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Old 05-04-2020, 06:40 PM
EuroFormula EuroFormula is offline
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Default Ram Air Cleaner - Modification

I asked this once here years ago, can't find the thread anymore. Maybe someone has seen something over time.

My question: I have had this Ram Air air cleaner for years. Just dug it out of my parts stash. Always wondered why someone would go to the trouble of welding in the tubes/plates? Any real benefit to this? Someone back in the day said 'hillbilly breather' but can't figure out why they would do it. They did paint it orange, so maybe no logic involved

Near as I can tell, it is a originally 73-74 Formula piece.
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Old 05-04-2020, 07:01 PM
'ol Pinion head 'ol Pinion head is offline
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Beyond odd, have never seen a mod like that. Have had owned ove a dozen RA breathers of that style. Should be easy to return to stock appearance, be happy no one has hacked the base to clear the fuel bowls on a center hung Holley.

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Old 05-04-2020, 07:19 PM
Joe's Garage Joe's Garage is offline
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Default It might be some kind of hillbilly nitrous injection (or some other power-adder)

I remember seeing a setup similar to that probably thirty years ago where the driver controlled the injection of straight oxygen using a propane cutting torch control from the driver's seat.

Interesting stuff anyways.

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Old 05-05-2020, 12:05 PM
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It actually looks well executed to me, but other than someone's modified breather setup I don't have much to suggest. But it could have been one of those crazy ideas like where they would put an anode and cathode into a solution and run current through it to generate hydrogen and oxygen and pipe it into the air intake to make "more power" or better economy. Lots of crazy things were tried during the fuel crisis.
Then again, the baffle plates tend to have me think these were just crankcase breathers, even though GM had an adequate one already there with its own oil separator filter deal.

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Old 05-05-2020, 07:11 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe's Garage View Post
I remember seeing a setup similar to that probably thirty years ago where the driver controlled the injection of straight oxygen using a propane cutting torch control from the driver's seat.

Interesting stuff anyways.
That's a good idea!
I was going to suggest that it was possibly some sort of water "injection" setup, as many mid to late 1970's articles I came across seemed to suggest that the fuel was so bad, that water injection was a good remedy to high compression engines and the swill you got at the pumps.

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1970 Formula 400
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2009 Cobalt SS: 13.9 @ 103mph (current DD; makes something north of 300hp & 350ft/lbs)
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Old 05-05-2020, 08:32 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EuroFormula View Post
I asked this once here years ago, can't find the thread anymore. Maybe someone has seen something over time.

My question: I have had this Ram Air air cleaner for years. Just dug it out of my parts stash. Always wondered why someone would go to the trouble of welding in the tubes/plates? Any real benefit to this? Someone back in the day said 'hillbilly breather' but can't figure out why they would do it. They did paint it orange, so maybe no logic involved

Near as I can tell, it is a originally 73-74 Formula piece.
No clue on why.
Can you post a picture of the underside? I should be able to ID year.

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Old 05-07-2020, 03:42 PM
EuroFormula EuroFormula is offline
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Interesting stuff indeed, thanks guys!

Here is a pic of the backside
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Old 05-07-2020, 03:48 PM
EuroFormula EuroFormula is offline
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While we are at it, I have this one, too. Looks pretty original. Using this one on my car at the moment (with a different lid ;-).

Any way to tell if for a Firebird or a GTO or were they identical? This one has the posts or whatever they are called for braces.
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Old 05-07-2020, 04:30 PM
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the Firebird Formula and GTO's used the same aircleaners;
I know someone who would love to get that second airlceaner off of you - and trade you for another one.
I actually tweaked my 455HO SR aircleaner to add those studs.

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1970 Formula 400
Carousel Red paint on Black standard interior
A no-engine, no-transmission, no-wheel option car.
Quite likely one of few '70 Muncie three speed Formula 400's left.


1991 Grand Am: 14.4 @ 93.7mph (DA corrected) (retired DD, stock appearing)
2009 Cobalt SS: 13.9 @ 103mph (current DD; makes something north of 300hp & 350ft/lbs)
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Old 05-07-2020, 06:20 PM
PontiacJim1959 PontiacJim1959 is offline
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How about drain tubes when water got sucked in? The baffles kept big leaves/debris from plugging the tubes.

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Old 05-07-2020, 07:07 PM
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Orange unit is a '73. If you think it's original to your car, is your car a 400 or 455?

If I had to guess on the other unit, I would say it came from a '71 GTO.

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Old 05-07-2020, 11:57 PM
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EuroFormula I’m that guy that unruhjonny was talking about. My 71 formula has the non HO ram air air cleaner.

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Old 05-08-2020, 04:55 PM
EuroFormula EuroFormula is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HO Kenny View Post
EuroFormula I’m that guy that unruhjonny was talking about. My 71 formula has the non HO ram air air cleaner.
See PM

The Following User Says Thank You to EuroFormula For This Useful Post:
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Old 05-08-2020, 04:58 PM
EuroFormula EuroFormula is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Held for Ransom View Post
Orange unit is a '73. If you think it's original to your car, is your car a 400 or 455?

If I had to guess on the other unit, I would say it came from a '71 GTO.
Cool, thanks! Not original to my car, mine didn't come with it from the factory. PO had installed the Ram Air, but had removed the air cleaner prior to the sale. Got both of mine over time afterwards.

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Old 05-08-2020, 09:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by unruhjonny View Post
the Firebird Formula and GTO's used the same aircleaners;
I know someone who would love to get that second airlceaner off of you - and trade you for another one.
I actually tweaked my 455HO SR aircleaner to add those studs.
they actually made different ones. the firebird uses one that lets it sit lower for hood clearance. unless you know what you are looking at its hard to tell the difference unless they are side by side.

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Old 05-09-2020, 10:20 AM
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I don't think so Gary. For '71 and '72, they had the same pick code/part number for both models.

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Old 05-09-2020, 02:43 PM
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don't know what to say, ive got both styles. my all original A bodies had the one type and my birds always had the other type.

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Old 05-10-2020, 07:37 PM
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If they have the decals on the side, I'd love to know the PN of each unit.

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Old 05-19-2020, 07:29 PM
EuroFormula EuroFormula is offline
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Black one is RQ 6486684. Orange one has no trace of a sticker.

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Old 05-19-2020, 07:49 PM
Michaels76SE Michaels76SE is offline
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I bet they ran a hose from each tube to each valve cover for a PCV effect

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