flange..... i welded mine all the way around , but you can just re spotweld like Bill did....

[wkillgs]

but there are no pictures there anymore..??

Rhett, you have to be logged in to the 65GS site to see the pics.

There is simple way to put a smaller AFB air cleaner onto a Q-jet or large-flange AFB carb......simply put a 1 inch high ring on the carb. Then sit the air cleaner on top. There will be a slight lip from the smaller ID air cleaner, but at least you don't have to cut up an original air cleaner.
The early AFB carb is taller than both the Q-jet and later AFB's, so a spacer won't hurt hood clearance too much.

I'll try to get some pics up by tonight.

[doc]

I have some more pics.... just need a email address to send them to.... send your email address... I left a msg on your phone....:laugh:

[Bigpig455]

Doc -

Got the pictures, and that answers alot of questions... You welded (braised?) high on the curve to preserve the drop and radius, where I was thinking of going lower with a pre-fab piece.. try to put the weld on the surface where the air cleaner rides. I ordered a drop base cause I didnt have a q-jet air cleaner handy, but it serves the same purpose.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PC-14-Chrome-Drop-Air-Cleaner-BASE-Filter-Hot-Rod-CARB-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem5ade67ce2eQQitemZ39027 8401582QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccesso ries


Strip the chrome off and tack it in, hopefully it has the same 2" drop as stock.. looks like it will

on a side note - I've been a busy boy this winter - rebuilt the driver seat bottom, put an iPod connector in the AM radio, re-calibrated the speedo, installed a set of mini guages in the center A/C vent block off plate, put in a UMI driveshaft loop, and Dana (or Spicer, cant remember) HD U-Joints and balanced the driveshaft.

Looks like the 3.23's and Limited Slip will have to wait until spring...

[wkillgs]

Here some pics of the stock 66 Q-jet air cleaner, bottom view. Also a close up showing the 1-3/8" distance from the top of the carb to the bottom of the air filter element. The flange is 1-1/4" tall.

[doc]

Now for a holley carb,,, you have to cut those little tabs off the inside of the circle.....

[Bigpig455]

No Holley's for me yet on the 65, I gotta learn my lessons the hard way...(although the 73 I just got has a Holley 4452 on it, but I havent had a chance to mess with it)

Wkillgs - thanks for those great shots - Is that a Riv GS or an original 66 Skylark GS air cleaner? It's interesting, because the top of the carb to the bottom of the air filter distance on my AFB air cleaner is 2" even.. must be because the AFB is taller....

Thanks again to everyone