When I purchased my car the air breather was not there. I have reviewed (some would say studied) the assembly manual many many times but cannot seem to figure out what was the correct breather for this model camaro. Some of my confusion may lie in the picture on the cover of the 67 - 69 Chevrolet by Numbers book. Can someone help me with this so I can close this chapter in my restoration quest? Thanks!

I would say that it uses the open element air cleaner. All of the Big block Camaros in 68 used the A.I.R system. None of them used the C.C.S. system, which would have required the snorkel type air cleaner.

Do we have others who can chime in.

John, I am not sure I agree that all 68 BB Camaros were A. I. R. If you look at the belt configurations in UPC 9, N40, page A10, it shows that auto with power steering and air conditioning came without A.I.R. Maybe I'm miss-interpreting or the Assembly Manual is wrong. If so, please let the discussion continue.

Not sure if this helps but the P&A 34 shows one Air Cleaner Assembly for the 68 Camaro with 396.

Group 3.402
68-69 396 W/Silencer (Chrome) P/N 6423907

The 67 and 69 Camaro 396 shows several different Air Cleaner Assemblies, but the 68 only shows one.

Ed

Stope4
This is a quote from the September-October Chevrolet Service News under section 6T-Emission Systems:

"The Air Injector Reactor System (similar to 1967 RPO K19) is used exclusively on:

Corvair (All)
Corvette (All)
Chevrolet, Chevelle, Chevy II, and Camaro with manual transmission.
RPO L34 and Camaro L35 engines.
Chevy II with L-4 engine.
Trucks with L-6 engines.
Trucks with small V8 engines and manual transmissions.
All trucks with Mark IV engines.

All other applications will use the Controlled Combustion System"

The loose "1968 Chevrolet Crankcase and Exhaust Emission Systems" pamphlet from November 1967 also has the 396-325 Camaro (manual and auto) as having A.I.R.

Do you happen to have the original emissions decal? Part # for 396-325 manual is 3927744 (code F). For the automatic it is #3927738 (code B).

Since these were early publications, I'm sure things could have changed during the model year, however, I don't recall ever seeing a big block Camaro with a snorkel type air cleaner.

John, thanks for your replies and assisstance.

First, no, I do not have the original emissions decal. My car is an 07B so it is a late 68.

Second, this is where the picture of the engine bay on the cover of the book "65-69 Chevrolet By the Numbers" by Alvin Colvin starts confusing me. The picture is of a 396/325 hp engine bay. The air breather has a snorkel. The year appears to be 68.

John, one other thing on the picture, there's no A.I.R.

It also has an incorrect antenna and no "SS" stripes either. I wouldn't go too much by a picture of a "restored" car. ANY restored car. People have made way too many mistakes over the years...

Ed

Page 41 of "The Great Camaro" has an excellent engine bay photo of a '68 L35/AC Camaro. Has AIR and an unsilenced breather with chrome lid.

As those above have indicated. The open element seems to be orig equipment.
I had my orignal (68SSRSL35-396/TH400)Lid re-chromed in the 80's and I was suprised to find that the original silk screened "AIR FILTER SERVICE INSTRUCTION" text remained intact. One question I would add is, Do the repro 'correct' lids include this feature? I find I am constantly on the look out for Lids at the swap meets and looking at the back side for clues.
Jim

O.k. I've come around to agreeing with the open element breather. Now, my next question, how do you tell the difference between an original GM and the new aftermarket reproductions?