[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by WorkinLonghorn

I had one once,on my '63? The advantage was that no matter how much dust you had to drive through,there was no paper element to clog up.There was an oiled mesh and then the oil bath its self, IIRC. From what I remember of a study done way back when,the oil bath was superior in all ways. Downside was that they were more expensive initially,you had to clean and re-oil the mesh,then drain and replace the oil. I guess people would rather just replace paper elements. But for dirt roads etc. I think they are the only way to go.

You're right. The oil bath is better than any paper filters in dusty conditions. You must remember that when these were put on trucks back then, they were put on there to maximize engine life. Manufacturers used to do everything in their power to make a truck last as long as possible because people couldn't afford to buy news trucks as frequently as they do today. That's why they were slower to try new things on trucks first. A prime example of that is that even though the 350 Chevy debuted in 1967, trucks didn't get them until '68. They tried them in cars for year and opted to stay with tried and true 327 until the 350 was deemed relieable enough for the truck line. They are many other things as well like disc brakes, long style water pumps, power steering, big blocks, etc. that were used in cars and took longer to find their way into trucks.