'70s style engine questions.

[Daniel Black]

I'm hoping there's some people on here that were building motors in the '70s or early '80s. I'm wanting to get that '70s vibe with my 302 even though it's a modern roller motor on the inside. I already have white Tri-Y headers and an old Edelbrock F4B intake manifold. I'll probably find an old set of M/T, Holley, or Weiand valve covers. What did you guys use for air cleaners in the '70s? Two 4s on a tunnel ram with a bug catcher would be cool but way out of budget. I don't need a chrome fuel pump or anything like that, I just want to be different if anyone ever looks under the hood. What else did people do back then?

 

[RonD]

Tri-power was a big thing, 3 2-barrel carbs, but expensive parts to find now-a-days

The dual inlet air filter housing looks sharp, seen here: https://cfc7329ad537523a5de1-b21544d490ba797ec9de9d17e947de3d.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/lrs-9624a_9255.jpg

1980's Mustangs and other Fords used them
You might be able to make your own with two single inlet housings


I remember "back in the day" it was popular to flip over the top of the round air cleaner housing, and using a taller filter so it showed around the top of lower housing, and of course sucking in all the really warm engine bay air
Hey, it was about the LOOKS

 

[19Walt93]

You used to see a lot of open element air cleaners but an air cleaner with a cold air intake hose works better. That old Edelbrock won't work as well as a modern Performer, it's more like an early attempt at a Performer RPM with poorly balanced flow. I used an Offenhauser Dual port intake and a pair of 66 Galaxie exhaust manifolds from the Carlisle swap meet on my 351. I wasn't going for a "look", I wanted low RPM torque.

 

[Daniel Black]

Tri-power was a big thing, 3 2-barrel carbs, but expensive parts to find now-a-days

The dual inlet air filter housing looks sharp, seen here: https://cfc7329ad537523a5de1-b21544d490ba797ec9de9d17e947de3d.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/lrs-9624a_9255.jpg

1980's Mustangs and other Fords used them
You might be able to make your own with two single inlet housings


I remember "back in the day" it was popular to flip over the top of the round air cleaner housing, and using a taller filter so it showed around the top of lower housing, and of course sucking in all the really warm engine bay air
Hey, it was about the LOOKS

I had one of those air cleaners I really wanted to use and somehow hook both hoses up but it was too big to clear the firewall on my Ranger.

 

[Daniel Black]

You used to see a lot of open element air cleaners but an air cleaner with a cold air intake hose works better. That old Edelbrock won't work as well as a modern Performer, it's more like an early attempt at a Performer RPM with poorly balanced flow. I used an Offenhauser Dual port intake and a pair of 66 Galaxie exhaust manifolds from the Carlisle swap meet on my 351. I wasn't going for a "look", I wanted low RPM torque.

I have a plain open element air cleaner now. I think about a 10" one. It was the only thing I had laying around that would fit and not get up against the firewall. I drive my truck all the time though and the open element gets really dirty fast.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Tri-power was a big thing, 3 2-barrel carbs, but expensive parts to find now-a-days

The dual inlet air filter housing looks sharp, seen here: https://cfc7329ad537523a5de1-b21544d490ba797ec9de9d17e947de3d.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/lrs-9624a_9255.jpg

1980's Mustangs and other Fords used them
You might be able to make your own with two single inlet housings

Ranger's don't have enough room to go out to the sides like a Mustang, too much stuff going on out there. Mustang assemblies are ridiculously priced too.

https://static.cargurus.com/images/site/2013/02/18/00/04/pic-5569128453850953166-1600x1200.jpeg

So I ran mine to the front using factory Ford parts.

4BBL big block cars used the base housing with a single inlet, so did the 5.8HO trucks. I made mine using the base from a big ol' late 70's 460 Lincoln, lid from a 5.8HO Bronco (new decal from LMR). I had to move the one inlet and add another. For ducting I used a carbed 4cyl tube under the battery, intake hose from a Maveric (kinda common, Jeep used it too) air filter snorkel from a 2.8. Other side uses a 2.8 air tube, 3.8 fairmont accordian tube going to a second 2.8 air tube.



To this:



to this (I don't have a clean pic of it all together, sorry):



BTW the air filter housing is very thin and difficult to weld

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Chrome valve covers with the long T bolts...and a big 14 inch or so open element air cleaner...

 

[19Walt93]

The air cleaner I'm using looks like the single snorkel ones pictured. It's all aluminum, uses and FA97 filter which is about 11" diameter, and came off a late 70's/early 80's F150, LTD II, or T bird. I've got the same thing with 2 snorkels on my Mustang. The Fox Mustang air cleaner in the first picture is bigger in diameter and heavy, being made of steel. The biggest problem with open element filters is the hot underhood air they inhale.

 

[RonD]

I just like the look of the dual "snorkel", the air filter housing is pretty much "the thing" you see when you open up the hood
Kind of sets the tone, lol, bad ass or pansy, not there there is anything wrong with pansies , I have owned a Chevy or two

 

[acsnowrider]

Always ran the Edelbrock torker intake--Still available, thru side sources, and reasonable cost, for the performance achieved.
Carb mounts slightly offset, to the center line of the engine--do not use a carb, with a rating above 650CFM
My cars ran low 12 second quarter mile times, by just disconnecting the exhaust at the headers, and installing 8" drag tires, on stock rims!

 

[Daniel Black]

The old beat up rusty air cleaner I have now says Edelbrock. I don't know what's different about my setup. The dual snorkel cleaner I had said 5.0 Litre CFI and it was huge. It didn't come close to fitting even on the motor I have in the truck now with a stock iron intake. With the high rise intake on the new motor it'll be even worse clearance wise. I'd forgot about those long valve cover T bolts. I thought those were fairly new. We're the yellow Accel wires around back then? I see them a lot on old cars at the junkyard.

 

[acsnowrider]

The old beat up rusty air cleaner I have now says Edelbrock. I don't know what's different about my setup. The dual snorkel cleaner I had said 5.0 Litre CFI and it was huge. It didn't come close to fitting even on the motor I have in the truck now with a stock iron intake. With the high rise intake on the new motor it'll be even worse clearance wise. I'd forgot about those long valve cover T bolts. I thought those were fairly new. We're the yellow Accel wires around back then? I see them a lot on old cars at the junkyard.View attachment 39439

Nice!!! good bones, to start with!
If---She was mine, I get rid of the Vac advance dist, put in a mechanical advance unit, change the intake(torker)-carb to Holley 650 Double Pumper, change the valve covers over to Ford Cobra units, throw the "T" handle studs (they like to loosen up, alot), and the headers are a really neat add--work well, to about 6000 RPM. You air filter housing/element, is "era" correct--used them many times. You could also change it over to match the Cobra V/Cover, by changing it to a "oval" Cobra style--A/Filter element, is alot narrower than your current unit, the lower housing drops down around the carb body, so "usually", there is adequate "hood" clearance. And, I always prefered "Black" wires-- Stock wires fit well, and work well. Just me, tho

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

The old beat up rusty air cleaner I have now says Edelbrock. I don't know what's different about my setup. The dual snorkel cleaner I had said 5.0 Litre CFI and it was huge. It didn't come close to fitting even on the motor I have in the truck now with a stock iron intake. With the high rise intake on the new motor it'll be even worse clearance wise. I'd forgot about those long valve cover T bolts. I thought those were fairly new. We're the yellow Accel wires around back then? I see them a lot on old cars at the junkyard.View attachment 39439

CFI housings have a smaller hole for the carb/TB, the same size as a 2bbl, so they won't fit on a 4bbl.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Yes to the yellow accel wires. Also the big square tan colored plastic "hi-po" coil...IIRC was also accel.
A triangular foam air filter with chromed metal mesh top.
T-bolts on the valve cover.
Dual plane aluminum intake for everyday driver.
Single plane for "racer".
4 into one equal length headers.
Dual exhaust.
Skinny tires up front, wide in the rear.
Rear end jacked up with long shackles.

Oh, and forgot about the slapper bars.

 

[19Walt93]

CFI housings have a smaller hole for the carb/TB, the same size as a 2bbl, so they won't fit on a 4bbl.

CFI air cleaners actually have a bigger diameter hole but you're right, they won't fir on a carb. I use air cleaners off 2 barrel carbs on my Holleys.