1975 air filter L-82 is AC A348C 6484235 correct

[Bob B.]

I bought a AC air Filter AC A348C appears NOS is that the proper air filter for a 75 L-82 ??

I can't find the part number in the judging guide

Thanks,
Bob

[Joe L.]

Re: 1975 air filter L-82 is AC A348C 6484235 correct

I bought a AC air Filter AC A348C appears NOS is that the proper air filter for a 75 L-82 ??

I can't find the part number in the judging guide

Thanks,
Bob

Bob------


According to GM, the GM #6484235, aka Delco A348C, is the air filter originally used for the 1975 L-82 application. However, that does not mean that such a filter element which is still available today will be identical in configuration to one produced 44 years ago. Functionally, though, one produced today will be as good or better than the one produced 44 years ago.

[Bob B.]

Re: 1975 air filter L-82 is AC A348C 6484235 correct

THANK YOU, I am keeping a old A348C that I am told is NOS, yellowed and in a very old GM box for "show only" and using
a new one for use 99% of the time. I appreciate your reply. Talking about new vs old NOS I had a beautiful Firestone 500
that was THE ORIGINAL spare on my 75, absolute perfect condition blow the side out - - - fortunately I had removed it from the car for cleaning, left it in the sun. I just bought 5 repro Goodyear copies of the correct 75 tire- expensive. Better to lose a few point rather than crash the car.

[Bob B.]

Re: 1975 air filter L-82 is AC A348C 6484235 correct

Joe, I looked at some of your older posts re these air filters, page 61 of current 75-77 Judging guide says original air filters for 75 should be the "vertical 3/8 mesh on the outside over and under and appear to be welded or soldered"
Mine appears to be more of the newer pressed vertical design. I am a bit confused this old one appears to be the newer style, but with the original part number just like the current repro's So the original 75 had the vertical chicken wire looking wire or what ?
THANKS

[Joe L.]

Re: 1975 air filter L-82 is AC A348C 6484235 correct

Joe, I looked at some of your older posts re these air filters, page 61 of current 75-77 Judging guide says original air filters for 75 should be the "vertical 3/8 mesh on the outside over and under and appear to be welded or soldered"
Mine appears to be more of the newer pressed vertical design. I am a bit confused this old one appears to be the newer style, but with the original part number just like the current repro's So the original 75 had the vertical chicken wire looking wire or what ?
THANKS

Bob-------

I'm not sure of the wire configuration of the original 1975 era A348C. It probably was the "square pattern", "soldered" configuration. However, the "newer" style mesh has actually been around for a LONG time. I have some AC 212 filter elements that I bought in the very early 80's and they have the "newer" style mesh. So, the NOS filter you have could be very old but "not old enough".

Also, the part numbers, GM #6484235 or AC A348C, never changed. They remain the same from the time the filter was first released right up to the present day. The kind of differences we're talking about here would not result in a part number change.

[Tom R.]

Re: 1975 air filter L-82 is AC A348C 6484235 correct

I've wanted to jump in here but this may be the best time. As we studied this topic for the 73/74 TIMJG revision, we got a pretty good fix going forward, concluding production of the pressed version of the 348C occurred sometime around 1980. We've seen lots of 78s with the soldered version. As Joe states the outside mesh is approximately 3/8 inch while the inside measures 1/8 inch. In addition to the mesh configuration, the silk-screened on the black Plastisol top provides some indication as to the manufacturer period. Those early ones read: BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOUR ENGINE - REPLACE WITH AC TYPE 348C. As the 75-77 team tackles the TIMJG revision in January, we'll sort this quagmire out as well...we are recruiting team members!

Joe, I looked at some of your older posts re these air filters, page 61 of current 75-77 Judging guide says original air filters for 75 should be the "vertical 3/8 mesh on the outside over and under and appear to be welded or soldered"

Joe replied:

I'm not sure of the wire configuration of the original 1975 era A348C. It probably was the "square pattern", "soldered" configuration. However, the "newer" style mesh has actually been around for a LONG time. I have some AC 212 filter elements that I bought in the very early 80's and they have the "newer" style mesh. So, the NOS filter you have could be very old but "not old enough".

Bob replied:

Mine appears to be more of the newer pressed vertical design. I am a bit confused this old one appears to be the newer style, but with the original part number just like the current repro's So the original 75 had the vertical chicken wire looking wire or what?

There is no reason to believe the OEM (Production as Joe likes to include) was nothing other than vertical chicken wire. Love the novel description. The 73/74 manual has pictures of the early AC 348C chicken wire mesh.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1975 air filter L-82 is AC A348C 6484235 correct

I've wanted to jump in here but this may be the best time. As we studied this topic for the 73/74 TIMJG revision, we got a pretty good fix going forward, concluding production of the pressed version of the 348C occurred sometime around 1980. We've seen lots of 78s with the soldered version. As Joe states the outside mesh is approximately 3/8 inch while the inside measures 1/8 inch. In addition to the mesh configuration, the silk-screened on the black Plastisol top provides some indication as to the manufacturer period. Those early ones read: BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOUR ENGINE - REPLACE WITH AC TYPE 348C. As the 75-77 team tackles the TIMJG revision in January, we'll sort this quagmire out as well...we are recruiting team members!



Joe replied:

Bob replied:


There is no reason to believe the OEM (Production as Joe likes to include) was nothing other than vertical chicken wire. Love the novel description. The 73/74 manual has pictures of the early AC 348C chicken wire mesh.

Tom------


Just to clarify, PRODUCTION and OEM are not necessarily the same thing, at least not in my parlance. PRODUCTION refers to components actually installed on the assembly line for either the car or major components thereof. OEM refers to SERVICE parts that are the same as those used in PRODUCTION. OEM parts might not be identical in every way to PRODUCTION parts. Using this case as an example, a current GM #6484235 air filter element is an OEM part. However, it's not the same in every way as the GM #6484235 used in PRODUCTION during the 1968-77 period. However, it may be the same as the 6484235 used in PRODUCTION during later years.

[Bob B.]

Re: 1975 air filter L-82 is AC A348C 6484235 correct

Gentlemen- Sincerely THANK YOU
But, you do have to admit, it does look like old chicken wire . . .

Bob Somebody HAS to have a zero mile 75 Convertible- who ???? Remember, the last Corvette convertible CLASSIC
Remember the '80 Corvette convertible red that was on many magazine covers in '80- that was me Ron Flint did mine first, then
did a couple for Harry Mann on show cars (I bought them when the dealership / lease company sold, Turbo black and a silver 80 too)
and then I did another black Flint convertible in 81

[Tom R.]

Re: 1975 air filter L-82 is AC A348C 6484235 correct

Just to clarify, PRODUCTION and OEM are not necessarily the same thing, at least not in my parlance. PRODUCTION refers to components actually installed on the assembly line for either the car or major components thereof. OEM refers to SERVICE parts that are the same as those used in PRODUCTION. OEM parts might not be identical in every way to PRODUCTION parts. Using this case as an example, a current GM #6484235 air filter element is an OEM part. However, it's not the same in every way as the GM #6484235 used in PRODUCTION during the 1968-77 period. However, it may be the same as the 6484235 used in PRODUCTION during later years.

Got it! Thanks Joe

[Ronald L.]

Re: 1975 air filter L-82 is AC A348C 6484235 correct

Guys - - there was a filter line, by day it made filters, and by night too, you did not have selectable 'make it for the factory' and another for 'make it for Service' parts.

There are some other very special details to the 1975 model - calendar year - that will appear (or not) when compared to 1974 filters.
The famous A212CW does not apply to Corvettes so leaving that to the side, the A348C is what it is for 1975, no BEST WAY, no CW.

BEST WAY was to have been taken off ALL the filter prints before SOP 1975, is there a real filter with that? look back in this forum, lots of discussions and maybe even a print as to why the BEST WAY was taken off, and the W was deleted as well.


Best is to post a pic of what is in question as compared to a Benchmark Bow Tie car still sporting its factory installed filter.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1975 air filter L-82 is AC A348C 6484235 correct

Guys - - there was a filter line, by day it made filters, and by night too, you did not have selectable 'make it for the factory' and another for 'make it for Service' parts.

There are some other very special details to the 1975 model - calendar year - that will appear (or not) when compared to 1974 filters.
The famous A212CW does not apply to Corvettes so leaving that to the side, the A348C is what it is for 1975, no BEST WAY, no CW.

BEST WAY was to have been taken off ALL the filter prints before SOP 1975, is there a real filter with that? look back in this forum, lots of discussions and maybe even a print as to why the BEST WAY was taken off, and the W was deleted as well.


Best is to post a pic of what is in question as compared to a Benchmark Bow Tie car still sporting its factory installed filter.

Ronald------


Yes, I've said this many, many times. Different parts were not made for PRODUCTION versus SERVICE. The assembly plants (vehicle or major components) ordered in the same parts for PRODUCTION that GMSPO ordered in for SERVICE. In the VAST majority of cases PRODUCTION and SERVICE parts were the same for parts manufactured about the same time. For such parts manufactured at significantly different times, even of the same part number, there may or may not be differences. Due to this fact, an NOS part of a certain part number may not be exactly correct for use on a certain model year but may be exactly correct for use on another model year. Regardless, the part is NOS (new old stock); it just might not be old enough (or, new enough) for a particular year model car.

Also, the AC 212CW was definitely used on Corvettes. It was used for most, but not all, 1965-72 Corvettes. It was not used after 1972, though. The AC A348C was first used on Corvettes for the 1975 model year. However, it was used for other Chevrolet and GM applications as far back as 1968.

[Ronald L.]