I think I remember reading on how to clean the air filter on the pre 65 cars in my 1948 - 1967 Gregory's service manual book !
You know its one of those things made of flat pieces of paper with printed writing on it !
The filter was a oil bath affair which was an element sitting in a can soaked in oil and air passed across and through it catching the dust and grit in the oil.
I think you took out the element ( which was made of a fibrous material ) out of its housing washed it in kerosene,
dried it out and then wet it down with new engine oil and put it back in.
Then you clubbed the Tyrannosaurus Rex, that was trying to eat you, several times in the head to scare it off, continued to try and invent the wheel, fired up your car and off you went !
How's that sound ?