Air filter adapter for '73 1.7, Makes new filters work Options

[BillC]

I have a '73 1.7 liter 914 that has been running a stock air filter element for far longer than I've owned the car. I've been looking for a while to find a replacement air filter that would just drop in, but nobody seems to make them any more (I've searched on this board, and the questions go back a looong time).

However, it turns out that a NAPA Gold 2011 will work, if you make an adapter. Since I finally had a little spare time this weekend, it was time to make one. It's fairly simple: A piece of 16ga aluminum, with an inner hole to match the stock filter and an outer diameter to match the new filter. Around the outside perimeter, I added 4 small tabs, bent up to keep the new filter in place. I also put a ring of 1/16" thick weather stripping around the underside of inside perimeter, to seal the adapter against the bottom of the air filter housing. Here are a few pics:

Here are the air filters, new on the left and original on the right.


Here's the adapter next to new filter.


Here's the new filter and adapter installed in the air filter housing.


With the adapter, the new filter fits in very nicely into the air filter housing. Now I'll be able to keep my car in clean, new air filters for a long time.