Feeling like a rebellious teenager....

[Michael J.]

now that I am taking my '67 to a non-NCRS car show. After all the careful attention to tiny details and less than attractive detailing for flight judging, I can let loose and just make it look great and drive nice. So off come the rally wheels and bias ply tires, replaced by TorqueThrust D wheels and Diamondback redstripe radials. And a deep coat of carnuba wax on the lacquer, and polish and gloss up everything (including door jams), and a KN filter for the L71 so it can breath better, etc. A nice feeling to be free of restrictions, and since I am done with judging, it may just stay this way.

[Norm B.]

Re: Feeling like a rebellious teenager....

What, no fuzzy dice??????

It's your car, after all the work it's time have fun and let the purists wring their hands in consternation.

Don't forget your Brylcreemed duck tail haircut and comb sticking out of your back pocket.

[Jack C.]

Re: Feeling like a rebellious teenager....

Don't forget the metal curb feelers.

[Jim T.]

Re: Feeling like a rebellious teenager....

now that I am taking my '67 to a non-NCRS car show. After all the careful attention to tiny details and less than attractive detailing for flight judging, I can let loose and just make it look great and drive nice. So off come the rally wheels and bias ply tires, replaced by TorqueThrust D wheels and Diamondback redstripe radials. And a deep coat of carnuba wax on the lacquer, and polish and gloss up everything (including door jams), and a KN filter for the L71 so it can breath better, etc. A nice feeling to be free of restrictions, and since I am done with judging, it may just stay this way.

Enjoy driving your 1967. With what I have read over the years on this board posted by Orin Dale Pearman, John Hinkley, and Duke Williams confirmed for me that a KN filter would never be used on my Corvettes and my oldest is a original owner 68.

[Michael J.]

Re: Feeling like a rebellious teenager....

Enjoy driving your 1967. With what I have read over the years on this board posted by Orin Dale Pearman, John Hinkley, and Duke Williams confirmed for me that a KN filter would never be used on my Corvettes and my oldest is a original owner 68.

But it has to be better than a Fram or that original foam thing.

[Ronald L.]

Re: Feeling like a rebellious teenager....

how do you know?
Ask them for air filtration studies

The test report lies in a museum that told GM foam was a poor performer at stopping particles and that paper was better. And I think that also got into engine wear as measured by these same particles that end up in the oil.

For some reason K&N misses that nor would they tell me the specs, porosity, air flow and to what particle size can that piece of over priced junk stop dust.

If you want low restriction, just take the filter off, those foam things don't stop much of anything.

[Michael J.]

Re: Feeling like a rebellious teenager....

There are many independent tests of air filters that people have done on the internet. Here is one:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/airfilter/airtest3.htm
But the bottom line on most all I have seen is that the free flowing filters like KN all filter out less particles, of course! The restrictive ones filter out more, but are of course, restrictive to air flow through them. No free lunch here and exactly what simple logic would expect. The real issue is how much of a trade-off do you want to make for performance vs. air filtration. There are some reviewers who state the filtration differences across the whole range of particles sizes between the super restrictive NAPA Wix paper unit and KN is not large, but the air flow differences are. Pick your poison is what it looks like to me. I don't drive my L71 fequently, nor on long trips in dusty, dirty conditions, but I do like to feel that power above 4000 RPM when the other Holleys open up, so I like the KN.

[Ronald L.]

Re: Feeling like a rebellious teenager....

Anyone on earth can drum up some set of evaluations and draw conclusions and mostly arrive at what they want to believe. One item the filter size and perhaps the car was standardized, but what about the real critical characteristics important to air filtration???

Since I've alluded to reviewing the real scientific tests, I'm not going to go any further than this but to say I doubt K&N or any other chop shop that shows on the scene tomorrow has actually run a real standardized objective test using the significant/ critical characteristics that apply to the specific engineering exercise we are attempting to evaluate. Nor do they want to invest the resources necessary to do this.

I talked to K&N because I heard the hype and I so dearly wanted that MPG improvement they claim. But I don't want the engine destroyed from with at 30,000 miles - remember, I've seen the real test reports.

They don't have test results? Now why might that be?

Could it simply be because the test results were not favorable to selling their product?

Nor could they tell me for other products they had on the market the very very basic porosity and air flow specifications for system they were selling.

How can that be? (I asked that already didn't I).

Turns out that OE did a better job that these aftermarket chrome plated made in China foam filled fandagos glistening in auto stores and making your pocket itch to buy one based upon hollow promises that you the average auto enthusiast will never be able to prove.

Are you really going to know if the performance is better - scientifically that is, MPG,and engine durability? If so how?

I'll give you a little hint - With the powertrain guarantees we have these days 100,000 miles, 10 years, or cross town at 50,000 and 5 years, and most importantly, the EPA fuel economy requirements, the OE's are using the best technology out there regardless of cost to meet same.

So my suggestion is simple - Follow the leaders - the OEM's.

[Chris E.]

Re: Feeling like a rebellious teenager....

I'm with you Michael. I've been preparing my car for PV recently. Driving it is the best medicine I can take at the end of a long, hard day. Can't wait to finish up judging and drive it more regularly. It is so sweet.

[Michael J.]

Re: Feeling like a rebellious teenager....

I'm with you Michael. I've been preparing my car for PV recently. Driving it is the best medicine I can take at the end of a long, hard day. Can't wait to finish up judging and drive it more regularly. It is so sweet.

Good luck on your PV, that is tough, but like flight judging after it, it is rewarding when it is over and you can just drive your car and have fun with it without obsessing over every little thing. That is where I am now, so Enjoy!

[Terry M.]

Re: Feeling like a rebellious teenager....

We have kicked around air filters on this board before. It is your car and you can do what you want with it -- including pouring sand down the intake.

I am with Ron, and ONLY use OEM filters on ALL my cars. I had K&N on both Caprices until I did a couple of oil sample tests. If you want them, I will send them to you -- you only pay postage. PM me. NEVER again for me. That is enough scientific testing for me.

BTW: The LT1 back in the day would run to 7000 with the paper oil wetted filter, and the LS7 will go to the same revs. I can't imagine what improvement any other filter would do. You should hear them at those levels, both through stock exhaust -- but that is another subject. Have you ever seen the [edit add:] Corvette OEM air filter in the LS3 or LS7? It might surprise you, and so might the price.

[Michael J.]

Re: Feeling like a rebellious teenager....

Yes, I suspect air filters are as controversial and subjective a subject as oil filters, gasoline, oil, brake pads, etc. may be. But each person has to make their own decision based on their preferences, trade-offs, and experiences. There is no right and wrong in my opinion, and certainly none of this stuff is important enough to get emotional about, in my opinion. I drive my L71 about 1500 miles a year, with 200 miles being about as far in a trip as I go. I change the oil (CJ-4) once a year and the oil filter (NAPA Wix Gold) too. In using paper vs. KN air filters on this car I have never seen any noticeable difference in oil color or condition, not scientific, but with all that goes on in a combsuion chamber with all that gas and additives running rich and lean with the carbs, I really think the particles the KN lets through vs. the Wix paper is insignificant over the time and miles I drive. But, I can feel and measure the performance differences. My 1/4 mile time sheets show it well. It's a trade-off I choose to make. I flip my collector cars every 5-8 years, so I am not in this for the long haul nor do I drive the car frequently for long trips in dusty, dirty conditions. If I did I would make a different trade-off and agree with you.

As for OEM, I bought a 2010 Camaro LS-3, the factory installed air filter was a Fram. All I have seen rate Fram lowest in filtration capacity and nobody recommends it. Why does Chevy use it in this new, hi-performance car? It's cheap, that's what drives OEM components in my opinion. I have just seen this kind of thing too often over the years.