I have a Mercury Oil bath air cleaner that I think came off a 56 Mercury that looks just like the Ford 4 barrel version. I believe this one was mated to a Carter carb originally because the hole in it does not fit a teapot carb. I want to strip it and put the original blue back on it. It has original blue on it but seems a little darker than Ford blue. Does anyone know which rattle can color will match the original Mercury color. I have searched the internet and found old ford blue. This air cleaner appears to be a darker shade of blue than I remember on 302's and 351's. By the way, I have modified this oil bath to use a paper element and did some creative cutting and welding to get it to fit on a later model Holley 4 barrel. Used a Mr. Gasket air cleaner for a donor.

IIRC the old Ford blue is a little darker than the blue used later, probably on some of the early FE's. Someone explained that to me once, but I don't recall all the details. Hopefully some who does will chime in.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

May I ask why you converted it to a paper element?

I converted one on another victoria and was pleased with the ease of maintainance. I also had some rust issues and the mesh filter in the oil bath was wanting to shed some fibers after setting for decades.

I did more research and found that you could tell the horsepower rating of a 56 Mercury by the color of its air cleaner and valve covers. My blue shade is almost a turquoise/dark blue. Still cant find a code.

I pulled up some pictures from Hemmings adds. Some a/c blue, and some cream. Seemed the valve covers matched. The blue looked a lot lighter than the old Ford blue, or the later blue that I'm used to.

Might try over at the Ford Barn, there's several guys over there who have a ton of info on the Merc's. US, Canadian, and AZ.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

This thread may also help - https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1787936#post1787936

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Thanks KULTULZ. You got me headed in the right direction. Looks like my breather is from a 225 horse 312 with Carter carb. I had trouble viewing the pictures though and was afraid to allow any changes to my computer. I might try to take a picture tomorrow and post it on this sight. Like I said, it looks like a dark turquoise. I hope to run this 56 Victoria old school mid 60's style with primer in spots over the peacock blue and white, 1 inch whitewalls with gloss black rims and dual glass packs. Back then guys would flip the rear shackles to raise the rear and install chrome exhaust extensions that had flared ends that looked like trumpets. I think they were called scavenger pipes. I think it would also be cool to leave the Mercury 312 blue with the Mercury valve covers and blue breather. And yes, it had the aspirin sized dot in the rectangle on the rear flange on the crank.

You wanna see MERCURY pretty -




A member at the THE OTHER FORUM trimmed one out as above. Cast alum covers (the above in MERCURY SCRIPT) (although they did offer MERC BLOCK LETTERS) (vendor in AU) and the M260 intake kit. I personally think the factory released air cleaners looked better but it is his engine.

Reversing the rear shackles puts a lot of stress on the leaf spring but I understand where you are going.

We need a photo(s) of your finished ride when all together.

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With all the so called 312's around, seeing the original Mercury dress makes one think,"It probably is a 312."