Any air filter housing gurus out there?

[npvpositive]

Of course there are!! Here's my question: should the air filter housing on my 1971 2.2S be plastic or metal? The car is number 0029, so one of the earlier 71S cars. Was delivered in Australia in Feb 1971 so probably built just after the German Summer holidays in Sept 1970.

I think I once read somewhere that the factory switched from metal to plastic in 1971, but have not been able to track down anything more definitive.

Thanks!

[BOYER73S]

99.999% sure metal Nick but I am sure if I am .001% wrong I will be shot down pretty quickly

Think it was August/Sep 71 hence 1972 model where the change happened.

[Chuck Miller]

This from #0168, Sept. '70 build, US imported, original '71E ......... plastic

[Longballa]

I have known the 71S ones to be metal. 72 73S are plastic as are the stacks.

[Alan.uk]

Hi, the change was mid 71 production year, so yes 2.2 cars did also (not exclusively) have plastic top housings the bottom section were metal until 72 when the entire stack on MFI cars went plastic.

HTH

Alan

[npvpositive]

Thanks gents, much appreciated. I will refurb the metal one that came with the car-- it might just be original.

[raspy2point2]

Also metal housings have less of a fire danger because of the primer hoses for the gas are metal and less likely to break. I have seen a 71S fire damaged from this flaw. this happens by unaware techs jamb the housing on the engine without being careful and break the lines that are fragile. Go to start the car with a hot engine and boom you have a fire! Chris

[M_deJong]

You might find a date stamp on the snorkel cover near the VP symbol.

[npvpositive]

Resurrecting this thread from seven (!) years ago. The consensus then seemed to be that Porsche used the metal air box and snorkel at the factory until mid-1971 production (say, Feb/Mar 1971) and then swapped to plastic.

But I'm not convinced that this can be correct. For example, the famous 1970 "700 mile S" unquestionably has a plastic box. How could this be possible? It was sold by Vasak Polak in July 1970 so presumably left the factory in April/May 1970. Likewise, Chuck Miller posted a photo above of a very early 71E manufactured in Sept 1970 with a plastic box and snorkel.

Here's the 700 mile S: plastic!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/807244...7630169538658/

I wonder if in reality the metal box was no longer being installed by the factory in MFI cars by around April 1970 . . . ie, the later 1970 cars and all the 1971 cars had plastic boxes. We know that some owners had problems with melting plastic boxes and so swapped them out to metal which may lead some 1971 owners to believe their car should have a metal box.

[mfitton]

^^^^^^ I agree with Nick, my '71 911T Targa mfg. date 11/70 came with a plastic airbox also all the 914-6 ('70-'71)with the T engines had plastic air boxes.