Well I got my head conversion installed and I can't shut the hood. It is an SP1/quadrajet/ Bulldog setup. I have a 2" drop base air cleaner on it with a 3" element. The hood rock's on the air cleaner. I new it was going to be a problem but I thought I could get it to work. I think I read on here that you might have to cut the hood braces back in the center to make this work on some cars. Is that my only option. Peace, Mike D.
Will the hood close without the air cleaner? Maybe the Corvette drop base they were talking about recently will work? If not, it's time to install the bug catcher:laugh:
Mike, I have the same set-up but I do have the Covette air-cleaner base. Engine's not in yet so I don't know about clearance. What did you end up doing?? Best, Ranger Aiken, SC
I have a cold air filter setup that Postons used to sell and I used that base. I then bought a 2" (I think it is) open element and was just able to close the hood, I think the hood just touches. It was so close I had to trim down the wing nut holding the air cleaner down. If I remember right you have to be careful because the quadrajet has a working linkage up high and it will interfere with the base. Mine just works but if it was just a 1/8" taller it wouldn't fit. Every car is different. Oh just remembered, in addition, I had to trim back the under hood braces to make room also, the outer diameter and the slight cone shape of the lid was hitting the braces and holding the hood up. My car is not original so I bit the bullit to get the air cleaner in there. Mike D.
I would also keep in mind here, that installing a drop base air cleaner than moves the lid too close to the carburetor can KILL power production......Cliff
Cliff, I've always been curious if there is a loss with the factory Chevrolet "Corvette" (although there were used on the 350 HP and 375 HP Chevelles and likely others) aircleaner. It is lower than any of the aftermarket ones I have found while using the stock-height filter element. I had wondered if this was the reason Buick went with the starwars aircleaner instead of borrowing Chevy's low base for the 67 GS400. Any test results to confirm what is adequate?
Can't comment specifically on the Chevy Corvette deal, but I have tested the Pontiac "Shaker" assemblies, and several different air clean bases, filter elements, lids and Shaker assemblies on them. Pontiac raised the lid over the carburetor for their "drop base" stuff. Some time ago, I installed a shorter Shaker assembly and 1" taller intake. This required a shorter filter, and instantly killed power and causes a HUGE stumble/hesistion/bog when going quickly to rull throttle. Had the same problem when installing a K & N Xtreme lid on my stock filter. Interesting thing about the Xtreme lid test, is that no lid at all, or with the stock Pontiac lid, engine ran flawlessly. It just HATED the Xtreme lid. It also hates a "flat" lid in the same set-up, but runs fine with the raised Pontiac lid, or no lid at all.....Cliff
There must be some surprisingly wierd stuff going on with the air in there. The Xtreme lid especially seems to confound simple logic. I think I had once read that Chevy did engineer their 14" open filter aseembly and that is why it even had the lid shape it has (and still fit with the low hood of the Vette and 66 Chevelle), but I can't say that with confidence. I would sure like to know how the starwars design was developed and how well it works relative to the others.
