I need some help how to determine if my Open Element air cleaner is an original GM part. I bought the air cleaner base and lid around 11 years ago. It has a 454 390HP label on the lid but I don't know if that is original. The air cleaner lid has the nice rolled edges and it has the silk screened label underneath that looks vintage as it does have some worn areas where the text is. I cannot find any GM part number on the base.

Can the experts out there give me some pointers as to what to look for? I want to sell it but I also do not want to misrepresent what it is.

Thanks

 

Typically, if the silk-screened air filter part number is on the underside of the lid, at least the lid is OEM. Aftermarket does not silk-screen the filter PN on the underside of the lid.

 

Thanks, well mine has the filter part number as part of the silk screen. Do you know if GM stamped a part number on the air cleaner base?

 

Can you get a picture of the center area where the stud opening is? Top and bottom? Originals are distinctive there.

 

yes, I will take some pictures tomorrow and post them. Thanks.

 

There were two different styles of silk screen instructions, used on the underside of 66-72 chrome 14" open element air cleaner lids.

On 66-69 lids, the instructions were printed in a curved style. The instructions on 70-72 lids are printed in a straight across style. Black ink was used to print both styles of silk screen.

The bases never had a part number on them, that I'm aware of. There were at least 6 different variations to the bases, used by Chevrolet. The differences were mainly the shape, location or number of breather tubes in the base.

I know there are 3 companies, that reproduce the 14" AC bases, and there may be a 4th. The very best ones are near impossible, to tell from originals. They're being made in Michigan, I think using GM's original tooling. A company in Georgia, also makes a very nice base, but they only make one version (the version used on 65-67 big blocks, 70-72 LT-1's, & 67-69 Z/28's). The third company is making bases overseas. These bases are easy to identify, if your familiar with real ones, and/or the good repros. The stamping isn't as crisp or deep as the original ones, and as a result, they do not sit on the carb correctly.

Correct repro lids, with both the curved and straight silk screened instructions, are available and have been for many years. In fact, they're available in both triple chrome plated, and the original flash chrome finish.