Can a tri-power air cleaner off a 59 or 60 chevy also fit a 1958 chevy with 348 that has a tri-power setup.

no doubt the later(59) tri-power air cleaner will fit the three 2 barrle carbs(as the intakes(58 and later 348 3 x 2) are identical). not sure if the 59 air cleaner will interfere with any of the engine bay items in a 58. the 58 hood should clear the aircleaner. i'd bet the 59 aircleaner is essentially identical to its 58 counterpart but not sure. my experience with 3x2 air cleaners is limited to 57 oldsmobiles with the J-2 setup, in which case the 1st design(Bat wing air cleaner similar to the 57 chevy 270 HP batwing aircleaner) will not clear the air conditioner evaporator, hence early 57 Olds J-2 equipped cars did not come from the factory with air conditioning. mike

thanks for the information. I found a picture on a tri-power air cleaner and it looks like the opening that go over on the carbs are not as deep as the one on the 58. Of course pictures can be deceiving so either i buy it and it does not work than i will just sell it. Again i appreciate your reply.

FYI the 58 air cleaner looks nothing like the 59-61
John

John: trying to educate myself. is the 58 348 3x2 aircleaner a batwing type(two oil bath resevoirs) like a 57 chevy pass car 270 HP? regards,mike

Hi Mike,

The 58-61 3x2 air cleaners take a paper element and are fairly large in diameter.

The differences are:

58 is unique for this year only.
Three carb studs poking through the sunburst designed lid.
Snorkels differ from A/C to non A/C applications. Placement and length

59-61 are identical in appearance.
One stud poking through a smooth lid (the center carb stud)
End carbs retained with wingnuts in the base only.
Snorkels located the same for both A/C and non A/C vehicles.

Lam to answer your original question - all will interchange with each other - but if "correct" is desired - then the 58 is a one year only unique assembly. I posted a photo of my Impala so you can see the 58 air cleaner assembly unique with A/C. (points to 6 o'clock)
If the 348 does not have A/C - the passenger side snorkel will point to approx 7-8 o'clock

thanks ollie. looks like most, if not all of the GM lines of 3 x2's equipped cars switched from oil bath air cleaners to paper elements sometime in mid 57 or early 58. thanks again,mike