Well now I know that that thing is a flame arrestor!! But flame from what - carb to valve cover? I'm not sure I get the point of it. I understand something being there to help not suck up oil but flames?
And dang, $40 shipped for the thing!!! At least you have it and are done, but I might go sell mine now, lol.
If anyone is interested, I bought the open cleaner setup that was used on the muscle cars back then along with the cross flag 396 and turbo jet decals.
http://www.classicindustries.com/pro...s/6423907.html
It is also designed to plumb into the same flame arrestor thing, but since it is a drop base I also ordered a plastic air cleaner spacer that was the same height. Just had to trim it a touch to get it to fit to the GM lid circle. The port moves from teh factory spacer to the lid itself on these. The rubber hose is different hose, modified my stock one to fit.
I can snap a pic if anyone cares to see how it looks in a pretty stock truck. More "performance" looking while being period correct. I just though that the nozzle is sooo small on our factory air cleaners. Necks down to like 1.5 inches.