FI Air Cleaner Straps

[Dan H.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

Larry, my Wittek is also faint on the first part on my originals. Probably factory ran low on 20 inch straps and whacked off a few 22s to keep the boss happy!

[Larry M.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

These 22s are only 20 inches long

[Dan H.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

Yep, you can make 20s out of 22s, but not vice versa.

[John D.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

So you want to know all my secrets on clamps gang. Well since Larry has given us more info than anyone else on clamps and because he is unhappy now I will enlighten you.

Larry your clamps with the 22 on them are 100% CORRECT. You proved it when you said the 20's are same length as the 22's.
THe 20 number is not the length. It has to do with manufacturing. I have a clamp that has 16 and also have one that has a very faint 18. Just because I supplied LI with ana original that has 20 on it does not mean the whole run was 20.
It's a typical manufacturing thing. So now I have seen 16, 18, 20 and now Larry's 22. All the clamps are the same length.
True story. JD

[Larry M.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

As a corollary to what John says, Dr. Rebuild had a 16 clamp, hex head and not pan head, under part 3749810 and then they had 22s for the same. They say they are sold out of all of these.

[Michael G.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

Larry, clearly those mismatched clamps should not be used on your car. If you send them to me, I will find some clamping duty for them, somewhere. Rest assured that I will not put such crappy stuff on my blue car...

PS: wanna buy some swampland?

[Bob J.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

FWIW. I pulled out some old scratched #12 and #16 Wittek strap clamps.
The #12s measure 12 inches long and the #16s measure 16 inches long.
I kind of think the stamped number was suppose to designate the length.

[Larry M.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

This thread is approaching 1000 views and is over 50 posts. I know we've beat it to death but I've learned a lot.

Due to Bob's post above I think John needs to pull his 16s and 18s out and give us a measure.

One of the many values of this forum is to make us better prepared when we go out there to buy things. I bought my Paragon clamps without advice and here we are. To that end I want to pass on one more thing I've learned. If you can't find originals as I luckily did then you might think the GM replacements with the hex screws are a good choice. Generally I do, and I plan to buy a set or two for daily use, but in my research I've seen that some of these have a different bracket, a two piece bracket. After I saw the attached pic, and it is a Wittek 22 from another pic I didn't post, I went back and looked at the Wittek 22s on the Dr. Rebuild web. They sow a pic with 7 clamps laid out side by side (actually one looks like a 20), all with hex screws, and at least two of these have brackets like the pic I've attached. So when I talk to someone with NOS GM replacements I'll be asking some questions. Just thought you'd find this useful.

[John D.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

Jorjorian and I are "discussing" the clamps. Sorry to say I won't have time to discuss them anymore. Fall Carlisle next week.
The trouble with us is this. We forget the language that I was taught to use by Bill Sangrey when doing FI seminars.
Typical. Not typical. Configuration, etc.
Just because a part is not typical of what younz are used to seeing doesn't mean it's incorrect.
Don't assume that the same clamp was used on all 63's to '65's. Same in every minute detail.
Assembly lines and suppliers just don't work that way. I found that tidbit out on Rochester fuel injections.
I have seen more junker clamps come my way on old poc FI units. That's how I get my info. No documentations. Just observation. Are the parts correct?
I say they are good enough.
Have the nerve to put parts on your car that don't conform to what others are using. That's what's fun.
Take care. John

[Larry M.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

I just spoke to Norm Werner who was/is a low number NCRS guy, has a website and sells parts, many NOS. He once was a Wittek rep and says that the number is the length. He has some 16s. He also tells me that some of the service replacements in the 80s were made by Ideal and not Wittek; he has some of these.

[Larry M.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

I'm adding another chapter here. My point is to provide or record as much information as possible (in this post) about variations for anyone buying these things long distance. I keep researching trying to find some GM NOS replacements which are correct other than the screw head. Norm Werner has GM NOS but made by Ideal in the USA; he says the screw is small hex head and coarse thread. I think this is what Dr. Rebuild shows on their web now; the bracket is just a bent strap (an "L"). Somewhere I read that some of these were made in Mexico. I saw one on Craigs List, NOS in the GM packaging made in Mexico. The stamping in large font was IdealWraptite. Just FYI

[Keith R.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

I bought four of Paragon's clamps for my 290 HP FI and they are very poorly engineered and in fact, do not even function not to mention not appearing as originals. One of the four straps broke after being readjusted multiple times trying to get it to tighten down. The screw thread on the second stripped out after I used force to try and get the clamp end to go over the folded strap. The third would not tighten down sufficiently to secure the hose on the air cleaner unit. Paragon instructions indicate that there is about 3/4" of adjustment possible but I can barely adjust them 1/4" because the screw end butts up against the folded end and does not pass over it. At over $20 each, this is an outrageous cost for a part that simply does not work. I contacted Paragon for a warranty refund and they tell me that they sell roughly 70 of these each year and no one has returned them for over five years. (Of course, I am am the only one who seems to have a problem with this item!) Corvette Central supplies the clamps to Paragon so my complaint was forwarded to them. Paragon claims that the clamps are "being made as original, engineered by General Motors". In the meantime, I called Long Island Corvette and they assured me that their clamps will function and tighten down. I ordered four from them and will post an update once I get them. This issue rivals the Corbin clamps that Paragon sells for the lower radiator hose which are impossible to get on. Do yourself a favor and order these from Zip if you need them.

[Keith R.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

Okay, so I got the Long Island clamps in today and installed them successfully. They differ from the Paragon clamps in that the L-shaped screw support is of thinner stock and the band is somewhat thinner. I found that the LI clamps are engineered so that the screw support slides well over the folded band. I found that it helps the installation if the folded bend is squeezed flat by a pair of pliers so that the screw end slides over the folded bend more easily. It is also helpful to mount the screw support in a vice, oil the screw threads with Three-In-One oil and run the screw all the way in before installing it on the hose.

[Larry M.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

Keith, you are right, the LIC repro can work. The cosmetic issue is that the U bracket is made of the same thin material as the strap and the strap is wraped the wrong way around it. I have a set I'm planning to rebuild with U bracket I made and some screws I had machined.

[Alan D.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

OK, here are the clamps which were on my 64 when purchased in Aug 67. Original owner never mentioned to me that these had been changed (won't see him till spring to ask more)
These were removed in late 60's, but saved and recently put back on for NCRS stuff. Sorry have not read entire thread (limited time, but will read later) Hope they help.