waterspit

Hi everybody,
Here my setup: Corvette early 70 convertible, engine chevy 350 CI 1969, Edelbrock Performer intake+ original Quadrajet+thick base gasket.
The dual Air cleaner seems to be a 71 or 72 and I would change it for an open one . I've ordered to CC a new repro (US not foreign) 70 350CI open air cleaner but the base plate didn't fit because it contact with the ignition coil.
Is the Edelbrock intake faulty? do I've to fit an original one?
Sorry for my poor English
Best wishes from France.
Laurent.

Gordonm

It might be the ignition coil bracket is incorrect or bent or installed the wrong direction. The open element air cleaner should work. I have done this many times. Maybe a picture of your setup and we can see what is going on.

Alan 71

H Laurent,
Welcome!
Good to know that someone is enjoying an old Corvette in France!

Here's a photo showing the coil and it's bracket, the open air cleaner, and the 70 style distributor radio shielding.
As you can see things are QUITE CLOSE!
This is the configuration for a base motor car.

Perhaps you can compare this to your car.
Regards,
Alan

waterspit

Many thanks for your answer.
Alan, I would congratulate you for your amazing car and its degree of perfection, never seen that before!
You will be surprised with the number of american 's car entousiast in France and especially for the Corvette,all generation; it's one of the mythic car here .
I will try to post some pictures to explain my problem.
You have to know too that it's not possible to install the ignition shield part (late 70 like your 71 car) because there is no room between the washer pump (repro) in 1 side and the air cleaner in the other side.
It seems that the firewall is too close to the engine/intake!!!!!

waterspit

here some pics


air cleaner base issue with coil



again



coil bracket



washer pump, shield and air cleaner

Alan 71

Hi Laurent,
Is the coil pushed all the way down in the bracket? The bottom of the coil should touch the intake manifold.
The distributor shield in my photo is the design that was used with the 'open' air cleaner as shown in the photo I posted.
The distributor shield in your photo was the 71+ style, known as a "closed" air cleaner. This configuration wouldn't have been typical for your 'early' 70 car.
I'm not familiar with 'aftermarket parts' so can't say why you may have run into this problem.
Regards,
Alan

The same engine with the 71 air cleaner and distributor shield.


Are the supports for the distributor shield mounted in the proper locations on the intake manifold bolts?

DUB

Have you pulled the ignition coil out of its bracket and tested to see if the air cleaner base sets down on the Quardajet????

I have run into issues like this and sometimes I have to press hard on the ignition coil and 'tweak' the coil bracket to get the angle of the coil to move just what need to get the air cleaner base to fit.

I have also run in the vacuum fitting that goes in the intake behind the carb can sometimes be a problem due to where it is located.

ALSO...if that is not bad enough....I have seen that fresh air tube that is spot welded to the air cleaner base....where you have attached the spark arrestor screen. I have seen the tube on the underside of the air cleaner conflict with the carb. Usually that happens when a Holley is being used...but worth checking.

DUB

Rescue Rogers

If you have the hood clearance you can use a spacer under the carburetor or between the carb and air cleaner to get it up high enough to clear the coil. I had to do that when I was chasing a fuel boiling issue and went to a cold air intake using the same air base on an edelbrock. I actually had to do some remanufacturing to get it to fit on the carb itself.

you may notice the valve cover breather hose is in a different location on the breather from stock. With the edelbrock carb I had to cut off the original and rotate the cleaner, then fiberglass in a bulge for the electric choke for it to fit flush on the carb
last week with the stock LT1 base and a 1" spacer


with the modified lid


with an edelbrock performer airgap intake and a 1" plastic spacer between the carb and air cleaner

It just depends on your hood clearance. The carb spacer can be made out of marine plywood (Phenolic) tracing a gasket as a template. Air cleaner spacers they sell are plastic but one could be made from something like a coffee can and painted black to look a lot better

Rescue Rogers

Heres 2 shots from today the performer Air Gap and a 1" wooden spacer

waterspit

ok thanks Roger for the feedback.With the coil removed, base plate fit without issue, that mean I' ve to play a bit with the coil bracket or as suggested from Roger, install a spacer.
My Edelbrock intake is a Performer 2101 not too high, that means I've place under the Hood.
The third solution will be to install original cast iron intake.
Will try the first solution as describe by DUB and after install a spacer.
I will keep you inform...

Barry's70LT1

Here is a picture of my '70. The coil bracket is original to the car. No spacer under the carb.

waterspit

Hi Barry, thanks for the pic. Is the air cleaner original or repro? and what kind of intake is installed?
It's seems that you have more space than me regarding the gap between the base plate and the coil. Is the Holley higher than the Qjet.
To fit my air filter I need to remove one bolt of the bracket and move it 2 cm from the screw hole.

waterspit

or it's not the correct air cleaner assembly



the best I can do but I have to modify the bracket

CanadaGrant

I believe there is something wrong with your coil bracket or the way it's mounted. In your pic the top edge of the coil is quite a bit further forward than the forward edge of the distributor cap and in pics provided by others, it's either even with the distributor cap or rearward of it. Can you massage the mount by bending the lower mount tabs to get more rearward lean for the coil? I think that would solve your problem without doing anything extra.

waterspit

With the other dual air cleaner (71) the coil fit very well. I suspect that this air cleaner repro listed for 327,350,427,454 CI is not good for my setup

CanadaGrant

I still think all you need is a slight bend in the lower coil bracket mounting tabs and you will be ok. Just loosen up a couple of turns on the mount bolts and you will see how much more rearward lean you will get.

waterspit

ok I will check these bracket mounts tomorrow

waterspit

Canada Grant, thanks for your advice I've loosed the 2 bolt and bent the coil.
Now it fits, but compare to the air cleaner of Barry LT1 the size of my air filter seems to be a bit big.
Now I've to find a correct ignition shield box for my 70. What's about the repro, are they made with good quality, are they fit without issue?
Many thanks to all for your help

CanadaGrant

Most of the after market ignition covers and other related parts are of just as good finish or better than the originals. The quality of original chrome wasn't that great. Another problem you have is the plug wires should have 90 degree boots to fit under the cover. Also when you install the supports under the intake bolts leave the bolts loose and put everything together so it all fits without having to do it over again. Then torque down the manifold bolts.

DUB

You are aware that I mentioned 'tweaking' the coil bracket back in POST # 7 ...second paragraph????

Regardless on how you got there..I am glad the air cleaner base to fit.

DUB