Correct 77 air cleaner paint? Paging Mr. W72
 

Plan to strip and repaint my faded 30 yr old air cleaner assembly on 1977 Formula W72 back to stock-looking condition, GM part number is 8995543.
What is the correct factory paint type, flat black, semi-glossy or other? Any specific paint codes?
Thanks for your help!

Correct would be approx 90% gloss black. Some will say a semi gloss, but mine which is factory original is the 90% gloss. Shades of under hood black will vary in degrees of gloss for different parts. In other words, firewall, front fender wells, other underhood black parts etc., will be different.

John,

Does the aluminum preheater hose to the air cleaner have a special clamp on the exhaust manifold stove end?

Also, do you know of any reproduction assembly line valve cover decals that have the "Y6" code and the timing specs?

CanAm Man,

1. Ames Performance Engineering has that clamp on page 119 of their Firebird catalog as part #FN406T = Preheater elbow to air cleaner clamp for $1.50
Phone 800-421-2637

2. Would like to know where to find Y6 decal also? Mine fell off years ago and can't find a repro anywhere?

John W., appreciate the thumbnail pic & detailed answer on the air cleaner paint. Ames also offers the 77 decal "Keep Your GM Car All GM"

I don't know paint you should use but I can tell you what NOT to use. Eastwood Underhood Black. It's to flat for an air cleaner. Best used in firewalls. It's also to flat for the inner fenderwells on a 77.

Canamman, the preheater elbow does not have a clamp on the manifold heat shield end just on the air cleaner end. I have attached a photo of mine. The clamp is a tower type.

Kainsel, the correct "Keep yor GM car all GM" decal for your W72 400-cid engine is code RE which is usually listed for a 350 2bbl.

berrygoat, I agree, correct inner fender wells would be approx 60% gloss black.

The Y6 bar code label is my own repoduction. I have pictures of an original and in the process of tweeking the overall look. I have the correct font and number and of bars. The top bar on the Y6 label is wider while the remaining 6 bars are thinner. Timing is 18 degrees.

John,

Thank you for the info. I would be very interested in a decal if you decide to sell them.

Hey John! That T/A stands out like a sore thumb!! Man, what a beauty!!!

Since the thread was on air cleaners, may I ask if there is a picture of the correct air cleaner setup for the 1977 W72-4-speed Formula? That's about all I'm missing besides the intake.

See picture of your air cleaner near the bottom of this link:

http://www.classicresto.com/mambo/content/view/34/2/

Thanks for the great story. Is this a typical 400 air cleaner I should be looking for?

Click this link Shortcut to: http://www.teufert.net/tif/air-2.tif
to a GM warehouse parts list for air cleaners, the one you need is part #8995543 and was also cross-referenced for the F-body Pontiac 350. Since there were only approx 2500 1977 Formula W-72s produced, this may be a difficult item for you to find... anyone know how many Firebird 350s were made?

The Trans Am air cleaner has a different part number/design and I believe is incorrect for the Formula application. Also, the L78 Pontiac 400 (base engine, not W72) air cleaners used on the Grand Prix & Catalina had different part numbers, and probably would not be correct either.

-- Mr. W72, can you please confirm this info for greyno3.

Bump for Mr. W72 reply to last post

Thanks for the info. I would like to know why so many part numbers.