# 1969 Ram Air Hood Pan Install ?



## plastic61 (Feb 26, 2010)

I purchased a "repop" Ram Air set up for my 69'. The enclosed paperwork indicated that some metal needs to be removed from the hood braces. A photo was included, showing the area where the metal was cut out, but no measurements were listed. Can anyone supply me with them ? Thanks....Phil


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## joni (Mar 7, 2011)

plastic61 said:


> I purchased a "repop" Ram Air set up for my 69'. The enclosed paperwork indicated that some metal needs to be removed from the hood braces. A photo was included, showing the area where the metal was cut out, but no measurements were listed. Can anyone supply me with them ? Thanks....Phil



Hi I was wondering if you ever got a response back on this question- I am also looking for information on how to install a ram air III kit on my 1969 gto-I was given the picture only and it indicated some metal needed to be removed from the hood braces, but I wasn't given any measurements, etc. Thanks John


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

joni said:


> Hi I was wondering if you ever got a response back on this question- I am also looking for information on how to install a ram air III kit on my 1969 gto-I was given the picture only and it indicated some metal needed to be removed from the hood braces, but I wasn't given any measurements, etc. Thanks John


I'm thinking about buying a kit for my 69 as well. I know that one of the vendors who sells them also sells a template with markings that you can use to make the cuts. I don't remember which vendor it was --- probably OPGI or Ames.

Bear

Edited: I just found a template at Ames for $39 - their part number is N174PTT


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

The template is a necessary item if you want the job done right. This template is self sticky and is applied to the underside of the hood. You can tape it on use it then sell it to re-coup some of your money.  40.00 is about right.

Complete Ram Air Kits can be found on Ebay for 800 or so.
If you want the heat riser shield that is additional. IMO if you are going to spring for the kit do it right and not omit this or that.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

GTO JUDGE said:


> The template is a necessary item if you want the job done right. This template is self sticky and is applied to the underside of the hood. You can tape it on use it then sell it to re-coup some of your money.  40.00 is about right.
> 
> Complete Ram Air Kits can be found on Ebay for 800 or so.
> If you want the heat riser shield that is additional. IMO if you are going to spring for the kit do it right and not omit this or that.


GTO Judge, have you done one of these? I'm interested in details about the experience, if so...

I have a real/original RA III lower pan, and my original factory scoop inserts that I opened myself many years ago. I'm very strongly inclined to go ahead and build out the complete system. If I do that, I'm going to have a tough time deciding which decals, if any, to put on the sides of the hood scoops. I'm running real #722 Ram Air IV heads but I'm concerned that putting on those Ram Air IV decals would be too much of an "advertisement" to folks who might decide they "need" my car more than I do. I might just leave them unlabelled --- haven't decided.

Bear


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

BearGFR said:


> GTO Judge, have you done one of these? I'm interested in details about the experience, if so...
> 
> I have a real/original RA III lower pan, and my original factory scoop inserts that I opened myself many years ago. I'm very strongly inclined to go ahead and build out the complete system. If I do that, I'm going to have a tough time deciding which decals, if any, to put on the sides of the hood scoops. I'm running real #722 Ram Air IV heads but I'm concerned that putting on those Ram Air IV decals would be too much of an "advertisement" to folks who might decide they "need" my car more than I do. I might just leave them unlabelled --- haven't decided.
> 
> Bear


If the hood were wood I would have no problems doing this.... LOL

A friend of mine who is a body man did this. I got the template from Ames and he taped it on the hood and cut it out. I then sold the template and recouped my money.

Doing this without a template is risky for proper alignment of the hood pan. 

The aftermarket plastic hood scoops that came in the kit don't line up like OEM ones. Most are like this I am told and some are advertising it, and I have seen many like mine. Don't look bad but there is a slight gap between the molding of the hood and the scoop itself. I have a set of OEM scoops and was gonna have him remove the back to open them up for R-A, but it will not work as the measurements to the flaps will not mesh. So be warned on this. OEM ram air scoops I seen for sale..... too high for me to pay. I'll live with these until I find a set reasonable.

If you are gonna advertise RA IV the heat riser shields from the block to the pan are on both sides of the engine but you probably already know this. 

My buddy is a top notch body guy he's a Pontiac guy and has concourse a '69 judge and '68 GTO CV, and I am very comfortable with him operating on this car.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

GTO JUDGE said:


> ...I have a set of OEM scoops and was gonna have him remove the back to open them up for R-A, but it will not work as the measurements to the flaps will not mesh. So be warned on this.
> 
> ...If you are gonna advertise RA IV the heat riser shields from the block to the pan are on both sides of the engine but you probably already know this.


I was wondering if the "real" RA scoop inserts were different... Well, what the heck? I've had to modify and custom fit everything else on this car so why stop now? :rofl: If the problem is that the non-RA inserts are too short, then I can make some sheet metal extensions to match them up to the flapper assembly. Is that the problem?

Yeah, I know about the differences in the lower pan/heat stoves, but since I'm running headers I'm not going to have those on either side anyway. To me, the "key" component of being able to label it as a "IV" is having those heads. I know that purists might call me on it, since it won't have the aluminum intake either and the block is "just" a YS, but if the criteria becomes power and performance, then I think I've got that department more than covered... 

Bear


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

I don't see why it wouldn't work (adding a piece to the back of the scoop). All needs to be is so the flapper seals it off. If the scoops are a white metal, welding won't work. The scoops under the hood are hidden anyway. 
The flappers spring tight against the back of the scoop. Perhaps using a sample RA scoop to mock it up will get you like a virgin >> Gut-in-tite.


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## 69Goatee (Aug 14, 2009)

I installed a factory original RAIII setup on my '69 Goat. All it was missing was the scoops, heat riser, heat flapper, foam seals and one cable. Got it all for $500. The factory flapper door bracket mounts to the back of open hood scoops, so hollowed out closed and extended scoops will not work without mods. I cut my hood braces myself a little at a time. The cut is to clear the flapper door assembly, and cannot be seen with the upper pan in place, so no worries if it is not perfect, mines not. I bought aftermarket plastic RA scoops, they fit the hood good, not great. The mounting studs on the bottom broke off very easy, but the flapper assembly kept them in place for years. I used fiberglass filler and mat to cover the heat riser holes in the upper pan because I an not installing a heat riser system and didn't want any hot engine air to enter, plus I am running headers.I also fiberglassed over the factory breather holes in the lower pan. I changed to a 14 inch filter from the factory 13 inch, different lid painted black to match. Hope this helps.


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## likethat (Oct 5, 2007)

About 6 years ago at a swap meet I seen a complete IV engine it was totally disassembled but looked to be all there. The guy was wanting like 6G's for it. I chuckled and moved on.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

69Goatee said:


> I installed a factory original RAIII setup on my '69 Goat. All it was missing was the scoops, heat riser, heat flapper, foam seals and one cable. Got it all for $500. The factory flapper door bracket mounts to the back of open hood scoops, so hollowed out closed and extended scoops will not work without mods. I cut my hood braces myself a little at a time. The cut is to clear the flapper door assembly, and cannot be seen with the upper pan in place, so no worries if it is not perfect, mines not. I bought aftermarket plastic RA scoops, they fit the hood good, not great. The mounting studs on the bottom broke off very easy, but the flapper assembly kept them in place for years. I used fiberglass filler and mat to cover the heat riser holes in the upper pan because I an not installing a heat riser system and didn't want any hot engine air to enter, plus I am running headers.I also fiberglassed over the factory breather holes in the lower pan. I changed to a 14 inch filter from the factory 13 inch, different lid painted black to match. Hope this helps.


You wouldn't happen to have photos, especially of how the scoops mate up with the flapper assembly, would you? I'm probably going to pull the trigger and do this anyway, but I'd still like to know how all that goes together.

Thanks,
Bear


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

BearGFR said:


> You wouldn't happen to have photos, especially of how the scoops mate up with the flapper assembly, would you? I'm probably going to pull the trigger and do this anyway, but I'd still like to know how all that goes together.
> 
> Thanks,
> Bear


Bear will this help?

I shopped around for parts on this and found Warpath Restoration Parts had the best price and made in USA parts. (In case you are in need of parts.)


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

GTO JUDGE said:


> Bear will this help?
> 
> I shopped around for parts on this and found Warpath Restoration Parts had the best price and made in USA parts. (In case you are in need of parts.)
> 
> View attachment 10567


Ok, so it looks like there are screws/fasteners that come in from the back side of the flapper assembly and screw into the back sides of the scoop inserts --- is that right?

And, thanks for the tip on Warpath --- are you satisfied with their quality?

Thanks!

Bear


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

I had no issues with the parts. I talked to him personally before ordering. He enlighten me on "China" made parts that do not align up that can be found on ebay. Some of the "complete" kits I seen from competitors didn't include all the items his kit did. The only item I had to purchase separately was the heat riser shield (something you won't be using) and I had to cut a piece of rubber hose to affix to the breather tube exiting out of the valve cover to the back of the carb pan where the pan filter is located. Everything else was there along with a check list of those parts checked for verification in the shipment. 

The entire flapper door assy came prereassembled. I didn't mount the kit. I do know the flapper fits snug to the back of the scoops and are not attached to the scoop backs. 

Once the flapper assy is mounted it would be a matter of fabricating a piece to fill the gaps between the back of the scoop to the flapper. The flapper would then rest tight against the fabricated piece.


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## 69Goatee (Aug 14, 2009)

Right now my car is in a thousand pieces, so I have to find the parts to take a picture of. The factory flapper assembly DOES bolt to the back of the RA scoops, I don't know about the aftermarket kits.


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

69Goatee said:


> Right now my car is in a thousand pieces, so I have to find the parts to take a picture of. The factory flapper assembly DOES bolt to the back of the RA scoops, I don't know about the aftermarket kits.


Like I stated, I didn't install the kit a friend of mine did. Could be they are attached at the back, according to the the diagram it looks as though they are. When the flappers are closed there is a nice tight seal. I can't say for sure if there were mounting holes on the back of the aftermarket scoops. 

I do recall him telling me the aftermarket kit was a PITA to install and took a lot of hours to install it, and he is very well versed in this. He did a great job as the whole thing works fantastic.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

GTO JUDGE said:


> Like I stated, I didn't install the kit a friend of mine did. Could be they are attached at the back, according to the the diagram it looks as though they are. When the flappers are closed there is a nice tight seal. I can't say for sure if there were mounting holes on the back of the aftermarket scoops.
> 
> I do recall him telling me the aftermarket kit was a PITA to install and took a lot of hours to install it, and he is very well versed in this. He did a great job as the whole thing works fantastic.


Why should I be surprised? :lol: Seems like everything aftermarket is always a PITA. I went out a little while ago to start working on installing the aftermarket A/C system I bought for my 69. Last week I had to re-engineer the compressor mounting brackets to get them to line up properly. That done, finally, today I was going to move on to mounting the condenser. I managed to work about 30 minutes before I got stopped dead in my tracks by a part that was supposed to be in the kit, but wasn't.... 

At least now I don't get all that surprised or angry when it happens, I sort of expect it.

Bear


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

BearGFR said:


> Why should I be surprised? :lol: Seems like everything aftermarket is always a PITA. I went out a little while ago to start working on installing the aftermarket A/C system I bought for my 69. Last week I had to re-engineer the compressor mounting brackets to get them to line up properly. That done, finally, today I was going to move on to mounting the condenser. I managed to work about 30 minutes before I got stopped dead in my tracks by a part that was supposed to be in the kit, but wasn't....
> 
> At least now I don't get all that surprised or angry when it happens, I sort of expect it.
> 
> Bear


Dunno bout you but Murphy lives here. Last week when we were working on finishing up tweaking final things on motor etc and under the steering box, major puddle. The PS pump was dissembled for powder coating and we get everything reassembled and working and....... today we remove the pump and find a dimple on the large O-gasket along with the age of it being flat now and undisturbed it was ok then reassembled and leak. I had gotten a gasket repair kit at NAPA this past week for today, fresh paint and ya think its all assembled to find tearing some parts of the motor to repair. Tore pump out and replaced all internal gaskets and now leak free.... Then the ignition wire at coil decides it needed a new end and soldered. 

The real pain came when we took her out to fill her. I had 1/4 tank of gas left in it with Stabil and Heet in it over the winter and decide to Sunoco her with fresh 93 oct and $56.00 later ..... ouch... Gunna be an expensive summer driving her.


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## likethat (Oct 5, 2007)

"Tits" and "wheels"


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## plastic61 (Feb 26, 2010)

I just signed back on the forum, and I see there has been quite a bit of dialog about the RamAir install. I had to buy the template, and it worked well, but I was unable to salvage it. It was pretty delicate, and ripped easily. I was able to buy a pair of factory hood scoops. They are fiberglass, and have the "ears" to screw on the flapper assembly. They fit quite well. I agree that the instructions leave a lot to be desired. I had to guess at the location for the firewall hole, to run the cable from the dash, to the flapper cable. None of the sheet metal that is removed from the hood braces can be seen when the unit is installed.


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