Filter for an original Beehive oil filter

Robert Dip

Senior Member
Probably discussed before, but need to know either from past discussions or how can you help me at this time. Appreciated. I have an original beehive filter and need to hook it up to a 59AB. I believe new repops are different. What parts are needed to make this work.
 
Mine has a bronze filter that gets washed and reused.

Others I have seen a filter that looks like a roll of toilet paper.

I tried a stock flathead element once and it was too big.

Fittings, mine used the same as the stock filter.
 
Product Details

Product Specifications

Wix Number: 51006 UPC Number: 765809510067 Style: Cartridge Lube Metal Canister Filter Service: Lube Type: By-Pass Media: Enhanced Cellulose Height: 5.007 (127)* Outer Diameter: 4.094 (104)* Inside Diameter: 0.553 (14)* Nominal Micron Rating: 32
 
Ronnie, isn't that another listing for an original by-pass filter? Does the Beehive use an original Ford by-pass filter or not? I have never had a Beehive filter, but might be interested someday, so it would be nice to know what filter it uses.

Did some limited research on the HAMB, this seems to be an ongoing question!! There appears to be more than one size of what some are calling a Beehive housing. One size uses the same filter as the original Ford by-pass. From what I have read so far, this is not the early Beehive housing.
 
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Make sure the original brass restrictor fitting is screwed in to the bottom of the beehive.

The earliest photo of one these beehives was on Charles Scott's (Scotty) dry lakes roadster, in 1947. His roadster was voted best appearing roadster at one of the 1947 SCTA Meets. Somewhere, I have a 1947 or 1948 ad for a beehive filter.

If I remember correctly? This is the Filcoolator Model A-1 filter. The restrictor fitting was stamped A-1 too. I have an original paint/decal beehive on a '32 chassis out in the garage.

There are reproduction decals for sale on eBay with the cartridge number on them.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Beehive-Oi...=item3adc6428ee:g:IfEAAOSw4CFYwdhn:rk:14:pf:0

I'm still trying to research this. Here is an original photo of a Fram C-131. It seems to be an agricultural tractor oil filter according to some sites. Baldwin Filters crosses over the C-131 their P67. It looks like it might work.


Descriptions:
By-Pass Lube Element with Bail Handle

Fits:
Massey Ferguson Engines; Purolator N1600 Series Housings

Replaces:
Case 10017-2; Chrysler 557218

O.D.:
3 23/32 (94.5)

I.D.:
21/32 (16.7)

Length:
5 1/4 (133.4)

F. Gskt.:
[1] Included

End Seals:
[2] Attached

UPC:
791440000780
 

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Probably discussed before, but need to know either from past discussions or how can you help me at this time. Appreciated. I have an original beehive filter and need to hook it up to a 59AB. I believe new repops are different. What parts are needed to make this work.


A picture would help a bunch.
.
R
 
Question for those with Beehive knowledge, there seems to be at least three different brands and different sizes within the brands:

Filcoolator
Stilko
Hildebrand
 
I'm still trying to research this. Here is an original photo of a Fram C-131. It seems to be an agricultural tractor oil filter according to some sites. Baldwin Filters crosses over the C-131 their P67. It looks like it might work.


Descriptions:
By-Pass Lube Element with Bail Handle

Fits:
Massey Ferguson Engines; Purolator N1600 Series Housings

Replaces:
Case 10017-2; Chrysler 557218

O.D.:
3 23/32 (94.5)

I.D.:
21/32 (16.7)

Length:
5 1/4 (133.4)

F. Gskt.:
[1] Included

End Seals:
[2] Attached

UPC:
791440000780

A lot of C-131 cross-reference information here:
http://www.autopartoo.com/oem/partscrossinterchange/c131fram
 
A lot of C-131 cross-reference information here:
http://www.autopartoo.com/oem/partscrossinterchange/c131fram

What's strange is I can't cross the old Fram C-131 which I think is an obsolete number to the new Fram number. I would think Fram would be able to cross-reference their own numbers???


As far I know there are two of those Fram cartridge filters. The C3 and the C4. We use to use them at work on the forklifts. It looks like the C3 is correct for the Beehive and the C4 is the Ford cartridge filter so they "do not" use the same cartridge. I would have assumed they did. This was good, I needed to figure this out also.

This is the specs for Fram C3. They are the same as the Baldwin 67

Descriptions:
By-Pass Lube Element with Bail Handle

Fits:
Massey Ferguson Engines; Purolator N1600 Series Housings

Replaces:
Case 10017-2; Chrysler 557218

O.D.:
3 23/32 (94.5)

I.D.:
21/32 (16.7)

Length:
5 1/4 (133.4)

F. Gskt.:
[1] Included

End Seals:
[2] Attached

This is the specs for the Fram C4 which fits the '46-'48 Fords and almost everything else back then.

Height
4.875
Inside Diameter
0.531
Outside Diameter
4.203
Style
12
 
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Here are pics of my original Beehive filter unit.
 

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Appears to be just a bypass style but the flow is backwards to the old ford add on or any other standard bypass system. Normal is filter from outside and pass through media and back out from the center stand. Does look cool.


R
 
Wonder if the idee was to get the pressure away from the seal by running the filter backwards...
Otherwise i can´t see any advantage doing it this way...probably a bit less lifespan if using stacked media...or am i missing some other advantage??
 
I don't see any advantage at all none. Don't see a restrictor



R

The restrictor hole/holes are probably located in the center stand pipe.
Drilled in side of pipe like in the 8BA type.
The thing that seems unusual is that the return port is only about 1/2 way up the depth of the filter.
 
Got it from Gil Granucci a while back....same as he has on his restored Coupe. The center port dumps in the pan, so there it was/is. I am waiting for some feedback from him on this topic.
 

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I apologize for saying it was an A-1 when its an A-4. It's been 20-year-s since I looked at it thit close. I bought this one years-and-years ago at the LA Roadster Show. Even back then I paid around $200.00 for it The top is original and is light blue hammer toned paint. The decals are original. The flash on the camera washed out the blue color. Its bluer than it looks in the photo. The fins have been polished which I don't think they came that way. Because I've seen some NOS originals where the beehives were painted solid flat black. The fittings on this one are the original fittings that were there when I bought it. They were just threaded in about halfway. I had thought the fittings had a number on them but it was the housing think of. The brass fittings are made for flared tubing. The center hole is around an 1/8", maybe a little bigger. I'd need to check the hole with a number drill. Top and bottom fittings are the same. I'm not sure now if it should have a smaller restrictor hole? Maybe its the Ford filters I saw the small restrictor fitting on?? I'll check tonight. I have some of those filters out there somewhere?

This filter is on a roadster project I start on 15 or 20years ago. I got this far in 6-months and then I bought some more land to next to mine as was broke for awhile. Then I added on another 1200 sf to the garage and was broke for awhile. Then I started on a '34 pickup instead. The '32 roadster project has an original chassis, firewall, grille shell, radiator. Everything is early Ford except the most important pieces, the ones in red oxide primer.


I'm not sure if this filter was ever used? I had never had the top off. The filter is new inside. Its like the typical cartridge filter except it has a second layer of cloth over it. When you screw the top down the spring starts to make contact with the filter with about a 1 /4" left to go.
 

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