Intrigued with the notion of a cold air intake for my '65 Corsa I modified the base of a low hp air cleaner (95 or 110) to catch cold air intake from the LM body air intakes off rear glass. Not best high pressure location for an air intake but it would have to do. One could add a scoop Clarks sells that runs across the entire width of LM vent. The factory vent shelf should deflect most incoming rain, the few times I drive in rain.

So I needed a duct hose and I looked at prices of automotive duct hose online and locally and was rather surprised. Didn't want used from a salvage yard, but I found a new "aftermarket" replacement air intake for a Mercedes-Benz C250 (2012 2013 2014 15 1.8L) for less than $16 hose and flange online. Obviously not a factory MB part. Knowing the Corvair air cleaner base was pretty short in height I looked for a really narrow intake system and found the MB flange matched my needs.

After removal of the Vair intake horn I made several careful horizontal cuts with a cutoff wheel to length. A few bends with some pliers and inserted the plastic MB intake flange into the hole which saved me some metalwork.

A notch was cut in the throat of the 4 carb four legged intake runner housing so the tang would lock to the 4 carb runner housing. The modified air cleaner base was rotated almost 180 degrees or until the pcv hole of the donor air cleaner base aligned with the 4 carb pcv pipe. At present the air intake is just laying in the vent intake of the body but I may fabricate a more elaborate intake off the body vent. Replaced the Corsa chrome air cleaner top to finish off the conversion.

Now for a test drive, though I am not expecting a huge gain but colder air can not hurt! All told less than $20 and couple hours of time.













Jimc
1965 Corsa Coupe, two owner history


HACOA Member
CORSA 2017 Concours Senior Gold Award
AACA 2015 Award

Interesting idea. I'm curious about the results.

How about if you make a second hole and add another MB intake on the other side? Might not be that much of an improvement but it would double the available volume and look snazzy.

- Art in Missouri
'66 Monza Vert 110, 4SP, AC

Previous vairs:
63 Monza Coupe
66 Sport Sedan
66 Corsa (clone)
61 Loadside

[corvaircenter.com]

Looks impressive.

Buuuuuuuuut, since the fan is constantly sucking air out of the engine compartment to cool the engine, is the "In Coming Air", actually measurably cooler than what is already "IN" the engine compartment?
Even on a HOT day, the only time I can think of when our engine compartments get warm/HOT, is after engine shutdown when the fan is no longer spinning.
No? Am I thinking this wrong?

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WA. state, 1 mile south of the Canadian border, I am not at the end of the world, but you can see it from here.

Good idea for 66 and 67 AC cars.

Frank DuVal

Fredericksburg, VA

Neat idea.

Any results?

65 Monza Coupe
61 500 Coupe-W100181
Earliest '61 Alive?

Frank DuVal Wrote:
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> Good idea for 66 and 67 AC cars.


Would be tough snaking it around the condenser, wouldn't it?

Scott
Danville, In.
'65 Corsa coupe basket case
'66 Monza coupe

If you bypassed the condenser with a cold air intake the condenser would be loosing out on air flow it really needs.

RJ tools
Salem,Oregon

THe only thing this set up will do is cause carb icing in the winter. The incoming air is virtually the same temp as air already there. The A/C condenser covers the intake area on 66-67 cars.

Irfgt,

Winter driving? I was looking for performance gains in hot summer weather not winter and my car lacks AC as a consideration for packaging issues.

With less than 4 degree ambient air temp difference from exterior to engine compartment air I don't expect too much, but you don't know if you don't try. $20 investment was pretty small experimental budget.

I plan to add Matt's past suggestion of ABS pipe "risers" atop the carb to smooth out the airflow path.

Jimc
1965 Corsa Coupe, two owner history


HACOA Member
CORSA 2017 Concours Senior Gold Award
AACA 2015 Award

Mod might be helpful when doing in town driving and getting around parking lots where the engine rpm is not up as high like when on 45mph or higher roads. Cooler air for combustion, but not for the compartment, where most issues starts when vehicle is parked and shutdown. May help on a hot restart.

Since it's downhill to the air cleaner what about rain or water when washing the car? I'm not trying to be a naysayer, just curious.

Jim Brandberg
Isanti, MN
CorvairRepair.com

Thanks for your reply Jim.

In my disassembly and restoration of our Corsa I found The LM body design air intake “box” below rear glass had a built-in ledge that should function to prevent water entry into engine compartment. The “box” has drain vents on either side as well.

I placed, temporarily, the MB intake just under this ledge so should still function to prevent water entry. However if the air inlet was placed more in airstream and not under this ledge than water droplets in airstream would need to be considered. If this was my daily driver and possibly driven in rain I would probably put a 90 degree turn in the air hose so water would drop out of the airstream before entry.

Jimc
1965 Corsa Coupe, two owner history


HACOA Member
CORSA 2017 Concours Senior Gold Award
AACA 2015 Award

I made one years ago using a GM Tech I engine air cleaner intake that has the same curvature as the Corvair base. I removed the air horn, attached the new Tech I intake and routed a hose around the AC condenser. My car has an internal voltage regulator, so I was able to cut a hole where the factory regulator attaches. I used a shroud fresh air hose adaptor to connect the hose to the plenum.

This enabled me to advance the timing a few degrees without pinging. I also measured temperatures and found the cool air intake dropped the combustion air temperature close to ambient whereas the engine compartment air temperature that would normally be sucked in the carbs was much higher. I can't recall exact temperatures after all the years.

Wade

If you have (or have even brief access to) a battery powered thermometer with the remote outside temperature sensor you should be able to measure the temperature differences and get actual results. I'd agree that it should offer some advantage at idle and slow speed driving.

I do find it interesting that the responses have a regional inclination. I live in Southern California and have NEVER had carb icing be a problem. I've plumbed cold air intake on other cars and never given it a thought. But, yes, I can see the problem for those in cold climates.

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***'61 Lakewood, a "Freebie" in hibernation for 27 years - In the process of applying CPR.***