73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Projects Posts (NOT VEHICLES) => Topic started by: eventhorizon66 on August 11, 2008, 05:01:55 pm
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Inspired by HAULIN IT and his very nice air cleaner, I have decided to make one for my truck. I figure if a pair of factory snorkels can support a 12 second big block olds, they're good enough for my dinky little stock 350. I am using two early 90's TBI truck air cleaners and combining them as shown below. I'll need about a 1" space to get it over the distributor and around some obstructions (master cyl and AC comp) on the driver side. I'll post the final result as well, unless it comes out looking like poop, in which case I'll just tell you guys it came out great and it'll be my little secret. LOL.
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Not to hijack a new thread but I would like to do the same thing only using the smaller version from a 4.3L for a 350 going in its place. Any thoughts on that size for a stock 350?
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The 4.3 box takes a smaller 10" filter, which might pose a restriction on a built 350, but on a stock one it should be fine.
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Thanks for the complement Even! For the spacer, the 70's -80's vans had them (about 2" high) I've used them on several things for just what your saying. On a couple, I cut them down to just the height required & welded the lower half (has the lump to hold it in place against the Q-jet) to the bottom of the air cleaner. Have Fun, Lorne
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Thanks, I'll have to look for one of those van spacers (better than the plastic aftermarket spacers).
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Cool! Probably cheaper than finding a stock dual-snorkel from an early 80's Z28 with the 305 H.O. I always like the look of modified stock stuff for performance. Even cooler was the 83-84 Firebirds with the 305 H.O. They had functional cowl induction with the vacuum-operated flapper door in the air cleaner lid sealed to the underside of the hood, which had the offset bulge thing.
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The salvage yard I went to actually had a twin snorkel camaro air cleaner, but they wanted the same price as the pair of truck air cleaners and it was a lump of heavy rust and scale, probably had a few holes rusted in it. No thank you. Plus the thermac is much less bulky and easier to remove on the truck units.
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waiting on update pics ;D
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Been kinda busy lately...will finish soon.
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Been kinda busy lately...will finish soon.
cool ;D
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Well I thought I'd blow the dust off this project and finish it. So I found a 1.5" steel spacer off of a TBI 4.3L engine and got the snorkel attached (with button-head bolts, and JB Weld - no it's not coming off). I just painted it yesterday evening and here's the finished project. Will post a pic of it installed sometime in the next few days.
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Looks Great!
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For your viewing pleasure...the finished product installed. I haven't stretched its legs out to see it it made a difference, but hopefully...
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sweet, where did you get the ducting
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Lowes. Just standard 4" corrugated pipe at about $6 for 10 ft. It's not a pliable as the factory ducting, but it does the job.
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Good Job! Another part of the truck with your own personality added to it
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Thanks, I hope it also added a handful of horsepower.
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I hope it's cool with you, I totally want to do that for my truck! Looks cool. I hope I have the hood clearance.
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Hood clearance isn't an issue. You can also buy them already made from Spectre. I believe Autozone has the kits in stock. My autozone does anyway.
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Thanks cadpwrd.
Like Vile said, hood clearance isn't an issue. Doing exactly what I did will cost you the price of two 87-92 air cleaners, a spacer from the same era truck (mine came from an early 90's 4.3 S10), and the corrugated pipe (though I would search for alternatives here - something more flexible). Oh and the only reason I needed the spacer was to clear my MSD HEI. You may be able to do without it, as the factory HEI cap is shorter than the MSD's.
Here are your options if you want to buy it ready-made: Schmidt ram air box (http://www.schmidtmotorworks.com/ram_air.htm) (seems like the best bang/buck on the market but may not clear the HEI), AIS ram air box (http://www.ramairbox.com/) (give them a call to find out which one they recommend for you), and Spectre's dual snorkel box (http://www.jegs.com/i/Spectre/865/9869K/10002/-1). If I had known about the Schmidt unit before taking on this project, I probably would have gone with that, but the AIS and Spectre units were just too expensive for my taste.
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The only reason I'm concerned about clearance is my engine. I'm building a Cadillac 500 (8.2) for my truck. I'll look at the alternatives too. I've got a ton of things to do on the truck before I can worry about the air cleaner.
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Unless you are after the stock appearance, I'd give serious consideration to that Schmidt air box. It seems to be very nice for the money. Notice it's clearanced for a holley.
If you are looking for stock appearance, I doubt you will have hood clearance issues using a factory box like mine or Lorne's (http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=6917.0), especially if you don't need a spacer.
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That Spectre box is very interesting. I'm a big fan of ducted air inlet systems like any of those used on muscle cars and are performance-oriented rather than the usual choker setups like most cars had in the late 70s and 80s. The Spectre setup reminds me of a guy who had a 92 Dakota with an air cleaner like that but he routed the two hoses upward to a pair of small scoops that came off a Dart GT I think. Functional and simple. I'll have to find a pic of it and show the link. It was cool.
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I like that! I may consider something like that on my next truck fo sho!
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Guys if your intrested in the dual snorkel set-up and just want to buy it I should point out you can buy it from Summit. I have posted pics of my truck before and I have the dual set-up. It does not cost that much. Here is a pic of my engine with the dual set-up. I will give you part number and such if you need. Just ask.
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You mean this one?
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=SPE%2D9869&N=700+400068+4294756384+115&autoview=sku
http://www.jegs.com/i/Spectre/865/9869K/10002/-1
I considered that, but it was still more money than I wanted to spend and I didn't want more chrome/polished aluminum under the hood (I'll eventually go back to black valve covers). The best bang for the buck ram air box out there, that I've found, is this one:
http://www.schmidtmotorworks.com/ram_air.htm
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You mean this one?
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=SPE%2D9869&N=700+400068+4294756384+115&autoview=sku
http://www.jegs.com/i/Spectre/865/9869K/10002/-1
I considered that, but it was still more money than I wanted to spend and I didn't want more chrome/polished aluminum under the hood (I'll eventually go back to black valve covers). The best bang for the buck ram air box out there that I've found is this one:
http://www.schmidtmotorworks.com/ram_air.htm
Very nice. Wish I would have known about the one you found. Nice price. I might go ahead and order it anyway.
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If I had known about it before making my own, I probably would have gotten it.
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eventhorizon,,,,,,what size filter fits inside?
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12" x 3.5"
KN filter #E-1500
It's a standard small block TBI truck filter.
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Thanks!