Pancake air cleaner '65GS

[telriv]

I am looking for info on the pancake air filter housing for a '65GS. Do the vehicles with A/C have the snorkel of the housing pointing to the left or the right as sitting in the passenger seat??? I have an almost PERFECT housing that's been powder coated the correct 80% gloss black, but it points to the right. I have been told that with A/C originally they pointed to the left. I KNOW Rivs. point to the left. How true is this.??? Anyone with an original A/C equipped car that KNOWS what they have is correct can answer this question??? I have modified a couple to make them point to the left by cutting & re welding the tabs in the correct location.

TIA


Tom T.

[schlepcar]

It points right toward the compressor as far as I know. I am not aware of any difference other than the A/C cars are vented to the driver side valve cover. Dan

[telriv]

I believe that '66 Ca. cars were vented to the air cleaner, but not '65. I could be wrong.

[Brian]

Tom,
  I have discussed this very subject with some of the guys on this board before.  As you have discovered there are two versions--left pointing and right pointing.  The difference does not appear to have anything to do with AC vs non-AC cars.
 The conclusion we came to is that the early 65s had it pointing to the left (drivers side), then sometime during the production run, they changed them to point to the right (passenger side) due to the upcoming changes for 66 that required the CA models to have an air pump on them for emissions.  The 66 air pump is on the drivers side where the snorkel would be if it were pointing to the left.  So it appears they made the changeover to accommodate the 66 cars they were designing/testing and they did it during the 65 model year since the change had no affect on the 65 models other than the visual difference in the direction of the snorkel.
  That being said, a 65 could have either one unless it is a real early or real late production build that would direct you to one or the other.  All 66 models should have it pointing to the right (passenger side).   

[Loren At 65GS]

I believe that '66 Ca. cars were vented to the air cleaner, but not '65. I could be wrong.

Yes, along with '65s that were California cars.

 Loren

[telriv]

I know that the '65GS came out late in the model year, Jan/Feb. I think. So they would be pointing left almost for sure. And, maybe around April/May they started pointing to the right. Am I concluding this correctly??? I just don't want to point anyone in the wrong direction & do the BEST I know possible.
Thanks for this informative site dedicated to the '65GS's along with the '66's & '64's.


Tom T.

[mrbuick65]

I must be missing something here. My air cleaner can face to left or right. The tabs will clear the carb stops. Don`t know why the base would have to have the tabs cut off and welded back on? Some of the earlier pancake breathers from Olds and Cadillac had no tabs.
John

[telriv]

This particular car I'm talking about has a build date of 3B. 2nd. week of March, 1965. Do you think that this would be around the time of the change. It probably doesn't really matter either way. Just looking for a general direction.


Tom T.