Dave Dudek

I saw he ran a 9.63@145 and change in his FAST 71 Hemi Cuda today. That's phenomenal, right out of the Twilight Zone!

Wait till tomorrow.....

That is phenomenal! Congrats to Dave. Long live Hemi power!

Next time one of those L88 Corvettes run, somebody needs to look in the hood scoop and see if the air cleaner is actually there. It's required by the rules.

Should still be good air tomorrow at 131.
Was around 1000 ft this afternoon when i looked, 800 this evening... will be super in the morning

From what little I saw on facebook Dave had almost 5MPH on the corvette that went 9.58. The 60ft from that corvette was amazing though.

Yep, the air filter on an L-88 ain't on top of the carb, it's in the hood. Throws a lot of people for a loop.

The Corvette that ran 9.58 isn't an L-88, but an L-68 (Tri-Power) combo.

Is that the Lo Po 400 HP 427 or the 435 HP 427?
When you look at the 3rd. gen BB Corvette wheel base and were the driver sits in relation to the rear wheel it is easier to see why they do hook up so well
Hemi E body, not so much

What throws me for a loop is when an L88 Corvette is awarded a record but yet no air cleaner was present on the carburetor or in the hood. I think the TriPower vet is a better choice for fast, simply because it has a bigger air cleaner element. Once you get the cars to this horsepower level, and you have to run through a stock appearing air cleaner, that's a big deal. Trying to make 800 horsepower through a tiny little air cleaner element is like running a marathon while breathing through a straw. Different cars have different advantages and disadvantages. That's the beauty of fast. There's no attempt by the rules makers to equalize the cars. A Corvette has some inherent advantages with weight distribution and aerodynamics, but the exhaust manifolds in the air cleaners aren't as good as a Hemi. It helps equalize things out and make them competitive without artificial interference like separating them into classes or handicaps.

Joel, I was there at Martin today and ask about the air filter.

Their response was; "L-88's didn't come with an actual filter, just a wire screen, according to the factory assembly manual,"

Since I don't have an assembly manual (not gonna buy one either), evidently I was wrong earlier. I'll have to take their word for it.

They only had the screen over the carb

Curious, had a tri carb vette, the filter was just a screen as you describe, but had an oiled foam "filter" similar to GM's HD air cleaner option. So, is the attached pic an actual L-88 air filter reproduction? It appears to be the same concept, a screen with an outer foam wrap.

All of the restored cars I can find just have the screen. Funny enough found a corvette forum where they were discussing the 15 rear wheel horsepower that screen restricts. Wonder if that foam is a modification so people can drive them around. From what I understand L88 was considered a race only engine.

I had talked to Dave about running a 1964 Aluminum Nose B Body in FAST years ago. I gave him some production number, how many car built, how many Hemi Block were cast in 1963 and 1964 and the three Hemi Head Casting numbers. FAST turned the 1964 Down because or production figures, but a Tupperware Corvette gets to compete. One reason I follow N Hemi Super Stock were you run what you own and it is a Hemi against a Hemi.

Keep running fast Dave we can all learn from your new ride, 1971 Hemi Cuda that looks better than most show cars.

John, I think you know better than to take a Chevy driving FAST racer at his word! Of course they had a foam element around that screen. It's tiny and it kills power.


https://www.ecklerscorvette.com/1967-1969-corvette-air-cleaner-foam-element-l88-25-123937-1.html

https://corvetteparts.com/item/air-cleaner-assembly-427-with-l-88-engine-option-1967-1969

The reason that all you ever see is the screen is that the air filter is mounted in an air box in the hood. When you open the hood, it lifts the air filter up off of the engine, leaving the flame arrester screen on top of the carburetor.

You guys take everything else apart on the car and re-engineer it in F.A.S.T., what is stopping you from coming up with making your own air filter that has bonkers air flow and looks stock? Pull apart your Factory air filter, throw the paper out, find the coarsest white foam you can, cut it to look like weaved paper and stuff it in there.

Rule: "3.06 The air filter housing assembly must appear correct. All qualifying and race runs must be done with the correct appearing air filter housing and an air filter in place. Correctly sized aftermarket air filters are OK." "Correct Appearing. Everything not specified otherwise must be correct appearing. “Correct appearing” and “appearing correct” means: upon a cursory visual inspection by someone reasonably familiar with the year, make and model claimed, it looks like a correct* part." "Correct* parts. These parts are the same as Correct* OEM parts, except they do not need to be OEM manufactured. Reproduction parts, that duplicate the Correct* Original parts in appearance, form, function and material and are primarily designed as “restoration” parts are allowed, as long as they comply with all other applicable rules."



Considering this, there is only so much you can do with the air filter and housing. And the Corvette is running illegal if the element is not in place.

Okay, if that won't work then melt an inconspicuous blob of material with a TIG welder on the air breather hold-down screws to keep the lid a half inch above the air filter to let more air in. The breather lid will ride slightly above the air filter and the wing nuts will tighten as normal.

You can just lift the lid to the point where it still appears to be covering the element, mark the position, and set your weld. A second nut on the bottom of the breather will keep the bottom section still.

I can remember the trick of the day that the Chevy street racers use to use on the streets in SO CA, they would turn the lid over so it let more air into the air cleaner body instead of having to suck all the air through the inlet tube
And Chevy engineers in 1966 use a open element with no air cleaner body around it on the 375 HP SS 396 Chevelle, not the 360 or 325 HP 396

Spray the air filter with nitromethane before a run , now it’s a power adder , lmao

Do you have a picture of how the filter is mounted inside the hood? I can't find one

I found this pic online

Thank you!
Wonder why they are being allowed to run without? Would have to make a huge difference

I talked to Donny, a FAST director on the phone today. He said the air filter was there during eliminations. I wasn't there, so I'll take him at his word.

I remember back in the day beating the Corvette,s with this 63 car because they were alway,s hooking up but they also broke the independent rear suspension and then one day NHRA decided they could run a straight axle [ imagine that] and so they put dana,s in and no more breakage !!! Then they went fast and won alot!!!

No straight axles there, I have seen the carnage.

I've never understood the allure of independent rear suspension. Unless driving off road I can't see the advantage

I believe it is better at most everything with the exception of Drag Racing.

Last year I drove 736 cars and trucks. From the drivers seat I'd be hard pressed to tell you if they were or were not independent rear suspension. What I can tell you is that independent rear suspension generates higher invoice totals

Joel, thanks. I enjoyed chatting with you.

Bring your Hemi car out and I will get you a 1 race exemption from the air filter rule

Donny