Tri Power Air Cleaners - Differences

The top one is the way all factory tri power galaxies came from the factory, the second is the same one with a little aftermarket personalization(painted ribs) and the third one is a 62-3 T-Bird with painted ribs. They all came OEM plain aluminum, without the painted ribs.

Damn interesting question and I never gave it much thought.

There were several designs released over the years and need to be documented.

I don't think the blue one is just "personalized". I have seen a lot of them for sale and they are always the same blue and never any other colour. If they were personalized, you'd expect to see different shades of blue. I've even seen a blue Thunderbird air cleaner emblem on eBay that is marketed for the air cleaner.

When you say they ALL come as plain, do you also mean all T Bird Tri Powers come plain as well?

sk4wd said:

I don't think the blue one is just "personalized". I have seen a lot of them for sale and they are always the same blue and never any other colour. If they were personalized, you'd expect to see different shades of blue. I've even seen a blue Thunderbird air cleaner emblem on eBay that is marketed for the air cleaner.

When you say they ALL come as plain, do you also mean all T Bird Tri Powers come plain as well?

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I believe they all came plain, but painting the between the fins is a common way to customize them. I've never seen them painted on an original or correctly restored car. Keep in mind that these parts have been around for 50+ years and people have done alot to them in that time.

About the blue, keep in mind that the color you see most often is the later Ford engine blue. The 60-63 HiPo engines these came on were black, so you wouldn't see blue on them anyways.

I agree - an interesting question, as there is documentation, but not all of it gathered just for air filter housings that I'm aware of. My Merc 410 had the plain as-cast one like the first pic. My buddy's 390 had one like the 3rd pic for a T-bird, as-cast also but no color or emblem, just the gap in the fins for the emblem. He thinks it was original (off a factory A/Stock car), but we can't be positive. Didn't Holman-Moody use T-Bird housings and put their HM bird emblem on some?

David

OK, so a ton of 1964 power in an old Ford - what do we do with it? I know - spank some modern Euro cars:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD48OX1wu14

Didn't Holman-Moody use T-Bird housings and put their HM bird emblem on some?

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If they did, I would imagine one would be worth a small fortune. Interesting, wish I had saved more HM literature.

They were plain as cast from the factory.

About the blue, keep in mind that the color you see most often is the later Ford engine blue. The 60-63 HiPo engines these came on were black, so you wouldn't see blue on them anyways.

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Remember it wasn't just the HiPo engines that these can come on. In another post on here, I was told you could order the Tri Power as an option when you ordered your new Galaxie and the manifold, carbies and air cleaner would come in the boot/trunk for the dealer to fit. So they could be fitted to a "blue" 390.



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sk4wd said:

Remember it wasn't just the HiPo engines that these can come on. In another post on here, I was told you could order the Tri Power as an option when you ordered your new Galaxie and the manifold, carbies and air cleaner would come in the boot/trunk for the dealer to fit. So they could be fitted to a "blue" 390.

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The only instance I am familiar with the induction system being placed in the trunk was for the 1961 390HP 375HP 4V and the dealer installed 3 x 2 kit would raise the rating to 401HP. The W/4/S option was also dealer install, the trans being shipped in the trunk of the car as per order as was the induction system.

I glanced at the 60/64 MPC last night and all previous air cleaners were replaced (service parts replacement) by the 62/63 BIRD M-CODE cleaner. There was more than one style (top plate) (IMO) but it is going to be hard to document.

There were also over-the-counter 3 X 2 kits that were sold as accessories in the mid-sixties.

This is interesting. I found this on a 62-63 Thunderbird website that was comparing the T Bird Tri Power to the Galaxie Tri Power.

The emblem on the Thunderbird lid is the same emblem that is found on the valance over the rear seat in the '63 Thunderbirds in case you need to replace one. It's also quite easy to take a plain Air cleaner lid and cut the fins out to make your own Thunderbird air cleaner using one of the emblems out of a '63 parts cars back seat. The correct Galaxie lid is plain, no emblems. There is another version of a bird emblem with crossed flags used on some lids, but I don't know the correct application for them. If you know, please email me and I'll add it here. I've seen these emblems for sale often on ebay advertised as "Thunderbird" emblems. They may call them "Thunderbirds", but they are definately NOT for Thunderbird cars. It should also be noted that the Galaxie 406 Tri-power car also used "THUNDERBIRD" script valve covers.

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The emblem on the Thunderbird lid is the same emblem that is found on the valance over the rear seat in the '63 Thunderbirds in case you need to replace one. It's also quite easy to take a plain Air cleaner lid and cut the fins out to make your own Thunderbird air cleaner using one of the emblems out of a '63 parts cars back seat. The correct Galaxie lid is plain, no emblems. There is another version of a bird emblem with crossed flags used on some lids, but I don't know the correct application for them. If you know, please email me and I'll add it here. I've seen these emblems for sale often on ebay advertised as "Thunderbird" emblems. They may call them "Thunderbirds", but they are definately NOT for Thunderbird cars. It should also be noted that the Galaxie 406 Tri-power car also used "THUNDERBIRD" script valve covers.

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All basically correct. All here should know the song and dance on the TBIRD rocker covers. The THUNDERBIRD EMBLEM (decal on rocker covers on some engines) was the marking of a HI-PO option on an air cleaner.

What has to be remembered (and I am having trouble remembering this) is that the air cleaner top with the 427 BIRD emblem was used on the 63/64 427 8V.

First attachment shows 62 406 6V-

Second shows 62/63 BIRD M-CODE 390 with BIRD emblem-

(The top plate would not have been polished)

danv said:

The question now is that I have seen many lids (online) which were cast finish, and lots of lids which are smooth finish.

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I am fairly certain... ... that all tops came through rough finish (as cast). The polished ones were done by the owner.

I also believe... ... that there were only two styles of 3 X 2 top plates, one raised finned and the other raised fin with the area milled out for the BIRD EMBLEM (62/63 BIRD M-CODE).

I am now bracing myself for the usual correction from our resident board authority and security dude, DANIELLE... :frown:

Danielle doesn't come to this part of the forum, but this Danny does.

I reckon you are right about the tri-power lids. The Galaxie style and the T-Bird style, both unpainted.
But what about the tri-power on the 289s? Were they the same as Galaxie ones? But I guess we are talking about Mustangs here.....

As for the cast or polished tops on the 8Vs, even the restored R Codes I have seen have both types. This could get the chins wagging.

KULTULZ within POST #11 said:

I glanced at the 60/64 MPC last night and all previous air cleaners were replaced (service parts replacement) by the 62/63 BIRD M-CODE cleaner. There was more than one style (top plate) (IMO) but it is going to be hard to document.

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KULTULZ within POST #16 said:

I also believe... ... that there were only two styles of 3 X 2 top plates, one raised finned and the other raised fin with the area milled out for the BIRD EMBLEM (62/63 BIRD M-CODE).

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I broke my rule of thumb... NEVER SAY NEVER concerning FOMOCO.

Below attached is a photo of a supposedly 1961 390 3 X 2 top plate.

Notice the raised fins do not reach either end of the plate. No cutout for an emblem. There is also a decal attached (no way to confirm authenticity of either).

To verify all possible styles one would have to find original copies of the 60/64 MPC as the FINAL ISSUE shows all types replaced (service parts) by the C2SZ 9600-A which was introduced on the 390CI 340HP 3 X 2 BIRD.

danv said:

But what about the tri-power on the 289s? Were they the same as Galaxie ones? But I guess we are talking about Mustangs here.....

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Attached are FOMOCO ads of the period for both the FE and SBF (Ninety-Degree) 3 X 2 Kits-

The air cleaners looks pretty much the same to me.