Air breather intake volume question

By rough estimates, with a tri-power set up with the center carb being a 1979 (D9xx) Carter YFA and the end carbs being pre-1965 Carter YF carbs, I should have over 500 CFMs coming in to feed them. The engine can't take all of that anyway because I'm only building a 140 to 150 HP setup, with headers and a mild cam. I just want good driveability with or without my utility trailer (I can pull a full cubic yard of topsoil). But my next "LOAD", will be another Mexican Fox wagon, maybe next year.

My wife's from there, and I worked there for almost 5 years, setting up computer networks. We know lots of good folks, and some with nice workshops.

I don't like the 3 mini breather look, and if I could find one of the old BBK 6V air breathers, it would be too big, and trap header heated air into the carbs. My idea is to refinish another 3.3L valve cover, and duct it out to the stock fender opening, and out to the front by the rad, or above the latch rail cross bar.

Look ma, an EYE-12!. I might have to do some tin-work to get over the Stock AC compressor, so if the V6 and V8 air breathers with dual snorkels only had about 8 square inches of opening on each snorkel to feed fresh air into a 4 BBL carb, wouldn't that be enough for my setup?

The easiest thing to make the fresh air tubing might be to use Spectre brand tubing.

I've been working on this for my Fox. You'll get away with one fender hole, but the early Fox Tbird set up is even better

The Thunderbrid 80-82 3.3/4.2/5.0 Tbird ran a cold air induction scoop


which should fit the Fairmont and Zephyr nose.


I then use the early carb front or mid engined v12 Ferrari and v12 Lamborghini air cleaner insert, shrouded in a custom metal housing with the Thunderbird type snorkle. My reasoning is that a hundred US bucks for an air cleaner that you can make a custom housing for, that is trim, and fits the way a Fox Ford needs it to work is the best.

365 GTB4 Daytona style




http://files.conceptcarz.com/img/Ferrar ... ine-01.jpg

I spent days looking at V6 Fiat/Ferrari Dino, I6 Bristol/BMW and Lagonda, Jag, Aston Martin numbers. My favorite has always been John Crosse's L28E/Princess set up,





but even though the Mustang spring towers intersect with the Ferrari 250/25/330 air cleaner, there is just enough room to package it over three YF's if the outers have manual chokes. John Crosse's system is more like the 1983 Mustang GT Turbo 2.3 set up.







Since that kind of air cleaner base measures 7" x 21 x 1/4", with three center spacings of 7-1/8", its a fairly cheap Ferrari 275 GTB4, 365 GTB4 Daytona, 365 GTC single filter #9181944 fix for a few hundred ping.

See http://www.britishv8.org/other/johncrosse.htm



That got me back onto the BB365GTset up, with a little 80-82 Tbird thrown in.

WOW! I sure like your modded T-Bird version. Thanks for posting the various pics.

There's a 1980 T-Bird that one of my favourite junkyards keeps around for me and JackFish, in case we need some bits. I'll have to get that setup.


What do you use for filter material in your plenum? I was thinking of using Furnace filter stock or the old style filter material often found in the old oil-filled air breathers - its called pig's hair in the upholstery trade, sort of rubberized, but not as closed knit as furnace filters.

Stormin' Norman":dl2h6xu0 said:

WOW! I sure like your modded T-Bird version. Thanks for posting the various pics.

There's a 1980 T-Bird that one of my favourite junkyards keeps around for me and JackFish, in case we need some bits. I'll have to get that setup.


What do you use for filter material in your plenum? I was thinking of using Furnace filter stock or the old style filter material often found in the old oil-filled air breathers - its called pig's hair in the upholstery trade, sort of rubberized, but not as closed knit as furnace filters.

Click to expand...

Huh?The Smiths of North Italy have all the answers.






Just pannel steel, go get some turret pressed or water cut. There is so much internet info on the F.I.S.P.A of Torino "Faz" 250/275/330 series , you can make one yourself, and good old multiple layers of black enamel applied before the previous coat is dry becomes crinkle coat after application to an oven.





Maserati/Lamborghini/Ferrari Crinkle coat covers a multude of sins.

Air cleaner has an internal air filter, not at the end. Type depends on How Hi is Your Chinaman, but the Air Filter http://www.superformance.co.uk/v12/fuel.html for the 275 GTB4, 365 GTB4 Daytona and GTC is item 9181944, and costs 123.47 US Dollars, and they'll never stop making them




Or you could use the early non integrated float 1.75 OR 2" SU carbs, the float on them can be tilted 90 degrees to create three downdraft SU carbs like Bristol did on the 400 series BMW engined cars in the late 40's

Gotta find me some nice filters huh? Thanks for the detailed pics. I can see its going to be a fun time over the winter months.

I went Ferrari because of space, and a diet of books by Vizard said that an air cleaner close to the inlet of a brace of downdraft carbs with the right bellmouths flows well, but also makes better economy than sidedraft carbs. anytime you have to swann kneck the intake runners, air fuel roosters tail suffers. Page 57, 65, 70-72, 79 and 121-123 of "Tuning British Leyland's 'A' Series Engine" ISBN 0-854729-732-4, and Library of Congress 88-82693.


You could use the Cobra6 style Shelby Cobra/FE 427 tripower air cleaner Slade ran on his 200. If money was really the pimary consideration, The inserts are just 30 bucks I think. but its wider and covers more area, and you need access to the throttle linkage.

His photos have dropped out...this is it without the air cleaner,



this is a Cobra style air cleaner he ran.


His tripod site doesn't allow global viewing, so here is a screen dump