[Ron Landis]

What would a nice, complete and original '67 Firebird Ram Air set-up be worth? Story goes a company official at the Lordstown, Ohio plant was given a RA car to drive for a year and before he turned it in, he swapped the RA pieces for a stock air cleaner. This one has the wire mesh screen and all. Had it media blasted and it has absolutely NO rust issues. I was told that it is a one year only deal, as the '68 unit did not have the provision for the California emission tube in the base. This one does and still has the factory plug in it. Just curious, as so few cars were made. I believe the repops are modeled after the '68 units with no hole. Any info appreciated. Ron

[The Boss]

Lots if you have a car that needs it.

What do you mean when you say wire mesh screen and all?

Got a picture?

[Ron Landis]

there is a wire mesh "cage" that actually apears to have surrounded the paper element air filter much like the ones seen on Tri-Power units. Probably so a foam pre-wrap could be used. I'll post some pix shortly. You mean you don't have a couple of these lying around?

[The Boss]

Like this? Just one.

[brians]

Ron:
A clean bottom 67 pan is probably not worth much more then a comparable original 68 pan.
I have one 67 bottom pan and that is about what I paid for it. Only bought it to get the exact hole dimensions. (I’ve had maybe 2 requests total for a true 67 bottom pan over the years, so I was thinking of creating the 67 hole on maybe a dozen on the next run)

The problem with the true 67 bottom pan is that they are only worth a bunch to one of the 65 original cars and I would think less then 10 still exist or someone that really wants a fully correct clone. The 68 guys don’t want them as the tube won’t work and the 67 guys that are just adding RA won’t pay much more for it as they just plug the whole anyway.

As far as the screen, I’d like to see a picture also. Are you talking about the hard screen and foam like the Tri-Powers and the Louvered Air Cleaner used. I’ve never seen that used on a RA set-up.


(Jim M. probably knows were all of the originals are so he may be worth contacting)

[Ron Landis]

here are some pix. Similar to the Tri-Power screens that use the foam pre-wrap. Are these referred to as "flame arrestors" or what? I believe this is @ 14" diameter. Fits the R/A lid anyway. We also now have a "correct" XN" coded block and may possibly be forced to sell off this project, but I will post it here first if/when that decision is made. Thanks for any help, Brian. It intrigues me that you have never seen one of these screens. As I said...It's from factory official's car at the Lordstown plant so I'm relatively certain that it all goes together. Let me know if any of you could lend some insight. This F-body stuff is all new to me. Thanks again. Ron BTW...talked to JM but mostly about the block. Didn't discuss configuration of the R/A set-up, although I probably chould have asked.

[The Boss]

Ron, I've never seen one of those either - for that matter the one NOS in-the-box setup I saw years ago didn't have one.

Very cool - might be a part from engineering.


(Saw your old Red/Red 69 cruising through town here the other day - looked sweet!)

[Ducks Goat]

On page 341 of the GTO Restoration Guide there is a pic of the foam heavy duty air filter that this screen was used in for support.

[brians]

Ron:
When it comes to the 67 RA FBs, I have more questions then I have answers. There is not much info out there on them.

As in the case of the system, the 68 GTO/FB systems were prepped and hood cut by the dealer – the std. air cleaner was on the car when it arrived at the dealer. If the person you know had a 67 RA directly from the factory – who prepped the hood?

As far as the screen, the 67 GTO and FB 400 had the HD air cleaner available. They both used the same screen and polyurethane element. I have just never heard or seen evidence that the 67 RA cars came with anything but a paper element.

Do you know the person who had the 67 FB? Is it possible the car had the HD air cleaner on it when the RA system was installed and the screen was left from that? Does it look used? If you do know him - does he have any pictures or documentation that he would share? (I would even be interested in just stories!)

Brian

[Ron Landis]

Originally Posted by brians

Ron:
When it comes to the 67 RA FBs, I have more questions then I have answers. There is not much info out there on them.

As in the case of the system, the 68 GTO/FB systems were prepped and hood cut by the dealer – the std. air cleaner was on the car when it arrived at the dealer. If the person you know had a 67 RA directly from the factory – who prepped the hood?

As far as the screen, the 67 GTO and FB 400 had the HD air cleaner available. They both used the same screen and polyurethane element. I have just never heard or seen evidence that the 67 RA cars came with anything but a paper element.

Do you know the person who had the 67 FB? Is it possible the car had the HD air cleaner on it when the RA system was installed and the screen was left from that? Does it look used? If you do know him - does he have any pictures or documentation that he would share? (I would even be interested in just stories!)

Brian

I was TOLD that this particular car was given to a management official at the Lordstown, Ohio plant to drive for a year. One of the perks, I guess. Unfortunately, I do not have the PHS or any other info concerning the car other than what I was told...that when time came to return the car, he removed the R/A components and replaced them with a stock unit. I'll certainly try to dig up more facts, but that this survived at all is quite surprising to me, as it was actually on a '65 GTO for awhile! I figured the HD air cleaner option was the difference. Not sure where the cars for the Lordstown plant were prepped. Any insight...anyone? Were all 65 cars "dealer prepped"? Like I said...I'm certain this all goes together and it is in remarkable condition for its age. My son did have it media blasted and repainted, but it had already been spray-bombed a time or two. Thanks for all your input. We seem to have acquired one of the original 22 XN coded blocks for the automatic. Still need more info on the "97" heads...but that is another topic altogether! Thanks again. Ron

[Cammer-6]

You may be onto something with that screen and the 65 GTO.
Ive got one thats part of the 66 Sprint louvered air cleaner.
Never seen one on a Bird or GTO RA setup

[muscle_collector]

Originally Posted by brians

Ron:
When it comes to the 67 RA FBs, I have more questions then I have answers. There is not much info out there on them.

As in the case of the system, the 68 GTO/FB systems were prepped and hood cut by the dealer – the std. air cleaner was on the car when it arrived at the dealer. If the person you know had a 67 RA directly from the factory – who prepped the hood?

As far as the screen, the 67 GTO and FB 400 had the HD air cleaner available. They both used the same screen and polyurethane element. I have just never heard or seen evidence that the 67 RA cars came with anything but a paper element.

Do you know the person who had the 67 FB? Is it possible the car had the HD air cleaner on it when the RA system was installed and the screen was left from that? Does it look used? If you do know him - does he have any pictures or documentation that he would share? (I would even be interested in just stories!)

Brian

brian, according to the original owner of one of the ra2 gto's, he told me that when he got the car, the ra air cleaner was on the engine. it had the regular closed up hood scoops installed in the hood. the open scoops were in black primer and were in the trunk with the upper pan. (and i assume the upper pan foam, but dont remember him particularly mentioning the foam itself.)

[Ron Landis]

answer to my initial inquiry would be; "Who knows!"? lol This IS interesting...don't get me wrong!

[muscle_collector]

i agree you never know. i assume dealers would have installed it if it were not a special order car. who knows. all i can go on is the account of this guy who was very very knowledgable in the car and when i bought it, it really wasnt all that old. this guy also never painted the open scoops. he said he installed them black and that is the way they are today.

[Cammer-6]

And the story is still going around of the removal of the RA components
that were in the trunk,by well meaning security guards, thinking they were items being smuggled out.
Getting back to the screen... if you had the HD foam filter you had a screen to hold the foam in place.
Paper filters didnt need a screen.

[Ron Landis]

Originally Posted by Cammer-6

And the story is still going around of the removal of the RA components
that were in the trunk,by well meaning security guards, thinking they were items being smuggled out.
Getting back to the screen... if you had the HD foam filter you had a screen to hold the foam in place.
Paper filters didnt need a screen.

although I initially mentioned the paper element...there never was one with this particular system. I tend to believe it was just like the Tri-Power HD set-ups...screen and foam. Anyway...thanks to all that contributed. The saga continues!!!

[brians]

Ron:
Was doing a little digging on this and everything I can come up with points to that screen was not part of the RA system in 67.

The 68 parts book shows all the screen and foam numbers for 67, however only the paper element is listed for the 67 FB with RA.

The 67 FB supplement service manual states that the heavy duty Polyurethane filter is available on all engines except Ram Air.

I looked at copies of a 67 RA FB and RA GTO road tests. The engine pictures are B&W and grainy, but the air cleaner element looks very light. The foam element should appear dark.


If you get a chance, would you post a picture of the bottom of the bottom pan?

Brian

[Ron Landis]

as soon as I get over to the shop I'll snap a few pix. Just odd how this thing fits perfectly! Also that it is so similar in configuration to the Tri-Power style set-up it replaced. I would have guessed more likely to be screen/foam in '67 and maybe paper in '68 or later. Nobody said it had to make sense, though...right?

[RAM AIR V]

none of the ram air components were installed on the 1968 gto from the factory. i was at the dealer when my 1968 ra1 arrived. everything was in the trunk. a regular air cleaner was on the car. muscle car if your friend said his car had the base pan on the car the dealer put it on. at the time i worked at the dealer and i do still have the car. we sold 2 other 68 gto ra cars that i remember. i don't remember selling any ra firebirds....jerry

[muscle_collector]

Originally Posted by RAM AIR V

none of the ram air components were installed on the 1968 gto from the factory. i was at the dealer when my 1968 ra1 arrived. everything was in the trunk. a regular air cleaner was on the car. muscle car if your friend said his car had the base pan on the car the dealer put it on. at the time i worked at the dealer and i do still have the car. we sold 2 other 68 gto ra cars that i remember. i don't remember selling any ra firebirds....jerry

i certainly didnt see any of them delivered so i cant say for sure. i am only going on what the original owner said. it does seem a little bit odd that they would supply two different air cleaners however. and if they did, you would think that it would have at least had the ho air cleaner instead of the base type. but on such a limited amount of those cars built, who knows what they did escpecially from plant to plant.