My 70 XR7 351C-4V has a chrome air filter assembly. Is this something that may have come from the factory or an aftermarket addition? There is nothing on the Marti report or factory invoice. There is enough deterioration of the chrome that I’m considering painting it the standard Ford blue but want to know if I’m giving up something special.
Tom, If it is the one posted on “My name is… And I’m a Cougaraholic” on Face book, I have never seen one chromed like that from the factory. The top may be factory Chrome, but the base and snorkel I do not think are. If your Cougar were done as a factory show car it would have had a lot more dolled up as well. I think you might do well to find another unit to paint and use. Painting Chrome can be a pain to get it to stay on with out removing the chrome.
Thanks Neal,
That’s it on the Facebook site.
I painted the snorkel a while back and it seems to be holding up pretty well. I did some minor touch up on the lid at the time, a bit of aluminum paint on the rust and a clear polyurethane to protect bare steel. The polyurethane yellowed badly with time (as should have been expected) and I’ve removed it. Now I’ve either got to try the aluminum paint again but perhaps with a clear acrylic or go back to factory blue. I’ve got more bare steel (Evapo-Rust removed virtually all of the rust) so that has me favoring the paint.
Tom, I think the chrome is fantastic. I wonder if there’s any place down in Clear Lake that could re-chrome it for you.
That becomes a cost issue as well as time. I guess I’ve got a perception that re-choming is expensive without any real knowledge on the subject. I’ve only had involvement with industrial machinery bearing journals which required relatively thick chrome and surface grinding afterward.
Cost would be around $100 if you just do the lid.
Not sure about factory options, but back in 78 I owned a used 70XR7 with a 351C-4V and it was all Ford Blue. I have no reason to believe it was not stock for my car.
Having said that, any chromed parts (air cleaner, valve covers, etc.) would be a welcome change from that blue (at least in my opinion). If you don’t want to do anything to you current one (just in case it is factory stock), check out the repro 289 Hi-Po cleaner assemblies. May be something you like, but be careful of height to the hood (I think I needed to use a down-turn base to lower it enough for a 351)…
Thanks everyone,
The chrome is in bad shape for now I think it’s going to factory blue. I had already painted the snorkel over a year ago.