AHHHH, FRESH, CLEAN (AND INEXPENSIVE) AIR.....

ONE OF THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF A FIRST CLASS RESTORATION IS TO COMBINE VISUAL AND FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS, AS WELL AS FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS ALL INTO ONE, TO PRODUCE A RESTORATION WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF. ONE OF THOSE ITEMS THAT FITS INTO ALL THREE CATAGORIES THAT HAS TO BE INDIVIDUALLY ADDRESSED, IS COPPER MESH AIR BREATHER ELEMENTS. SINCE THE COPPER MESH ELEMENTS ON THE STANDARD BREATHERS ON SOME VEHICLES ARE EXPOSED, WE WANT THEM TO LOOK GOOD, THEY HAVE TO BE FUNCTIONALLY SUPERIOR, (SINCE WE WANT THE AIR SUCKED INTO OUR ENGINES TO BE AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE) AND OF COURSE, WE WANT TO ACHIEVE THESE THINGS AS ECONOMICALLY AS POSSIBLE. WASHING THE ORIGINAL MESH ELEMENT, EVEN IN STRONG CHEMICALS SUCH AS CARBURETOR CLEANER, DOES NOT ALWAYS GET RID OF EVERY BIT OF DIRT AND BUILDUP THAT HAS ACCUMULATED OVER THE YEARS. EVEN IF IT DOES COME COMPLETELY CLEAN, THE COPPER IS ALWAYS TARNISHED, AND DETRACTS FROM THE ASTHETICS WE ALL TRY SO HARD TO ACHIEVE CONCERNING ENGINE COMPARTMENT DETAIL ITEMS.

AS FAR AS REPLACING THESE ELEMENTS GO, YOU HAVE THREE CHOICES AS TO HOW TO GO ABOUT IT. CHOICE NUMBER ONE IS TO SCOUR THE COUNTRY FOR AN NOS ELEMENT. ODDS ARE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE MUCH SUCCESS IN FINDING ONE. IF YOU DO, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE EXPENSIVE, AND IN 99% OF ALL CASES, IT'S GOING TO BE TARNISHED. CHOICE NUMBER TWO IS TO BUY A REPRODUCTION ELEMENT. THEY HAVE THE SHINY COPPER WE ALL WANT, BUT LIKE NOS, THEY ARE EXPENSIVE. I HAVE SEEN THEM ON EBAY FOR THIRTY-FIVE DOLLARS AND UP. YOUR THIRD CHOICE IS TO MAKE ONE YOURSELF. IN THIS TECH ARTICLE, I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN NEW COPPER MESH ELEMENT THAT WILL FIT 1937-48 CHEVROLET PASSENGER CARS, 1932-53 CHEVROLET TRUCKS, AND 1937-54 PONTIAC 6 CYLINDER CARS FOR UNDER $5.00, AND A TOTAL OF ABOUT 15 TO 20 MINUTES WORTH OF WORK. ONCE COMPLETED, YOUR NEW ELEMENT IS GOING TO LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THE ONE IN IMAGE #1. PRETTY COOL, HUH?

IMAGE #1

THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO CHEMICALLY CLEAN OR SANDBLAST YOUR ORIGINAL INNER AND OUTER PERFORATED STEEL RINGS, AND THEN PAINT THEM BLACK AS ORIGINAL. NEXT, GRAB THE FIVE BUCKS I TOLD YOU YOU'LL NEED, AND HEAD TO YOUR LOCAL WAL-MART. WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO PURCHASE THERE, IS ONE PACK OF "QUICKIE" BRAND COPPER MESH SCOURING PADS AS SHOWN IN IMAGE #2, LOCATED WHERE KITCHEN CLEANING PRODUCTS ARE FOUND. I GUESS I COULD NOTE HERE AS WELL, THAT IF YOU WANT TO BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BRASS, OR STAINLESS STEEL PADS CAN BE USED IF YOU WANT A DIFFERENT COLOR.

IMAGE #2

FOR DEMONSTRATION PURPOSES, I'M GOING TO MAKE THE ONE FOR 1932-53 TRUCKS, BUT THE SAME TECHNIQUE IS USED TO MAKE ELEMENTS FOR THE CHEVROLET AND PONTIAC CAR APPLICATIONS MENTIONED ABOVE. TAKE TWO OF THE PADS OUT OF THE PACKAGE, AND PULL THE END OF THE MESH OUT FROM THE CENTER OF THE PAD. (SEE IMAGE #3) THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IN MAKING THE ONE FOR TRUCK AS OPPOSED TO THE CAR APPLICATION, IS THAT FOR THE CARS, YOU'LL NEED ALL THREE. IF YOU WANT AN ELEMENT FOR THE TRUCK APPLICATION THAT HAS A HIGHER DENSITY, USE THREE FOR IT AS WELL.

IMAGE #3

UNROLL EACH ONE OF THEM, SLIGHTLY STRETCHING WHILE DOING SO. (IMAGE #4)

IMAGE #4

ONCE BOTH OF THEM HAVE BEEN ROLLED OUT, STICK BOTH ARMS IN EACH ONE, AND WITH A HAND OVER HAND ROLLING MOTION, STRETCH THE DIAMETER OUTWARD. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPAND THEM ABOUT 5 TO 6 INCHES DIAMETRICALLY USING THIS METHOD. IMAGE #5 SHOWS WHAT IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE ONCE EXPANDED.

IMAGE #5

ONCE BOTH OF THEM HAVE BEEN INDIVIDUALLY EXPANDED, PLACE ONE INSIDE OF THE OTHER. (IMAGE #6)

IMAGE #6

STARTING AT ONE END, ROLL UP THE DOUBLED MESH TUBE, MAINTAINING 1-3/4" WIDTH ON EACH SUCCESSIVE ROLL. (IMAGE #7) YOU WANT IT TO BE FLAT AS WELL, NOT ROUND LIKE A DOUGHNUT, SO WORK WITH IT AS YOU GO. ALSO, AFTER YOU MAKE EACH TURN IN ITSELF, GRAB THE INSIDE WITH BOTH HANDS, AND STRETCH IT SLIGHTLY.

IMAGE #7

KEEP ROLLING IT UP AND STRETCHING IT UNTIL ALL BUT THE LAST 2 TO 3 INCHES HAVE BEEN ROLLED ON ITSELF. YOUR LAST ROLL SHOULD END UP WITH THE REMAINING PORTION PROTRUDING OUT FROM THE INSIDE. (IMAGE #8)

IMAGE #8

ONCE YOU HAVE GOT THIS FAR, CAREFULLY INSERT THE INNER PERFORATED STEEL RING INTO THE CENTER OF YOUR ROLLED UP MESH..(IMAGE #9)

IMAGE #9

ONCE YOU HAVE INSERTED THE INNER RING, FOLD THE REMAING MATERIAL ½ WRAP MORE AROUND THE OUTSIDE AND CUT THE LAST OUTER LAYER HALFWAY UP. (IMAGE #10)

IMAGE #10

ONCE YOU HAVE CUT IT PERPENDICULAR TO THE DIAMETER, TRIM THE EXCESS AROUND THE PERIPHERY IN THE CENTER OF THE ELEMENT (IMAGE #11)

IMAGE #11

SHAKE OFF ANY SMALL LOOSE STRANDS CREATED FROM THE CUTTING, THEN CAREFULLY WORK THE OUTER PERFORATED STEEL RING AROUND THE OUTSIDE AT A SLIGHT ANGLE. (IMAGE #12)

IMAGE #12

SLIDE THE REMAINDER OF THE STEEL RING OVER THE ELEMENT AND CENTER IT EVENLY, MAKING SURE THERE IS MESH MATERIAL ON EACH SIDE STICKING OUT WIDER THAN THE STEEL RINGS. IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE IMAGE #13 WHEN DONE.

IMAGE #13

YOU'RE ALMOST THROUGH! THE COMPLETED ELEMENT SHOULD LOOK LIKE THIS. (IMAGE #14)

IMAGE #14

SOAK THE COMPLETE ELEMENT ASSEMBLY IN YOUR FAVORITE HIGH VISCOSITY OIL. LET THE EXCESS OIL DRAIN, PLACE IT BACK IN THE AIR CLEANER, AND INSTALL IT BACK ON YOUR VEHICLE. IMAGES #15 & #16.

IMAGE #15

IMAGE #16

FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH 1937-48 CHEVROLET PASSENGER CARS, AND 1937-54 PONTIAC 6 CYLINDER CARS WITH THE STANDARD PRODUCTION AIR CLEANER AND SILENCER, THERE'S ONE MORE THING YOU'LL NEED TO FINISH THE JOB. YOUR ORIGINAL AIR CLEANER HAD A BURLAP/FELT PAD MOUNTED ON THE INSIDE OF THE AIR FILTER LID. THESE THINGS ROT EVENTUALLY, AND ARE COMPLETELY IMPOSSIBLE TO CLEAN. MOST OF THE TIME, THEY HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND DISCARDED, SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE THREAT THAT THE ROTTEN BURLAP AND FELT WILL DROP AND BE SUCKED INTO THE OPEN CARBURETOR AS IT DETERIORATES OVER TIME. WELL, WE HAVE THE ANSWER FOR THAT AS WELL! HERE AT D & D, WE ARE EXCLUSIVE SUPPLIERS OF AN EXACT REPLACEMENT OF THIS ADHESIVE BACKED PAD TO FINISH OFF YOUR AIR CLEANER RESTORATION. THE PAD IS $10.00 + SHIPPING, AND INCLUDES DETAILED INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. A PHOTO OF THE ACTUAL PAD WE SELL INSTALLED IN AN ORIGINAL 1941 CHEVROLET AIR CLEANER LID IS SHOWN BELOW. TO ORDER ONE, CONTACT US TODAY!

HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE ARTICLE! CHECK OUR WEB SITE FROM TIME TO TIME, AS WE WILL BE ADDING MORE TECH ARTICLES IN THE FUTURE.

PATRICK DOONAN

D & D ANTIQUE AUTO PARTS

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