The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 1949 fuel filter

I've got a 49 3100 that I want to keep stock looking. The fuel filter currently on it is an inline one running underneath and along the frame rail. It still has the 216 c.i. I'm going to guess that the original was the glass bowl type. If it was, where was it located? Does it go down by the fuel pump? Thanks

It would be a have a glass bowl and it would thread directly into the carburetor input.

These instructions and illustration are for 1951 and it shows a Rochester carburetor, not a Carter carburetor.

However, the orientation of the filter would be the same - it has to be routed such that it does not conflict with the standard horn that was mounted on the intake manifold.

Chevs of the 40s has AC and non-AC glass bowl gas/fuel filters. They also sell a gasket. filter element, and the installation sheet.

A variety of styles of glass bowl filters were available. If you buy a used one, be sure to determine if replacement filter elements and gaskets are available.

If you can find a 1949 Accessory Installation Manual (very reasonable from most vendors) it will tell you precisely right down to the fittings what you need. As an aside the factory NOS filters were used on a number of GM cars and come up on eBay every day.

o2bnkc -

I don't know why, but these old fuel filters fascinate me, so I'm probably gonna put you to sleep with this long post. This is what I believe to be true based on my research:

GM offered a Durex Moraine #986128 gasoline filter as an accessory installed by the dealer 1947-1949. The filter had a glass bowl with a winged thumb screw through the bottom of the bowl. The filter element was porous metal. It's pretty cool looking.
> Durex 986128 gasoline filter - April 1949 Motor Age ad

Although this photo is in the 1951 Accessories Installation Manual, GM did not produce the filter in the pic after 1949. Durex Morane #986128
> Pre-50 filter in '51 Manual

> Chevrolet Accessories for 1948 "Filter Unit - Gasoline" #986128 (price for 12 filter units)
> 1948 Chevrolet Accessories Brochure "Gasoline Filter Unit"

> 986128 top view
> 986128 side view
> 986128 bottom edge
> 986128 parts (missing gasket between bottom of bowl and thumb screw)

> Durex 986128 on Curt Warren's 1948 1.5-ton Loadmaster

In 1950 GM changed the design to a glass bowl with a bale and thumb screw. Durex #986399. A special 60-deg fitting was included with the filter in 1952 to allow it to clear the automatic choke on a PowerGlide passenger car and the number was changed to 986640. I don't know of any modern supplier that sells the 60-deg fitting.

So either of the filters would be appropriate for your 1949 truck, although #986128 would be a little more correct . Brad is correct - these filters are on ebay pretty often. Durex #986128 is less often.

> Durex #986640 in 1953 ad
> Durex #986640 on my '54

GM did not offer an accessory gasoline filter in 1955. A GM AC #987500 filter was offered in 1956. In 1957 the filter was changed to accy number 987629 (with fittings) or 854345 - bare filter only. I'm not sure which of the filters was the glass bowl filter with a flat metal top, or which was the glass bowl filter with a dome metal top.

A number of other manufacturers made glass bowl fuel filters during the period. Carter filters were popular. The Carter filter in this pic is one version of the many that Carter made. Later ones were painted red.
> Carter "Red Top" with ceramic filter element for Mark Hatfield's 1949 Canadian Built Chevy 1434 (3804 US equivalent)

Since fuel filters were dealer installed, other types would have also been used.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Carter, AC repro, Durex 986640, Durex 986128
> Glass bowl filters (spring is incorrectly upside down in the Durex 986640)
> Same filters open

Most suppliers have reproduction glass bowl filters, but why buy a repro when original ones are still available?

Info in some old posts on Stovebolt -
> Old post 1/1/13
> Old Post 1/11/12
> Old Post 12/5/11

Nice stuff Lonnie that one is a keeper, thanks!

Lonnie,
Didn't bore me at all...thanks for all the history

Wow! That was great. Thanks everybody. Some very insightful info!

Gotta update my gasoline filter info ...

I said that a filter was not available in 1955 and that the badging on the filter changed to AC in 1956.

REVISION:

1955 1st Series Trucks Accessories
"Filter, Gasoline" 3100, 3600, 3800, 4000, 6000
No part number or price
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyresto/55169.htm

1956 Passenger Car Accessories:
Filter Unit - Gasoline All Exc 3400, 3500, 3700
#987500
$2.35 each Suggested List, $1.41 Dealer net
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/accessories/1956/56accdp1.htm

1956 Truck Accessories:
Filter - Gasoline (Use with 8,000, 9,000, 10,000
#987500
$2.35 each Suggested List, $1.41 Dealer net
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/accessories/1956/56accdp3.htm

#987500 diagram in the instructions looks like a dome-top AC filter. The photos are a Durex Filter. The filter may have been in the wrong box(??) Not my photos.
http://i721.photobucket.com/albums/ww213/eskimoe1/IMG_6809.jpg
http://i721.photobucket.com/albums/ww213/eskimoe1/IMG_6802.jpg
http://i721.photobucket.com/albums/ww213/eskimoe1/IMG_6808.jpg
http://i721.photobucket.com/albums/ww213/eskimoe1/IMG_6807.jpg

- Lonnie