Air Grabber clearance woes

[NOrrTH]

This has been driving me nuts since before I bought the car and has been causing me money and anquish since. I bought the car with no air cleaner lid. Turns out he wasnt cheap, its just that it couldnt fit so I bought a 2.25 air filter. The lid still rubs on the bottom of the hood air grabber assembly. So then I bought a new "stock" intake off ebay which people now tell me is no shorter than the "Edlebrock Performer 440" thats on there now. Oh well I might need it one day.

So my question now is, can anyone with a 440 engine and air grabber, measure the base plate and confirm that its only 2" from the ground to the top of the carb stud crossmember? When I measure mine its 2 5/8" and the link below says thats for a "B" block. I've been looking all over the place for a replacement base plate and the only one I can find is at YearOne and it looks generic. If I have to find/buy another base plate I will but obviously dont want to keep throwing money at this problem unless I know it will fix it.

http://www.nicksgarage.com/aircleaner.htm

Thanks guys

[72RoadRunnerGTX]

There are two different bases for your application 383/400 and 340/440. it does sound like you have the 383/400 A/G air cleaner base. Many years ago I carefully cut down/rolled inward the neck on one of these to accommodate a high rise manifold for a 70’ 383 RR A/G. As I recall, I think I trimed about 1/2-3/4" in overall height. When I put a 440 in it later with a factory 4bbl manifold and carb, I found my modified 383 base fit pretty well. At some point later the whole set-up was changed out for a six-pack.
Funny thing is, had I had access this kind of information then, I could have marched into my local Chrysler Plymouth dealer and ordered as many 440 versions as I needed brand new and dirt cheap.

Note the text at the bottom of this page about the 70-72 4bbl bases.
http://www.nicksgarage.com/aircleaner.htm#compare

[NOrrTH]

Ya that link is where i got my info from and Moparts board (I have too many questions to abuse one site so mercifully I spread them around ).

You must be quite the craftsman with metal because thats a tricky job to roll the base up as its a cone. Presumably when you roll it up the opening gets bigger and wont fit the carb. Or maybe theres room to cut 3/4's out before it gets too big? Still quite a fiddly job.

[72RoadRunnerGTX]

Craftsman? Back then? Far from it, let’s just say I’ve learned a lot since then. Yes it is cone shaped. As I recall, keep in mind it’s been 30 years, I cut wedge shaped slits up the sides to about ½” or so around the circumference and bent them inward 90 degrees. The slits in the new flange were brazed closed and the flange cut down to fit the carburetor air horn. It was functional and resolved my clearance problem, may not have been too pretty up close however.

[NOrrTH]

Is there anyone on the forums that has a 440+4 (or even a 383) with an Air Grabber that could measure the air cleaner base for me?

My latest headache is that I bought what I was told was an original air cleaner for a 440 air grabber off Ebay. I even asked the guy to confirm the base measurement of 2" to the top of the carb cross member which he did and says yes.

I get the air cleaner this morning and its 2 5/8" to the top of the cross member, the same as the air cleaner base that I already have that wont clear.

I'm beginning to wonder a couple of things:

1) maybe the info on the Nick's Garage Air cleaner page is wrong and the measurement should be to the bottom of the carb stud crossmember; or

2) Maybe I have the wrong K-member under my engine; Could I be missing bushings?

3) wrong engine mounts? Are some taller than others?

I even bought a 2.25" air filter (the original is supposed to be 2.75") so if I even had the wrong air cleaner base, that .5" should clear but it doesnt.

[landon1]

could be that the seller was just making a sale. the RB block is taller, so the .75" difference in height is probably the difference in deck height between a B block and an RB block. i don't think there is a difference in K members or motor mounts (hemis have the "skid plate" K member). i would assume it all comes to the depth of the base - the reason they have drop base 4bbl air cleaners. if the base is .75" taller than it should be, then you would need to have a 2" air filter, not 2.25"...not a very large area for air to enter (i wouldn't think), but it would work.

[72RoadRunnerGTX]

For 71&72’ all v-8(except hemi) k-frames were the same as far as motor mount locations/height. Engine to mount brackets were the same for B and RB motors. No spacers or bushings used between k-frame and frame rails in these years. There is a screw at the rear of the Air Grabber air box that screws into a u-nut on a hood bracket that when left out will allow the back of the air box to sag and contact the air cleaner lid. Other than that, it sounds like you may have to keep looking for the 340/440 70-72' base plate.

There was a recent thread on moparts about these base plates.

[71440 gtx]

mine is 2 1/2 ins from lip to the top cross member

[NOrrTH]

I really really appreciate your help guys

So 71440GTX says his base is 2 1/2" and the two base's I have now are 2 5/8"

I now have no doubt that Nick's Garage info is wrong. I'm beginning to wonder if there is a 2" base

[72RoadRunnerGTX]

Have you tried using the “No need to measure if it sits on it's edges while on a flat surface it's a 440 if it sits on the carb flange area it's 383/400” test yet as suggested by one of the moparts thread poster?

My experience measuring carb height differences between B & RB motors in stock configurations (now, admittedly many years ago) is that the RB stock intake carb surface sits is at least a 5/8’’to ¾” higher than the B. The ¼” difference suggested, IMO is not enough.

[NOrrTH]

Have you tried using the “No need to measure if it sits on it's edges while on a flat surface it's a 440 if it sits on the carb flange area it's 383/400” test

Yes. Mine sits flat on the front edge of the outter flat surface and the carb flange arena. So that theory is out the window.

BTW - It measures 2 5/8ths, not 2 3/4" like I was saying in my previous posts which I just edited- so lets call it the 2 1/2" base

[71440 gtx]

I NEED ONE NOW A 440 ONE

[NOrrTH]

Does yours at least fit under the hood? If so, your miles ahead of me

I've got a thread going on the Moparts board now thanks to 72RoadrunnerGTX trying to get to the bottom of this.

I'm beginning to wonder if there really is a 2" base since there arent any pictures to be found so far and..3 people with 440's have the 2 5/8ths base.

[1bluegtx]

I have the 2 inch baseplate!



BRIAN

[NOrrTH]

OMG THEY EXIST!!!!

and thanks for the picture! YOU GUYS ROCK!

So far I've replaced my motor mounts $150ish (they needed doing anyway)
Shorter air filter $20?
Original intake $200 (not installed)
Ebay mistake $87 (return shipping)

..and the hunt is back on anyone have a 440 base plate for sale?