The Best Air Filters for 1963 - 1967 C2 Corvettes
These are the top cold-air intakes for 1963-1967 Corvettes. As the air for the C2 generation comes through a downdraft carburetor, the extra air that makes it to the intake manifold can mean unlocking an additional 5-20 horsepower, depending on which V8 you have.
About Our Air Filter Recommendations
Founded in 2014, the CorvSport team has been 'Vette obsessed for as long as we can remember. While we've spent nearly a decade writing about all things Corvette, we've been driving them for much longer than that!
When creating our Corvette mod lists, we focused on three areas:
Performance: Any air filter that gets our stamp of approval needs to add power/torque while maintaining factory-like reliability.
Build quality: A good air filter or cleaner for your C2 Corvette will allow for the most air to travel through them without also allowing particulate matter and other things through.
Value for money: High performance air filters that give a lot without costing a lot are the type we love to recommend!
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Best Entry-Level C2 High Performance Air Filters
Priced under $75.
Green Filter Holley 1x4 Filter
Price: $60
Where to Buy: Zip Corvette
Why?
Green Filter is a company that has been making high-performance and race-grade air filters for over two decades. A prime example of this is the Holley 1x4 filter, designed specifically to fit and work with the 350 V8 with the high-performance Holley carb that was introduced in the last two years of the C2 Corvette.
As with all Green Filter products, this filter is hand-assembled. It has a steel mesh screen to prevent debris from damaging the cotton filter pleats and flows anywhere from 20% to 25% more air than the standard paper filter does in the 350’s air cleaner.
Key Specs & Features
Allows for up to 25% more airflow through to the carburetor, with an average of 20%
Drop-in replacement that fits the stock air cleaner housing for the 350 V8 Holley 1x4
Expected gains are between 5 to 10 HP, depending on air cleaner housing having one or two snorkels
Fitment
1966-1967 C2 Corvette 350 V8 w/ Holley 1x4 Carburetor
K&N High-Performance E1515 Air Filter
Price: $75
Where to Buy: Wild Vettes
Why?
K&N is known as one of the premiere makers of high-performance, street-application filters. The E1515 air filter is a shining example of that, as a dry, washable filter that uses two layers of cotton gauze to remove as many particulates from incoming air as possible.
Whether the air cleaner is in a single or dual snorkel housing or is open to the engine bay, K&N has made sure that the filter will work in all three uses without compromise. They have so much faith in this filter that they have their 10 year/million mile warranty on it and have given it a 50,000 mile cleaning schedule.
Key Specs & Features
Power gains of at least 3-5 HP are expected, if not more
High-flow filtration with excellent particulate capture in multi-layer cotton gauze
A direct drop-in replacement for the standard filter
K&N 10 year/million mile limited warranty
Fitment
1963-1965 C2 Corvette w/ 327 V8
Best Mid-Range C2 High Performance Air Filters
Priced $75-$125
K&N High-Performance E1650 396 V8 Air Filter
Price: $90
Where to Buy: K&N Filters
Why?
In 1965, the C2 Corvette had the 396 big block V8 as an option for that year only. With a stock 425 HP, it was the most powerful engine for that year—and as we all know, sometimes it’s hard to find filters for rare engines.
K&N Filters, however, has not forgotten about the 396 V8—and has specifically made the E1650 filter to fit in either a closed-style, dual-snorkel air cleaner, or an open-style air cleaner. No matter the application, it uses the same multi-layer cotton gauze filtration technology to make sure the air going through the downdraft carburetor is cool, clean, and plentiful!
Key Specs & Features
Power gains of at least 5 HP are expected, if not more (up to 15 if used with an open style cleaner with hood ram-air intake)
High-flow filtration with excellent particulate capture in multi-layer cotton gauze
Will fit either closed or open style air cleaners
K&N 10 year/million mile limited warranty
Fitment
1965 C2 Corvette w/ 396 carbureted big block V8
K&N High-Performance 327 Fuelie V8 Air Filter
Price: $142
Where to Buy: Corvette Central
Why?
Between 1963 and 1965, the C2 Corvette was available with 327 Fuel Injected (“Fuelie”) V8, producing either 360 or 375 HP. They are very rare to find, and being rare, not many companies make air filters for them. K&N Filters, however, appreciates the classics as much as anyone, and has a specially made, conical filter that is a direct-placement filter for the side of the Rochester fuel injection airbox.
It can be left open to the engine bay or have an intake plenum fitted over it, but no matter how you go about it, this is one of K&N’s highest performance filters. It moves an amazing 50% more CFM of air over stock filters.
Key Specs & Features
Power gains of at least 10-20 HP are expected
High-flow filtration with excellent particulate capture in multi-layer cotton gauze
Can be fitted under an air intake plenum or left open to the engine bay in the case the plenum is removed during modifications/restoration
K&N 10 year/million mile limited warranty
Fitment
1963-1965 C2 Corvette w/ 327 Fuel Injected V8
Best High-End C2 High Performance Air Filters
Priced $125+
Paragon Corvette 1965 396 Open-Style Air Cleaner Assembly
Price: $170
Where to Buy: Zip-Corvette.com
Why?
While this list is about the air filters themselves, the 1965 C2 Corvette came with two types of air cleaner assemblies for the 396 V8. One was a closed-style with intake snorkels, and the other was an open-style cleaner assembly. As you modify your C2, one of those parts might be a replacement hood with a functional ram-air scoop, and when you have that, you definitely want an open style cleaner to capture as much cold air as possible.
The Paragon Corvette 1965 open-style assembly was made to be a direct bolt-on replacement for the closed style air cleaner, making sure that you gain all the advantages of having cold air forced through the hood scoop and into your engine.
Key Specs & Features
Bolt on replacement for closed-style air cleaner with snorkels to take advantage of vented or ram-scoop hoods
Uses the wing nut and stud from the old air cleaner
Comes with a paper filter, but any of the high performance air filters recommended in this list with 396 V8 fitment will work
Fitment
1965 C2 Corvette w/ 396 V8 that has a closed-style air cleaner
More C2 Corvette In-Depth Research
We go deep into C2 Corvette data. Dive into our research center to find anything you could ever want on any year.
