VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 31 Air Cleaner

Is there a way to reinstall the copper mesh into a 1931 air cleaner? It does't look like it comes apart. When I bought it there was nothing in it. Also what do I use if it is possible? Thanks

Sal, I have taken my air cleaner apart, and it does take some time to do it but you can do it. using a small screw driver, and hammer you can get the crimped edge open, once you get it open you just work it around the edge and it will open enough to get it apart. After you install the new screen put it back together, and tap the edge back down I had to do mine because it was dented. I clamped the part that fits into the carbuetor in the vice to hold it while I held the screw driver on an angle, and opened the edge. Good Luck.

If there is no wire mesh inside of the air cleaner, maybe you have a 1929 or a 1930 air cleaner instead? Each year (1929, 1930, 1931) used a different air cleaner and 1931 was the only one with wire mesh. :eek: :eek: :eek:

While you are on air cleaners.what is the proper decal for the air cleaner? The common one seems to be from oil breather.

The correct decal is an "AC" air cleaner decal, and it is orange, blue and white as I remember. No one makes the correct decal for the 1929-31 air cleaners, and the 1931 air cleaner decal made by I&I is not only incorrect, but it is total garbage. :eek: :eek: :eek:

For that matter the decal available for 1932 Air cleaners is also incorrect.

Chipper;

In your last post, you say that the available air cleaner decal for '32 is incorrect.
I got mine from the much mentioned supplier on these pages. Is that one correct? It's blue with white lettering.

I believe that it is the same decal. I think that one company makes it and then all the dealers sell the same decal. :eek: :eek: :( :( :(

Thanks for all the input. The only thing that I still need is what to put in the inside and are there any suppliers around? Thanks again

Nope........no suppliers that I am aware of. However, a lot of dudes use a copper Brillo pad, and it looks and works well.

I take it then that you have the correct 1931 air cleaner?

Sal, Does your air cleaner look like this one?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...1&item=4504214350&category=39405

Gator......that air cleaner is not even close to being correct. And, Sal has an updraft carburetor, not a downdraft. :eek: :eek:

What year is it for?

31SAL;

JYD has good eyes, as every dog should!
I used a heavy gauge steel sponge and painted it a copper color like the one that I removed from my 32 air cleaner. I don't know if 31 had a copper color or natural metal silver color.

Speaking of air cleaners, one of the few things missing from the car I just bought is the air cleaner and from what I'v seen on ebay and on online catalogs they are not reproduced and originals are hard to find and very expensive.Any sugestions till I can find a goog original. Thanks

Bob.
I'm not sure what you have, but most aftermarket automotive stores sell those small 2 barrel chrome air cleaners. That might help for now.

jtd and chipper: i have an original 29 aircleaner that came with the 4 conv landau. my 31 cabriolet was lacking an aircleaner when i got it. friend gave me what he thought was a 30 aircleaner. with the exception of the copper screen installed in the 31's , are the 29, 30 and 31 aircleaners identical? thanks, mike

No! All three are different in configuration and each one is a one year application only. They are interchangeable with each other however, even though they are all different.

Sal, About the material I found at my local industerial hardware store a bronze sponge.
it is called Kurly Kate special bronze sponge No.805 manufactured in U.S.A. by Purex Industeries, Lawerence Ma. 01840 the coat was about $ 2.50
it fits in the area perfect and is the correct color.

About the correct decal for the air cleaners,if there is not a correct decal? Why does some one with the correct decals step up to the plate, and make the correct one or ones? With todays technology it would be not hard, and the cost would be not much at all. As I have said before if we are ever to have correct cars, and have them judged honestly with the correct items We have to make that happen. I know that we are not restoring Pebel Beach cars, and I think many of our restorations could be judged there and come home with a trophy we still have to reach for that with correctness even if it with a decal or a nut bolt or screw.

thanks dawg. looks like i gotta find a 31 aircleaner. mike

since the '29-30 air cleaners did not have any mesh, has anyone any thoughts about any filtration material for better protection (during times of general driving, not judging, of course)?..

any harm to adding the '31-type mesh or placing some sort of sock over the air cleaner?..


epi

No one has made the correct decals because, to date, no one has found a correct 1929-30 air cleaner decal to copy.

On the 1929-30 air cleaners you can put mesh inside but that would defeat the purpose of the design of the air cleaners. The fins on the air cleaners are designed to create a centrifugal force inside of the air cleaner to get the air to swirl around within in the air cleaner, thus depositing any dirt at the base of the air cleaner. The slot at the bottom of the air cleaner is for the dirt to fall out. Primitive....but it kinda sort worked. If ya wanna put a white sweat sock with blue stripes over the air cleaner I suppose it would be okay....also primitive, but it will work! ha ha ! :eek: :eek: :eek: :confused:

Which poses the question, how do we know it is not correct?

About 15 years ago one example of the air cleaner decal was being made, and even though it was not totally correct, it was better than nothing at the time. The correct decal is shown in several 1929-30 filmstrips, but no one has found a good original decal to use as a sample for a reproduction decal.