The smell of fresh air

A simple fresh air system

Getting cool fresh air to a carb is no new news. But on my 200 inch six it is a project that could prove valuable especially on heavy cruise days [read that Woodward Dream Cruise time!]. And since it didn't come with one I decided to set about making one. The air cleaner is mounted up high and pulls its air from the driver side of the motor but still right under the hood. And on cruise day it gets pretty warm up there. Remember high school science class- heat rises! So I figured I would see what I could do about it.

The Solution er .. My Solution

It came to be pretty simple. the two main components I purchased at a local auto parts store, remember tha I work at one, and were a 28 inch long , 3 inch diameter flex tube and a duct flange. The tubing is about as simple as it gets. Actually any suitable tubing that fits your needs will do the job. The only real brainteaser was how to make it work on my air cleaner snout and still be easily removed. Well .... this is my solution.

To get the diameter of the the snout up to the 3 inch of the tube I used a pair of nested collars made from 1 inch wide cutoffs of some scrap pvc tube. They were split so they could be fit over the nose. That brought it up to a close fit. Then a bit of padding made it snug. For now a circlamp at the snorkel end fastens it. An upgraded split flange of strap stock with a wing nut will be the final version once it is all sized and located.

The pick up end was actually much easier to brainstorm. After scouting out a number of possible locations I settled on the front driver corner of the engine bay. Directly above, and just in front of, the strut rod crossmenber. This allowed me to fabricate a simple 45 degree bracket that pins it to the frame with two holes for the flange ears and one for the base screw. Up and out of waters way but fed by air from under the front valence. A push on of the tube to flange, a circlamp to hold it, and we/I have a fresh air duct system!

1. The first picture is actually the original and the final view as you would normally see it. That doesn't change. So it appears to be normal.
2. The second picture shows where I adapted the larger tube to the smaller snorkel.
3. This view from the driver side shows the simple 45 degree bracket that holds the intake end.
4. The last picture shows the pick up area located just behind the cross brace.

Now I have some fresh air in!

An alternative solution

This is not new but I offer it as a simple reminder. For a non stock, but stock looking, option is to simply rummage through your favorite used parts source and locate an air cleaner unit that has a nose already fitted for air ducting. Pirate the nose from it and transplant it on to yours. Simple! Oh! And by the way, you can also make a dual snout air cleaner the same way by adding a second stock nose to a single nose air cleaner.