56 1 x 4 Aircleaner retoration

[kevin cascone]

i have 56 aircleaner it seems to be stamped together, after being filled with it's filter element. the element has deteriorated and i want to replace it. however, it's again stamped together. it has an 1/8" 180 degree bend holding the bottom plate inplace (stamped all the way around the circumfrence). i see no seams to bend, in order to remove it. whats up ? how is this done? and what do i stuff it with, when i get it open. sealed type aircleaner
thanks

[John H.]

Re: 56 1 x 4 Aircleaner retoration

Kevin -

If it's original, that's a $1500.00 air cleaner, with a non-replaceable mesh element; I'd leave it alone.

[Dave Suesz]

After a lotta research on my 55 air cleaner...

Which is passable but shows it's age, I decided that attempting to rechorme the top would almost certainly result in destruction of the air cleaner. So I cleaned and polished it, sprayed leather preservative into the sound deadener, WD onto the filter mesh, and called it good.