Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

What is the proper air cleaner for a 352 V8? My '55 Clipper has an air cleaner that has a 6" long "snout" on the cover for the oil bath cleaner, but I have seen pictures of other V8s with air cleaners that have little air "scoops" on both sides of the cover. Was wondering which is the correct one for the 352.

There seems to be more than one that is correct for 55 352s.

The oil bath with the snouts or openings on the side is usually seen on the senior cars but it appears the 55 Custom Clipper could also have it. Of course, the Caribbean had the duals & batwing. There is also another listed for the Custom which may be the one you have. I have no idea what a Houdaille-Hershey looks like.

Am also curious why there is two listed for the small engine depending on which heads were installed. Wonder what the difference is.

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Thanks for the reply Howard! I have seen pictures of both (mostly on E-Bay Motors) and I was puzzled as to which was the correct one.

Just from my experience, the 352 should have the Bat Wing air cleaner. The smaller engine has the cleaner you refer to as having a snout and one that is completely round. I believe another way to look at it is if the car came equipped with a Rochester carb it had a bat wing, if Carter it came with one of the other two. By bat wing I don't mean the dual carb set up but the one you mention with the two scoups. I have heard this one also referred to as a bat wing.

pictures of 440895 and 473214 air cleaners these are for the 320CI

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Oddly enough, the air filter with the snorkel used on the 320 engine was also used on 55 Chebbies with the 4bbl option. At Carlisle, I have seen them for sale for $375 as they are "so rare". That's just a little less than what I have paid for whole 55 parts cars that I have driven home!

I once owned a 55 Clipper Custom Constellation hard top. It had the 352 engine with a four barrel carb, I don't remember if it was Rochester or Carter, but it definitely had the air cleaner with the scoops on the sides like the senior cars.

I later owned a 56 400 and a 56 Pat and they both had the same kind of air cleaner as my 55 Clipper Custom, only one of them was chromed instead of black.

Clippers I've taken note of that have the Carter 4-bbl all had the round, FOMOCO-style air filter with single round opening in the barrel side, no scoops. Can't say if it's right or wrong, just what they all have had when I bothered to take notice.

Are any of these mentioned the Houdaille-Hershey Cleaner or if not, anyone know what they look like?

My 55 Clipper Custom has the air cleaner in the picture #473214 in the above post. It is a 352 with Rochester carb. I have seen other Clippers with the air cleaner that 55clipper referred to as the "bat wing".