# RamAir Restorations Exhaust Manifolds



## nitrous67gto (Sep 25, 2012)

First of all i'd like to thank anyone that has some input on this one. I'm dropping in a 1973 pontiac 400 in my 1967 GTO, when we bought the car it had a 1975 pontiac 350 in it. I pulled the 350 and had a friend rebuild the 400, and I have been working on getting the 400 in the car but i've run into 2 problems. First, I am now using tall moroso valve covers and the driver side is hitting the brake booster. Second, I have the motor in the engine compartment bolted up to the auto trans, and have the new Ramair resoration exhaust manifolds bolted on to the round port Edelbrock Aluminum heads, the problem is that I cant get the motor mounts to drop down onto the brackets on the frame where they bolt up. It looks like the engine is about 1/4" too far back in the engine compartment and is on some kind of bind. Has anyone on here had this problem with the round port exhaust manifolds, and also does anyone have an idea how to get the tall valve covers to clear the brake booster? Any advice on how to get the engine in and running would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again


----------



## Nashville.Clay (Sep 16, 2012)

Did you use the motor mount from the 350 on the 400 ? Did you mount on correct bolt pattern?


----------



## nitrous67gto (Sep 25, 2012)

*motor mounts*

I did just use the same motor mounts off the 350 I thought they would be the same. Is there a difference? Also do you know the correct way to bolt them on. I thought I bolted them on the same way they bolted to the 350.
Thanks.


----------



## Nashville.Clay (Sep 16, 2012)

If your block is drilled for it move them back.


----------



## Nashville.Clay (Sep 16, 2012)

You mave have to undo the trans mount and see if that will let it drop down. You did say you had allready bolted the bellhousing?


----------



## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Photos might help if you can post some. You may wind up having to swap to a smaller diameter brake booster to get clearance for the taller rocker covers. If it helps to have a ball park reference measurement, on my 69 GTO the distance from the firewall to the back of the passenger side rocker cover is 4 1/2 inches. 

Bear


----------



## nitrous67gto (Sep 25, 2012)

*exhaust manifolds*

Well, good news is I found the problem, bad news is the new exhaust manifolds are hitting the frame of the car(see pic) I pulled the engine out today and now I think I will relocate it back about 1/4" in the engine compartment so I can get the engine to sit down on the mounts where it goes. Any Ideas on how to re-locate the engine back? Has anyone else had this problem? I'm thinking of pulling the brackets on the frame that the mounts bolt onto and slotting the holes with a dremel about 1/4" and then re-installing them.
Thanks again,


----------



## nitrous67gto (Sep 25, 2012)

Well just in case i'm still working on getting the motor in, i've slotted the holes in the frame of the car and re-located the engine back about 1/4" back in the engine compartment. But now I'm still struggling to get the motor mounts lined up and the tall valve cover is still hitting the brake booster. Anyone got any ideas on the valve covers, is there another brand besides Moroso that offers a reasonable price on some tall valve covers that might fit. Also has anyone had to go to a smaller booster to avoid hitting the valve cover.
Thanks for the input.


----------



## nitrous67gto (Sep 25, 2012)

*exhaust manifold problems*

I'm wondering if anyone else has had so many problems with Ram air restorations exhaust manifolds. As you can see in the pictures below now that the manifolds are bolted on the engine sits crooked in the engine compartment. The problem is that the driver side manifold is hitting the frame of the car. I have re-located the engine aprox. 1/4" back in the engine compartment to avoid hitting the frame but the manifold still rests against the frame, which leads me to think that it could damage the manifold in the long run by rubbing on the frame. If anyone has some input on how to get the engine in and lined up without having to flat out notch out the frame of the car to get the manifolds to fit it would be greatly appreciated. 
Thanks Again.


----------



## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Something's not right. Everyone I know always raves about how well they fit, and you shouldn't have had to move the engine at all. I'm wondering if you've got the right motor mounts and if they're mounted in the right locations. Unfortunately right now I'm away from all my reference material so I can't check it for you.

Bear


----------



## nitrous67gto (Sep 25, 2012)

Great, thanks. You know I called Ram Air Restorations and they couldnt believe they wouldn't fit either.


----------



## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

I found a photo of when we were installing the engine in the Beast - check to see if your motor mounts are in the same location on the block as these...









Bear


----------



## nitrous67gto (Sep 25, 2012)

Here's a little better picture of what I'm up against. I think the next step should be to remove the exhaust manifold, and get the engine down on the mounts where it goes and then see if the manifold will bolt back up. If that doesnt work I'm thinking of grinding out the frame where the manifold is hitting the frame and then welding in a patch piece.


----------



## nitrous67gto (Sep 25, 2012)

Where did you get the valve cover spacers?
Thanks


----------



## jmt455 (Mar 26, 2012)

I wouldn't notch the frame. Find out what is wrong and correct it. 
Those manifolds fit well; something else is causing that interference.


----------

