Original A212CW AC Air Filters

[737Driver]

It surely seems there are many opinions on what is correct for a given era when it comes to these filters. Within the National Corvette Restorers Society, there is a general consensus that, based on seen AC engineering data, the square mesh probably started around the end of model year (MY) 1969 or the beginning of MY 1970. That is to say, somewhere around the beginning of calendar year 1970. I will try to secure said data if I can and post it here when I do.

I wanted to post a few pictures of a NOS filter I purchased for my 1969 Camaro. I bought this from a fellow named Pete Lindahl in New Mexico. Pete is highly regarded by those of us in NCRS as a knowledgeable enthusiast and I'm sure many on this board who know him will agree.

If anyone has any pertinent data to share on these filters I'm sure all of us would appreciate it. Hopefully we can all learn a little more.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v496/737Driver/026.jpg

The entire box was there but in horrible shape. I cut the date away and saved it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v496/737Driver/ACI.jpg

Notice the verbiage as well as the groove cut around the entire circumference. This groove is evident on the front and back.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v496/737Driver/ACII.jpg

Again, the groove on the back as well as embossed A212CW.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v496/737Driver/ACVI.jpg

A close up of the front groove.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v496/737Driver/ACV.jpg

A close up of the rear groove and embossing.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v496/737Driver/ACIII.jpg

Very heavy gauge external screen and overlap. Also notice how heavy the oil wetting is.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v496/737Driver/ACIV.jpg

Backside screen and overlap.

This is what I have for a unit manufactured on the pictured date. Anyone else?

Regards,

Mark

[Charley Lillard]

My low mile 70 Z28 does not have square mesh.

[737Driver]

Charlie,

What is the build date of your car?

Thanks,

Mark

[Charley Lillard]

. http://www.yenko.net/attachments/387774-tn_023.JPG

[Rixls6]

This is what was on an 07A Arlington built 70 Chevelle SS396 with cowl induction.
The car was at the last VF for sale with 30K original miles, if I remember right.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e43/Rixls6/70ChevelleArlington07AForestGree-1.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e43/Rixls6/70ChevelleArlington07AForestGreen31.jpg

[Tarrytown SS427s]

Our 68 L72 Impala has the original A212CW filter, which the original owner saved when he installed the cowl plenum air cleaner. It is square mesh, but the wire goes on a diagonal (45* angle) unlike any NOS ebay filters I have ever seen, early issue or late. It has the screen print just like the one Rixls6 posted, and element is very oiled down. Also, in Hi-Perf Cars mag in 1968 they did a test of the "Street Racers Special" 68 L72 Biscayne and there is a closeup of the engine, showing this same filter with the diagonal wire. The car hadn't been to Motion at this point. The Biscayne the Impala were both built at Tarrytown, NY cars built in Late November, 1967. I'd get a picture on here, but I am away for school.
Steve

[Rixls6]

I had posted this pic in a previous thread.
This is a 69 Chevelle L78 in the first week after it was bought new. I have other pics showing the 69 license plate, etc.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e43/Rixls6/69Chevelle300Deluxe13437004.jpg

[m22mike]

FYI, Grady's "1969grb" 69 COPO Chevelle, 06D body tag

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/m22mike/ACES/Chevelleshow026.jpg

Mike

[Mr70]

I have an original "Best Way" & "Not" here to compare.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t142/peterspix_2007/filtersmeasure0002.jpg




My original AC "Best Way" square mesh came from a box without a date on it & no hot melt stamp either.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t142/peterspix_2007/filtersmeasure0004.jpg


It too has the wire end overlap inside & out,and a recessed valley groove on both sides,but it's up against the inner circumference,not the the outer like Marks is.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t142/peterspix_2007/filtersmeasure0002.jpg


The "Not" I have is a post 74 Diamond mesh with almost the exact same characteristics as the "Best Way" above.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t142/peterspix_2007/filtersmeasure0003.jpg

[JohnZ]

[ QUOTE ]
Our 68 L72 Impala has the original A212CW filter, which the original owner saved when he installed the cowl plenum air cleaner. It is square mesh, but the wire goes on a diagonal (45* angle) unlike any NOS ebay filters I have ever seen, early issue or late. It has the screen print just like the one Rixls6 posted, and element is very oiled down. Also, in Hi-Perf Cars mag in 1968 they did a test of the "Street Racers Special" 68 L72 Biscayne and there is a closeup of the engine, showing this same filter with the diagonal wire. The car hadn't been to Motion at this point. The Biscayne the Impala were both built at Tarrytown, NY cars built in Late November, 1967. I'd get a picture on here, but I am away for school.
Steve

[/ QUOTE ]

That's exactly the A212CW element outer screen we expect to see in NCRS '67 Corvette judging - square mesh, oriented diagonally, of solder-dipped round wire. $2K is a common asking price these days for originals. Photo below.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2002-2/13522/A212CW.JPG

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[Tarrytown SS427s]

That's exactly the A212CW element outer screen we expect to see in NCRS '67 Corvette judging - square mesh, oriented diagonally, of solder-dipped round wire. $2K is a common asking price these days for originals. Photo below.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2002-2/13522/A212CW.JPG

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

That's the one. Wow 2K for a filter..Sweet! I'm gonna hang onto this one.
Steve

[67L78conv]

So since everyone is on the subject, exactly which one would be considered correct for a 67 L78 Camaro form a judging point of view?

[Tommy_Mathison]

I have a question for those who have been around longer than I have. Was the oil-saturated filter paper in these elements yellow when they were new or is the yellowing something that comes with age?

[Mr70]

They were slightly yellow when brand new,do to the oil wetted paper and as time wore on they became even yellower, even if never used at all.

[firstgenaddict]

Filter paper is impregnated with formaldehyde and other chemicals which is probably what causes the yellowing, although papers manufactured before the last 15 years used a much more caustic/acidic process to bleach the fiber, which causes yellowing and deterioration. (think old newspapers)
I had 200 tons of waste filter paper bales from a DANA/WIX plant, it would give you a headache just being around it for 30 min. It was almost impossible to get rid of, I sent a load to China, they said NO MORE, I ended up selling it to a company that manufactures roofing felt.

[midyr]

I worked on these puppies in dealers back in the mid 60s when they were new, said it somewhere in the Forum before and will again: Initially cars were coming off the truck with the solder-dipped diagonal mesh filters, although occasionally we would see the solder-dipped square mesh, and if ordered from the parts dept a solder-dipped square mesh would arrive; then at some point I cannot precisely remember, everything began to arrive with solder-dipped square mesh. For anyone really interested in getting it right, bottom line from somebody who was there, is that 1965 through 67 either diagonal or square mesh were original and are correct, provided they are solder-dipped. When new, the paper was very slightly yellowed, with age the yellowing darkened.

Lance Hill

[JohnZ]

Here's another distinguishing feature of a production-line 1967 A212CW; the overlap joint of the screen was very uniquely done - reproductions and later service replacements weren't done this way. Photo below is of an original '67 element.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2002-2/13522/A212CWSideOriginal800.jpg

[Rixls6]

Here's an ac212cw still in the old original box. It's been on a shelf since the 70's from the appearance of the box.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e43/Rixls6/69-70ACbracket009.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e43/Rixls6/69-70ACbracket007.jpg

[70 Forest Green Zee]

Hey Rick... <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/Can-I-Have-It.gif

[RPO LS7]

Just curious, has anyone ever seen this type of filter with the print on the inside?

I purchased it a few years ago from a GM dealership out in the boonies, it was hanging up in the attic.

It doesn't have &quot;BEST WAY&quot; or &quot;AC 212CW&quot; imprinted on the ring, however it does have &quot;MADE IN CANADA&quot; stamped in the ring.

Please disregard box as it did not come with one.

Any guess as to what year or even decade it was produced?

Thanks in advance. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/youguysrock.gif

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk75/ls7chevelle/100_5396.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk75/ls7chevelle/100_5395.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk75/ls7chevelle/100_5394.jpg

[Mr70]

I've seen that filter on a few recent GMC trucks.

[RPO LS7]

Thanks Rick. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

Must have been the environment it was stored in that has given it that aged look.

[JohnZ]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RPO LS7</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just curious, has anyone ever seen this type of filter with the print on the inside?

I purchased it a few years ago from a GM dealership out in the boonies, it was hanging up in the attic.

It doesn't have &quot;BEST WAY&quot; or &quot;AC 212CW&quot; imprinted on the ring, however it does have &quot;MADE IN CANADA&quot; stamped in the ring.

Please disregard box as it did not come with one.

Any guess as to what year or even decade it was produced?

Thanks in advance. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/youguysrock.gif </div></div>

That's a typical later Service replacement with an &quot;expanded metal&quot; outer screen; there were about six different types of the A212CW Service replacements over the years, and none of them were made like the original production-line part.

[RPO LS7]

Thanks JohnZ, yours and Ricks reply is valued and appreciated. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/youguysrock.gif

[R L]

FWIW these originals never had formaldehyde in them, oil yes.

[midyr]

I said it in an earlier post and will say it again for what it's worth: many cars were coming from the factory in 1965 with the square mesh solder-dipped element. I was there, up to my elbows in the cars 24-7.

[Fast67VelleN2O]

I figured I would throw this one into the mix (old thread, I know, but just for reference photos). I just picked this one up. No date on the box. Square mesh, &quot;Best Way&quot;, non embossed. Me and a few other guys figured this was correct for 1969-1970.

[Jeff Murphy]

What's the date on the box? There's usually a code on one of the end flaps

[Fast67VelleN2O]

I looked and didn't see a date anywhere.

[R L]

1973 and later on known dated originals, sellers that lose the box flaps do so for a reason...

All dated originals 69 72 have been diamond and I have a few of those.

[napa68]

What is the time frame the assembly line installed filters made the change from the square mesh to the diamond mesh? I have been looking around casually for the right filter on my 71 LT-1 Corvette.

Thanks,
Tim

[Burd]

I was wondering same, I just found one in my parts. Not sure why I even bought it.its not for my car lol

[jeffschevelle]

Shame all the old pics in this old post are gone. There will be disagreements I am sure, but for many years I have been saving pics of original filters in cars, and NOS filters in dated boxes, and NOS filters from complete NOS air cleaner assemblies, and have been keeping track of the data. Based on that, the progression of the style of 212 filters appears to be:

Version A. Square soldered mesh, oriented diagonally. There is NO SILK SCREENING on these. The A212CW is molded or embossed into the top of the black rubber part in large outline style font.

This version was used at least from 2/1965 through at least 8/1967. (I have originals from a Feb built 65 396 Impala that had the earliest known 396 engine assembly stamp date, from a 2/67 built Elcamino, and from a 5/67 built Malibu; and an NOS filter from an NOS 67 Camaro air cleaner assembly in GM box dated 8/1967).

Version B. NOS filter in box dated 3/9/1968 - Same filter as above with the embossed A212CW, but it ALSO has the white BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOUR ENGINE ... silk screening. This gives a good idea of the approximate date that the BEST WAY script first came into usage, since they still had some of the prior 65-67 style filters with the embossing on hand when the silk screen was added.

Version C. Square soldered mesh, oriented diagonally. Does NOT have the A212CW embossed into the black rubber part. Has only the white BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOUR ENGINE ... silk screening.

I have examples of Version C starting with box dated 9/1968, and going all the way up to box dated 7/14/1969.

Version D. Square soldered mesh, oriented horizontal / vertical (what people call "square mesh"). Has white BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOUR ENGINE ... silk screening.

The earliest dated box with one of these I have seen is 5/1970. So the change in the orientation of the wire apparently occurred some time between 7/14/69 and 5/70.

And I have examples of Version D going all the way up to boxes dated 11/1974.

Some of the earlier ones of Version D (including the one in box dated 5/1970) have a small embossed A212CW in small plain font (not the large outlined font used in 65-68). The later ones do not have that.

Version E. Same as the later Version D filters, except they eliminated "BEST WAY", and the silk screen starts with "PROTECT YOUR ENGINE ..."

The earliest box with one of these I have seen had no date but included 1975 model year vehicles in the list of applications on the box. So elimination of the BEST WAY apparently occurred some time between 11/1974 and approximately 8/1975 (when 1976 models came out and the boxes would have included 1976 models if the filter had been made after that).

And I have examples of Version E going all the way up to boxes dated 3/1977.

Version F. This is the "expanded metal" mesh, that looks like a chain link fence (what most people call "Diamond Mesh"). And it has silk screen starting with PROTECT YOUR ENGINE ...

The earliest box with an A212CW diamond mesh filter I have seen had no date but included 1979 model year vehicles in the list of applications on the box. So it was made, at the earliest, in approximately August of 1978. But see **footnote below.

And I have examples of Version F going all the way up to boxes dated 5/8/1986.

Version G. Same as Version F , except they eliminated the PROTECT YOUR ENGINE ... silk screening.

**Footnote re diamond mesh filters -- Although I have never seen a diamond mesh A212CW in a box dated earlier than 1979, I have seen other AC filter numbers with diamond mesh screen in earlier boxes. The earliest one I have saved was a cowl plenum filter in a box dated 8/4/1976. Notably, it was in a plain GM service parts box with just an AC sticker with the part number on it (like you would have gotten at a dealership), and not the commonly seen AC Air Filter box like you would get at a NAPA store.

So the diamond mesh material was in use by AC on some filters before they stopped making the square mesh 212's some time after March 1977. But the question is whether the diamond mesh was also being used to make 212's at the same time square mesh 212's were still being made.

I know there are pics on some forums of some 69's that are supposed to be from soon after the cars were new, that have diamond mesh filters. But anybody with a car with a diamond mesh filter that they think is original needs to check the silk screening. If it is diamond mesh with "PROTECT YOUR ENGINE" silk screening without the "BEST WAY", then the filter was made after 1974. If it is diamond mesh with no silk screening, then the filter was made some time after May 1986.

And beware, there are some people who have recently started selling later 212 filters on ebay that they are adding the silk screening to in order to jack up the prices. On some they are taking original "PROTECT YOUR ENGINE" filters and adding the "BEST WAY", because you can see that the "BEST WAY" is not in line with the rest of the stamp and the ink looks a little different. On others, they are adding the entire stamp. So there is no longer any way to rely on what you see listed on ebay.

:beers:

[William]

The expanded metal mesh was used during the 1969 model year.

Z/28 feature, Road Test magazine August, 1969.

[firstgenaddict]

Tim Expanded metal 212 is correct for your LT1, just make sure it has the full saying with "Best Way".

[napa68]

I was researching A212CW's this morning, and ran across this old thread that still had pictures.

https://www.chevelles.com/threads/ac-212-air-filters.353257/

[Rixls6]

FYI, Grady's "1969grb" 69 COPO Chevelle, 06D body tag

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/m22mike/ACES/Chevelleshow026.jpg

Mike

So, if a 6/69 built 69 Chevelle has the square mesh originally, might there have been both styles of filter used in the 69 model year, square and diamond mesh?

[m22mike]

So, if a 6/69 built 69 Chevelle has the square mesh originally, might there have been both styles of filter used in the 69 model year, square and diamond mesh?


Back when I posted that photo of the air cleaner on Grady's Blue COPO Chevelle I figured it was the original air cleaner. In later talking to Grady in general about these air cleaner types he could only confirm that this one was on the car when he bought it as a used car.
So it is possible it my not be the born with one ? But it looks good with the rest of the patina.


Mike

[olredalert]

----People have questioned me about what I have repeatedly said came on my 66 425hp Corvette that I ordered new. In my memeory it had the square weave as pictured in Mikes post above mine.....Bill S

[napa68]

I ran across this thread over on the NCRS website. There are some great pics along with some dimensional references. Probably somewhat redundant, but informational.

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?131673-A212CW-air-filter-square-mesh-wire-particulars

[67since67]

The gentleman who started that thread on the Corvette Forum contacted me a while back because he had seen the filter on my '67 Vette at an NCRS event. I answered his questions with pix and info, but apparently still researching...