FI Air Cleaner Straps

[Harold W.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

I just rebuilt my '65 FI unit and am putting the air cleaner back together, and searched the archives on clamps. I had LIC clamps, but found a GM 3749810 in my stash. It has a recessed head slotted hex screw. In looking at the Noland Adams guide pictures, all the '63-'65 clamps appear to have the hex screw. This thread seems to suggest that the pan head is correct?? LIC says "original pan head", and the clamp is definitely not the same as the Wittek 20. Does anyone, today, make a correct clamp? Thanks.

BTW, I had some threads over recent years about FI running issues. I finally got off the pivot, and checked everything other than the FI to isolate the problems. As it turns out it was the FI unit, which had a broken ratio lever, numerous vacuum leaks and a bad nozzle, among other things, mostly due to an inexpert rebuild years ago. Now runs like it should. Happy spring!

[Larry M.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

Read the entire thread which is two pages of posts and you will find the answer. It is pan head. Recessed hex is GM service. LIC is a respected repro but the strap pushed by the screw is wrapped wrong. As John Degregory describes the original strap was streaked galvanize and even the service parts don't duplicate this. See original in post 40

[Harold W.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

Larry,

Thanks, I did read through the thread, and did notice the pan head references. The person that did the FI rebuild has an original '63 FI coupe and it has hex head screws. If they were pan head originally, I find it difficult to believe that all of the Noland Adams reference photos are wrong?? That's the reason for my inquiry in this thread. Harold Wrede

'54
'65 FI coupe
C-7 Z-51 convertible

[John D.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

Alan, Maybe start a new thread since this in old and a mile long. Nice pics. Thanks.

[Larry M.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

Pics in the Adams book are not always, in fact seldom, of unmolested cars.

[Harold W.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

Larry, Thanks for the follow up. I had another look at the Adams book pictures with a magnifying glass, and see there are both pan head and hex head. So the pan head is correct, and I saw the information provided by John DeGregory on the original design. For whatever reason LIC didn't make an exact repro, as the L-shaped piece is bigger and the folded reinforcing piece is much thinner. As stated the strap is also very shiny. Odd that the repro is that far off, as it could just as easily have been made more similar to the original. Clearly I'll be using the repros, and will see if I stumble across any originals.

[Larry M.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

I'm assuming this will update anyone who was on the prior thread way back when. I thought you'd be interested in knowing that LIC now has in their catalog loose screws for these clamps which would allow you to take a set of the service replacements and change the hex heads to pan heads. Thought at least one person would find this interesting. I just bought some.

[Dave S.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

I'm assuming this will update anyone who was on the prior thread way back when. I thought you'd be interested in knowing that LIC now has in their catalog loose screws for these clamps which would allow you to take a set of the service replacements and change the hex heads to pan heads. Thought at least one person would find this interesting. I just bought some.

Larry,
A fellow Restorer changed my hex head service replacement straps to the original pan head type screw. It was quite a challenge to do it. From my originals we determined that the original screws had a head size that was .40 inches in diameter. They are a great replacement but the straps still lack the "banding lines" that the originals have. I'll order the screws from LI just to compare. Thanks for the update.

[Joe R.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

Here's a pic of the replacement straps from GM.

JR

[John D.]

Re: FI Air Cleaner Straps

Nice pic Joe Ray. This post started back in 2014.
I think most all of the posters need to go back to that year and see what Bob Jorjorian and I said about the band clamps.
It's not the screw, its not the plating and sometimes its not about the logo on the originals from the St. Louis line.
I never see a restored midyear FI car with the correct clamps.
Just changing the screw in Joe Ray's picture of the SR clamps means nothing. They are still incorrect.
Originals are a drab gavenized with two machine marks the entire length of the clamp. I like Larry's description of calling them band lines. Deep band lines that are bare steel and rusty by the car was delivered.
I am responsible for Richard Cohen making the incorrect clamp many years ago. Sorry about that. The clamp I gave him was incorrect.
Refer to the old remarks guys as this is just a repeat. John