1965 /66 BB air cleaner base

[Bill W.]

I was just on Ebay and there are two 65 / 66/ BB air cleaner bases for sale by the same person in Dearborn Michigan . They are way out of my price range ,but he claims there is a difference in the 65 to 66 base and that the NCRS judges can tell . I know about the hump that started in the 67 BB . Can someone tell me the difference between the 65 & 66.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1965 /66 BB air cleaner base

I was just on Ebay and there are two 65 / 66/ BB air cleaner bases for sale by the same person in Dearborn Michigan . They are way out of my price range ,but he claims there is a difference in the 65 to 66 base and that the NCRS judges can tell . I know about the hump that started in the 67 BB . Can someone tell me the difference between the 65 & 66.

Bill------


From what I can determine, the same base was used for both 1965 L-78 and 1966 L-36/L-72. That base was GM #6422188. There are a few other possibilities, though.

First, it's possible that a different A/C base was used in PRODUCTION for 1966 but the SERVICE base remained the same as 1965. I doubt this but it's possible. GM says 6422188 base was used with the PRODUCTION GM #6421816 A/C assembly (1965 L-78) and the PRODUCTION GM #6423240 A/C assembly (1966 L-36/L-72).

Second, it could be that the 6422188 base was revised between the 1965 and 1966 model years (i.e. a revision to the specs without a change in part number).

[Kim C.]

Re: 1965 /66 BB air cleaner base

65 396= no hump (not available)
66-67 with "hump"
see photos on lic website

[James W.]

Re: 1965 /66 BB air cleaner base

Bill,

Roy Sinor was kind enough to let me take this picture of one of his '65 396 cars last July when we visited his shop during the road tour. I hope this helps. I forgot to take a picture of the base on the 396 I restored but will get one when I get back over to the shop.

You might put a shout out to NCRS members Carl Nicholl and William Donanvan who have been a great help to me with my 396 restoration. I'll bet they'd be more than happy to take some pictures and send them to you or post them for us to compare.


Regards,

James West

[Wayne M.]

Re: 1965 /66 BB air cleaner base

65 396= no hump (not available)
66-67 with "hump"
see photos on lic website

Looked at LIC photos and also Sinor's A/C base, then compared with a GM service unit I bought off a friend sometime in the '80s.

So I conclude that the "hump" in question is that seen between the flame arrestor and that black rubber plug showing in my pic below. This particular base was probably meant to service many BB years, and has a total of two plugs covering holes. Guessing that one could be used for K19 in '66-7 ?

[Dick W.]

Re: 1965 /66 BB air cleaner base

Notice the hump on the hump of the later air cleaners. Time and a hammer/dolly can make those disappear. Two that I know of received Dunton and Bloomington Gold awards with air cleaners that we modified.

[Jody B.]

Re: 1965 /66 BB air cleaner base



Here's a pic of my old 396 base.

[Ronald L.]

Re: 1965 /66 BB air cleaner base

and the answer is right beneath your eyes, not looking close enough at those pictures.

[Bill W.]

Re: 1965 /66 BB air cleaner base

Ok I give up . Is it the small ring inside the raised portion at the 4 oclock area ? If not what is it ?

[Glen C.]

Re: 1965 /66 BB air cleaner base

This is really nit picky, I know. But, today I bought a BB air cleaner base at a swap meet. I had been under the impression that my 66 L-72 air cleaner base was incorrect, (but it did fit and function OK) and was actually correct for a 67 BB, because it had, or didn't have, a certain hump, bump or raised area. This thread and others has helped me to identify where the hump is, but the pictures don't really show how defined it is. I looked on ebay for better pictures, both bases on ebay had the very noticeable hump. One looked like a "knock out wafer" in a metal electrical box. I just compared the newly purchase base with the one on my engine, they look to me to be identical in every way, except my old base, because of the high gloss paint, shows a very slight line in that area. I can hardly feel it let alone see it. Is this hump raised enough to be considered a 67 BB base? Neither seem to really have the hump! So I assume they are correct for a 65 & 66 Corvette BB. Some have mentioned, in other threads, that there is a very slight difference between the 65 & 66 BB bases. What is that difference? Did I buy a 65-66 base? or a 66 only base? or a 67 and later base? Thanks!

[Bill W.]

Re: 1965 /66 BB air cleaner base

Please post a picture

[Glen C.]

Re: 1965 /66 BB air cleaner base

DSCN1021.jpgDSCN1022.jpgDSCN1023.jpgDSCN1024.jpg
The first two are the one I bought yesterday, the last two are of the one from my 66.

[Glen C.]

Re: 1965 /66 BB air cleaner base

Here's some close ups!

DSCN1025.jpgDSCN1026.jpgDSCN1027.jpgDSCN1028.jpg

[Bill W.]

Re: 1965 /66 BB air cleaner base

Glen you bought a 67 & up base .

[Glen C.]

Re: 1965 /66 BB air cleaner base

Thanks Bill, But I still don't know how you determined the difference, please explain further.

Glen you bought a 67 & up base .