Cowl vent

[Polishmeatballpizza]

Is this wire mesh standard? Or, did someone add it?
And, how difficult is our to get in there and remove it?

[Loren At 65GS]

Hey George,
Yes that is suppose to be there. Keeps things out of the cowl.n
There are some screws with 1/4" hex heads on the lower area that need to be removed . The body panel comes off and then the screen comes off.

 Loren

[Polishmeatballpizza]

Hey George,
Yes that is suppose to be there. Keeps things out of the cowl.
There are some screws with 1/4" hex heads on the lower area that need to be removed . The the body panel comes off and then the screen comes off.

 Loren

OK> Thanks Loren!

I do remember seeing some older cars without the screen.

[WkillGS]

Should that wire mesh be painted black?

[Polishmeatballpizza]

What is the cowl vent for? Just to bring air into the vent system?

[Loren At 65GS]

Should that wire mesh be painted black?

Of all the ones I have taken off, they haven't had paint on them.
I did paint mine a flat black to protect it.

  Loren

[Loren At 65GS]

What is the cowl vent for? Just to bring air into the vent system?

The air that comes in the front kick panel vents comes from that cowl vent.

 Loren

[elagache]

Dear George, Loren, Walt, and mid-60 Buick open-minded to "mods" types . . . . .

What is the cowl vent for? Just to bring air into the vent system?

Well yes, Buick only intended it to bring fresh air into the cabin.  However, since it is a source of fresh air at ambient temperature, it could be used as a source of air somewhere else.  Since the engine bay forms the front wall of the cowl region, it is a comparatively simple "mod" to build for yourself a cold air intake system that grabs air from the cowl and brings it directly to the carburetor or throttle body.

This isn't something I can take on right now, but I think I'll have to come up with a system like this one of these days.  While I was logging some hot starts with my FAST Sportsman, I was getting engine intake temperatures of over 150? F and that's with the hood open!!  All this when the air temperature at the time was in the mid-80s.  I think my trusty wagon's engine really could use some sort of a cold air intake.

Cheers, Edouard

[Polishmeatballpizza]

Surprised no one has come up with a better way to get fresh air into the cabin. Sure would be nice to close off that cowl and make it nice and smooth.

[elagache]

Dear George and mid-60s Buick "doin' it in retro style" fans,

Surprised no one has come up with a better way to get fresh air into the cabin. Sure would be nice to close off that cowl and make it nice and smooth.

Well modern cars don't have a cowl like this so yes you can avoid this feature.  However, if you drive a 1965 Buick, you'll quickly come to like the fresh air vents.  Before I put in a Vintage Air A/C in my trusty wagon it was the only way sort of rolling down the window to get some fresh cool are from outside.  The vents are still the only way to bring fresh air even with the aftermarket A/C.  Vintage Air is strictly recirculation, so the original 1965 vents are the only way to bring fresh air into the cabin.

At least in Northern California, you can avoid running the A/C on many days simply by opening the vents.  When possible the low-tech solution truly is preferable.

Finally if you decide you want a slightly more "assertive" engine, then having that possible source for a cold-air intake might come in handy!

Cheers, Edouard 

[Polishmeatballpizza]

How would you design a cold air intake?

[Polishmeatballpizza]

Who sells the plastic grill that goes under the cowl? I see OPGI does not have one.

[elagache]

Dear George and mid-60s Buick seekers of cool air.

How would you design a cold air intake?

Well the basic concept can be seen in this V-8 Buick posting and photo:

http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?272309-Cold-air-intake-for-AFB-in-65-GS&p=2238734#post2238734

Spectre Performance makes cold air boxes that fit over the top of carburetors or throttle body EFI systems.  Here is some of what they make:

http://www.spectreperformance.com/cat/air-intake-systems-universal-other?cat=C00000108

Unfortunately, I want something that is not as tall and I would prefer a single port rather than two.  I don't think my engine will need that much air given how I drive my wagon.  So I'm still looking.

However, there are a lot of pieces already on the market.  Also, you might be able modify OEM snorkel air cleaners from factory engines.  I haven't had a chance to look too carefully into this, but there are definitely plenty of possibilities.

Is your imagination stirred up yet? 

Cheers, Edouard 

[Mark Ascher]

Should that wire mesh be painted black?

Walt,

Never seen one from an original that was black. They were just bare metal as far as I could tell.
I spray bombed it with Seymours Stainless Steel or something like that.

Mark

[Polishmeatballpizza]

Dear George and mid-60s Buick seekers of cool air.

How would you design a cold air intake?

Well the basic concept can be seen in this V-8 Buick posting and photo:

http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?272309-Cold-air-intake-for-AFB-in-65-GS&p=2238734#post2238734

Spectre Performance makes cold air boxes that fit over the top of carburetors or throttle body EFI systems.  Here is some of what they make:

http://www.spectreperformance.com/cat/air-intake-systems-universal-other?cat=C00000108

Unfortunately, I want something that is not as tall and I would prefer a single port rather than two.  I don't think my engine will need that much air given how I drive my wagon.  So I'm still looking.

However, there are a lot of pieces already on the market.  Also, you might be able modify OEM snorkel air cleaners from factory engines.  I haven't had a chance to look too carefully into this, but there are definitely plenty of possibilities.

Is your imagination stirred up yet? 

Cheers, Edouard 

Interesting! Now i get it. I agree, a single would be better.