That is the air filter setup that most 268XP's and 272XP's were equipped with. It uses the same filter elements as the low top 394XP (so it oughta flow enough air for 68-72cc). Both my 268XP and 272XP came to me with that filter setup. It's in all the 268XP and 272 IPL's. It is the original OEM air filter used on the high top 268XP (and 272XP). The 'open element' filter was mostly used on the 'W' (Western) full-wrap versions, although it was available separately from dealers.
All 268's (both the original 268XP, and the later non-XP 268) had the one piece ignition. 1/2 piece is not a 'tell tale' between the XP and non-XP 268's. It is however a tell tale between the 266SE/SG/XP/XPG and the 268XP that immediately followed them. AFAIK, the 268XP was the first saw in this series to use the revised crankcase set with the one piece ignition setup, the placement of the idle speed screw on the carb body (instead of in the FW side case half as seen on the original style cases), and the omission of the removable FW side crank seal carrier.
What makes a 268XP an XP (instead of the later production non-XP 268) is the Mahle closed port cylinder. The 268XP replaced the 266XP as the 'top dog' in this series. It introduced the revised cases, the one piece ignition, the larger intake block and carb, the larger intake passage in the cylinder, and the larger transfer ports. It also introduced the high top cover and that black plastic 'box' air filter setup (AND the 'West Coast' filter option). The 272XP is basically a 268XP with a 2mm larger bore (52mm vs 50mm). Basically everything else is the same (with the addition of the comp release on the 1997 and later 272XP).
Once the 272XP replaced the 268XP as the 'top dog' in this series, Husky produced a non-XP 268 as a lower priced 50mm bore farm/ranch/etc saw on the revised crankcases. It used the open port Gilardoni 50mm top end also used on the 268K demo saw. That saw also has the 'black box' air filter setup and high top cover normally associated with the 268/272XP.
