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 adAlthough 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 LoadmasterIn 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 '54GM 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 openMost 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
