Stock Air Cleaner- Which version on your car?

quote:

Originally posted by Mark Charlton:
Steve,

Awesome work as usual. Heck, look at the impact you are having. Even Adams is getting out the snips!

I think you should ramp up and start selling Mangusta air cleaners. You could probably retire on them!

Mark

I AM A SNIPPING FOOL. Get near me and you'll have neater fingernails. Won't feel a thing!

A lot of these original parts (or original looking but better functioning) are more in demand. I guess we can thank the resto-mod movement to a degree.

Seems even the deTomaso market has matured (somewhat) from chrome and flames to higher functioning originality. The Mangusta was always more that way, but mods like this are a perfect fit. Love this thread by the way.

OK, raining like cats-n-dogs outside.....so can't really do much to get ready for Reno, as I need to have both doors open to get my console back in....after I readjust the main jackshaft drive belt one last time....!

SO, figured this was a good time for putting a bow on this adventure! (update the web story!)

Here are a couple of shots of the finished product, complete with repop'd decals from Hall Pantera. They are bubbling up a little bit, but that could be due to my installation technique....or the powdercoating.....I just push them back down.....hoping one day they will get with the program!



Astute viewers will also notice that I have no giant cutout on the engine shield! (where previous moron cut out a half circle to install one of those stupid triangle shaped air cleaners (air restricter!) from the 70's...AND cut off one of the support legs!) I finally installed the new set I had picked up. I still only have 3 supports at this time, but fitting the 4th supports into this deal are not going to happen this week before Reno. Welding around the back glass makes me very very very nervous!!! Not sure if I'm gonna pop the back glass out, or just shield everything super duper good with damp towels etc. We're not talking that much welding.....

One thing I did find the other day, after doing dyno runs, was that if I cranked the wing nut down too tightly, I was actually hitting the choke blade with the air cleaner lid, and affecting the idle speed! (was kicking in the high idle lever a tad!) I had lowered the lid by 5/8" when I shortened the body so this was no real surprise!

After some a little work with a piece of hardwood, a 16 oz. hammer, and a clean towel on the floor, I was able to push up the very center of the lid, to give more clearance. If you look closely at some of the previous pictures of the lid, you will see the "new" profile of that area within about 2" of the center hole!



One final item in the TBC column, is the making up some proper paper tube restraints to mimic the originals. I have thought long and hard about cold steel vs stainless, and I think I'm going to go with stainless for the simple reason that I don't need to paint it or treat it to prevent rust. Had I been in charge at DeT when this car was being built, I would have used stainless......

Ciao!!!
Steve

The air tubes on my car's air cleaner are definitely the canvas/fabric type. Were there both paper ones and fabric ones?

Is that a BOSS 302 stuffed in there ?

Ron

Ron,

Not a Boss any longer! I took a Boss 302 out and put in a much better fitting 331, based on a 5.0L roller engine, back in its place.

I needed the high valve covers to fit over the 1.7 roller rockers....and this new style V/C was the only thing I could come up with at the time to get me down the road. I'd have preferred a set of 1" spacers or so...just couldn't find what I liked at the time....so this is it for now! A deception! ...I do like the flat horizontal surface that these present.

I'm thinking about covering the BOSS logo on these covers with a set of original castings that were proper on the original engines.....that say DeTomaso...... That would pretty much tie everything back to the intent of an original appearing engine.

This one has a LOT more ponies than the Boss had.....due to various reasons...most of which have been corrected now...awaiting reassembly and a new body!

Ciao!
Steve

Cool ..sure is a deception with the flat top valve covers. Yes I know all too well on the aches and pains of the Boss 302 Motor ... I had them in the past and restoring a 70 right now.

All the best with the 331 ...

Ron

I once saw a stock-appearing black Mangusta at Knotts 'Fabulous Fords' car show that had a late 302 roller-cam engine with factory EFI, and it fit under the covers so nicely you'd think it was stock.

Beautiful car, and nice swap! He is an original owner, or close to it! The 5.0 swap happened years back, with the SD version of the EFI, and now he had it updated to MAF EFI!

I was very tempted....as it DOES all fit under the shields toooo nicely! Wouldn't have had to return my frame mounts for the engine back to stock height! ...but I would have needed to find a spot for the computer etc.

Still, a very nice implementation of modern technology!

Steve