Ace-Garageguy or early Ford enthusiast:

[R. Thorne]

It is located on the passenger side on the lower firewall area on this A/SR replica I am building.  It looks like an upside down army canteen.  I think it may be a remote canister style oil filter similar to one I saw on eBay that were original on early Fords.  Also, could this be something similar on this newer beehive style on a newer street rod.  Due to the location, I have ruled out radiator overflow and fuel cool can.  Of course, the normal oil filter location is on the driver’s side front, but this could be a left over part from a previous engine swap.

[Mark]

The one on the roadster looks like a repurposed canteen, my guess would be some sort of expansion tank.  Whatever the radiator is, it doesn't look like much for that Cammer, not that too much is needed when the car might run for a couple of minutes at a time, at most.

I can't see rerouting a remote oil filter all the way back there, and on the opposite side to boot.  They'd put the remote as close to the original location as possible to make the connecting high pressure lines as short and direct as possible.

Fuel cool can would be out too, that task could be accomplished between rounds by draping an iced towel or two over the front-mounted fuel tank.

[Ace-Garageguy]

To answer your original question, I really don't know what the can on the A/SR cammer-powered car is. The photo is kinda blurry, and the plumbing can't be seen. But I'd guess it's either an oil mist/vapor catch can, or a coolant burp can. Being a leftover from a previous engine installation is extremely unlikely on any kind of competently prepared competition car. IF it's an oil mist/vapor catch can, it would most likely be plumbed to a location on the engine similar to the old "road draft tube". It's also possibly an oil mist catch can for a manual gearbox vent.

It wouldn't be an oil filter, as the old Ford style is not a full-flow type and would be completely inadequate for a cammer engine. And as you and Mark point out, the Ford FE block the cammer is based on positions the full-flow filter at the lower LH forward corner of the block. Any auxiliary filters (or relocated for possible frame clearance issues), or coolers, would most likely be plumbed into that location, using lines with a minimum of 5/8" OD.       

 FYI:  https://www.diyford.com/ford-fe-engine-oiling-system-complete-guide/

It's also unlikely to be a cool-can, mounted so far aft, far away from the Moon tank, and close to an under-header heat source.

And of course the "beehive" unit is definitely a housing for the old-style bypass (non-full-flow) oil filter used on flatheads, but the type is always positioned high enough to encourage gravity return of filtered oil to the engine.

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy

[Jon Haigwood]

This may help https://autorestorer.com/articles/a_brief_history_of_oil_filters-1426

[R. Thorne]

Much appreciated, gentlemen.  Believe it or not, I was leaning towards the road draft canister as Ace suggested.  I have not seen any other drag cars built in the 50’s or 60’s with one, however.  Road draft tubes were usually quite large in diameter (1 inch or larger) like the one on my 55 Pontiac many years ago.  The radiator does not appear to have any connections for this, also.  Again, thanks for responding.

[Oldriginal86]

Looks like the oil filter on my flathead jeep engine.