# 75 Trans Am 455 - open air element, dual snorkel or cold air intake?



## bnreed3 (Apr 18, 2016)

Debating between my current open air element, stock dual snorkel or making my own cold air intake setup. Does anyone know the best route to go here?


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## Pinion head (Jan 3, 2015)

the '69 dualsnorkel and '70-72 slightly tighter spread dual snorkel "GTO" air cleaners were designed to fit on the larger mtg ring of a Quadrajet, not the smaller diam ring of a Carter AFB or that of a ThermoQuad. The typical '68+ Pontiac 4 bbl aircleaner had 1/2" drop, measured from the airhorn surface to the bottom of the aircleaner base. 

The '70 and '71-72 TransAm and Formula aircleaners had a different spread between the snorkels than did the 2 other A body dualsnorkel bases. The early 2nd Gen F body aircleaner had a full 1 1/2" drop. These early 2nd Gen 4 bbl bases were often butchered in the front and back to clear the center hung float bowls of a centerhung Holley carb. Have performed several very expensive repairs on such desirable aircleaner bases. 

In '73, Pontiac went to one large snorkel with a plastic adapter & a "hairy" hose. Firebirds and '73-74 Ventura's received a deep drop base, the much more common A, B, and GP's received the standard 1/2" drop version. The deep drop version is the style aircleaner that would have been on a '75 T/A, have stacks of them.

With the Street Demon type carb you mentioned having had installed, the deep drop dual snorkels definitely won't fit... big time clearance issues. With just a 1/2" drop stock 4 bbl aircleaner, whether this ThermoQuad looking carb "could be made to fit" would depend on the adaptor ring that was used, and how much it moved the aircleaner up.
Theee are the issues you are going to run into. Have restored a lot of aircleaners, with the help of one older gentleman who does TIG welding for me, have even created very stock appearing deep drop T/A and Formula bases to clear center hung Holleys.


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