rotunda red oil filter

[gjz30075]

Hi all,   I've had this filter in my collection for some time now and wonder if it was possible that this type made it to
early Cobra or GT350 production.   The printing you see on the can is all there is.  The 'top' of the can has a
rough finish to it.  What does RLL-9 mean?

[Shane]

The red oil filter you show is a service replacement part. I will defer to others re which filter was used on the Cobra and the RLL-9 question, but the original 65 GT350 filter was painted black and featured a yellow Rotunda stamp. Images can be found by searching this site. But the red filter wasn't original to the cars. (The filter was painted blue on the engine in 66).

That said, the black and stamped filter for 65 is otherwise the same as your red filter. Some folks have taken to repainting and stamping the red service replacement filters to mimic the black assembly line version. It's not easy to do properly (ask me how I know) but excellent results are possible with the right combination of artwork, stamp material, technique, paint and obsessive determination.

FWIW, I will speculate that the rough paint on the end of your red filter is simply damage caused to the surface somewhere over the past 60 years.

Good luck.

[Dan Case]

+1 Cobra HP289 engines came with black filters.

[Bob Gaines]

The red oil filter you show is a service replacement part. I will defer to others re which filter was used on the Cobra and the RLL-9 question, but the original 65 GT350 filter was painted black and featured a yellow Rotunda stamp. Images can be found by searching this site. But the red filter wasn't original to the cars. (The filter was painted blue on the engine in 66).

That said, the black and stamped filter for 65 is otherwise the same as your red filter. Some folks have taken to repainting and stamping the red service replacement filters to mimic the black assembly line version. It's not easy to do properly (ask me how I know) but excellent results are possible with the right combination of artwork, stamp material, technique, paint and obsessive determination.

FWIW, I will speculate that the rough paint on the end of your red filter is simply damage caused to the surface somewhere over the past 60 years.

Good luck.

Some of the early 65 GT350's had the red service filters. I assume it may have something to do with changing the oil pan or  thinking that the filter needed to be replaced with the oil. Later 65 versions typically had the black assemblyline filters. 

[Shane]

Thanks for that info Bob. New info to me! Is there a rule of thumb on which 65 GT350s should/could have the red service filter?

[J_Speegle]

.......... What does RLL-9 mean?

Its the short quick number used to identify the part and the applications

It does not fit the 65 Mustang or Shelby application (See below) Friend was looked at another (ID different number) that was offered and sold on Ebay a few weeks back. Looked similar, gasket placement would have made it work but the thread style would not allow its usage do the new owner cut the can off and will use it to make something else he can use on his car

[Poor Ron]

The short number is R-1-A.
Precedes the FL-1.
Should fit many Fords.

[Special Ed]

The rough texture on top of filter was to help grip the filter with your hand when tightening or removeing from the block.

[Bob Gaines]

Thanks for that info Bob. New info to me! Is there a rule of thumb on which 65 GT350s should/could have the red service filter?

it is hard to have a rule of thumb on something like this IMO.  More like- most likely candidates to possibly get one. The earliest cars would be the most likely ones to have had the red filter added and even then I do not think it was consistent. A as needed basis I suspect. SA isn't going spend money replacing a filter unless they had to. The ones with the Philips head oil pan fasteners would be the only candidates to possible have had the red filter because those are the ones that Shelby switched out the pan. Ford used the hex head bolts in the case of the 65 oil pans they installed. Ford obviously didn't have any issues when they did the oil pan switch and retained the assemblyline filter. Given the possibility of the red filter being used within that group of 65 GT350's in good conscience I can not deduct for ether usage within that group. The rest of production and on into 66 is a different story.     

[J_Speegle]

The short number is R-1-A.
Precedes the FL-1.
Should fit many Fords.

Sorry stand corrected - had forgot and didn't crack a book to confirm plus its pretty silly to have missed this since I recently received two of them 

No perfect - forgive me