[3goats]

My driver side manifold has GM3 over part number but cant find a date code and no part number on passenger side. I'm going to remove them to check more thoroughly for dates.

Pictures won't load??
I will try again later

[judger69]

Glen, yours isn't the only original 9791637 I've found like that with no date code. The pass side 9797072 casting is very hard to see when mounted on the car. Ive tried to use a mirror and an I phone with mixed results.

Even unka judge had a NOS 9791637 with no date code for sale back in May. And if Unk says its NOS then I believe its NOS no questions asked. He's One of the best posters on this Judge forum. I've sent him an email on it.

In fact Im gonna go out on a limb and say they didn't date code the 9791637 drivers side ram 3 exhaust manifolds in 1969. I have several pics of 4 bolt and 5 bolt supposedly "original" ones and no dates. I think the 4 bolt ones are later in '69 and the 5 bolts are earlier even back to '68. In late '69 they went to a 3 bolt 978140 as in Jonathon's pic above. But I have pics of over a dozen Supposedly "original" 9791637's and none of them have a date code.

Can anyone dispute this ?? I find it hard to believe that this forum hasn't discovered this yet ( if it is in fact correct ) but as I see it right now they didn't date code the 9791637 drivers side exhaust manifolds in 1969.

Please, some one tell me this is wrong ??

I may start a new thread under the 68/69 GTO Tempest tech as there are lots of ram 3 guys there. Sorry for the same post in multiple threads but I cant seem to get a concrete answer here.

[GRX]

Originally Posted by judger69

I may start a new thread under the 68/69 GTO Tempest tech as there are lots of ram 3 guys there. Sorry for the same post in multiple threads but I cant seem to get a concrete answer here.

Please do. Would be nice to hear some info from knowledgeable people on RA3 manifolds. Both originals, and reproductions available now.

[3goats]

Dion
Removed manifolds to get a closer look and this is what I found
-Drivers- GM3 9791637 /5 mounting holes no date
-Passenger-9799072-R.B (on inside) /5 mounting holes/no date but has a flat screw symbol close to flange as if they were going to put a date?
Hope this helps. Early Judge RA3
Can't upload pictures again or still?

[judger69]

Glenn, thanks for doing that !! Lpete on the 68/69 GTO Tempest forum said the same thing. He has a 100 % known original car with no date codes on either exhaust manifold.

Id think we have enough proof to say that they didn't date code either of the exhaust manifolds on the 1969 Ram 3 engines. If anyone can prove otherwise please post up !

Thanks to all who posted !!!!

BTW did you make the show at high river last sunday? almost 1000 cars (big for around here) 3 Judges. a '70 and 2 '69's. Didn't see the mint turquoise Judge this year. But an all original 47,000 mile '69 CR survivor judge was there. Engine / trans never out of car. Never painted, garaged its whole life. She bought it from the first owner from BC. Paid big $$$'s for it a few weeks ago. 04D, 4 spd, RA 3 Pontiac plant car. I took almost an hour and photo'd everything I could think of and talked with the owner. Showed her a bunch of easy to see codes & dates. She wasn't much into Pontiacs. 29273 XB carb dated correctly, all the right codes on the sheet metal. It was very exciting to see.

[Bet Winner]

Originally Posted by judger69

But an all original 47,000 mile '69 CR survivor judge was there. Engine / trans never out of car. Never painted, garaged its whole life. She bought it from the first owner from BC. Paid big $$$'s for it a few weeks ago. 04D, 4 spd, RA 3 Pontiac plant car. I took almost an hour and photo'd everything I could think of and talked with the owner. Showed her a bunch of easy to see codes & dates. She wasn't much into Pontiacs. 29273 XB carb dated correctly, all the right codes on the sheet metal. It was very exciting to see.

I thought most plants would still have 28273 carbs to install in April if this is a RAIII, but Pontiac did not build Judges til later so they may have had few 28273 carbs shipped there in 69. Maybe Pontiac started using 29273's earlier than other plants on RAIII cars.

Also, with my RAIII manifolds on the car, I cannot see any date codes.

[judger69]

Originally Posted by Bet Winner

I thought most plants would still have 28273 carbs to install in April if this is a RAIII, but Pontiac did not build Judges til later so they may have had few 28273 carbs shipped there in 69. Maybe Pontiac started using 29273's earlier than other plants on RAIII cars.

Also, with my RAIII manifolds on the car, I cannot see any date codes.

Yes BW, I was surprised to see the XB on there too, but there it was. She didn't have the PHS anywhere that I could see the ship date. Likely into early may 1969 sometime. I wonder if the Pontiac plant left the build sheets somewhere in the car, the pick code would be there ( although possibly not followed if they ran out of XX 28273's). Her XB was dated early April. I took some pics of it under the air cleaner if anyone wants to see them PM me.

And thanks for looking for the codes on your original manifolds, Im suspecting there are no dates there.

[poncho-mike]

Just out of curiosity, what are good original 68-69 ram air manifolds bringing these days?

[judger69]

Mike, Uncle Judge has a NOS 1637 one side only in the FS section for $350.

I've seen sets go for anywhere from $300 to $700 / set. Again depending on condition. Its hard to find a real nice set.

[Forrest]

reading over this post and wondering if a pair I have are original or not.. picts attached.. they both have a small rectangular area casting which looks like a date code.barely can read it ..one looks like the #s are "12794"?.. the other one barley can read..maybe a 2 ..7 and 4? service replacements?..! have cleaned them up and coated with 2000+ ceramic coating..They are in wonderful condition.. just some pitting...are they repos are original?/ thanx!

[Bermuda Blue]

Looks like it says "CM3" - therefore reproduction

[Forrest]

Originally Posted by Bermuda Blue

Looks like it says "CM3" - therefore reproduction

thanx.. the date codes made me wonder,, as others have said the repos did not have them..

[judger69]

Here is a pic of my NOS 9791637 that I bought from Uncle Judge. (Thanks Jeff !!)

You can see that yours has a box outline around the 9791637, mine does not. Also mine has a teardrop like shape right above the mounting flange. And mine says GM3 and your says CM3. Im thinkin yours is a repro.

[Brewster]

Not mine but on epay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-PONTIAC...JYMLpN&vxp=mtr

[steve@tru-built.net]

I'm currently rebuilding the engine in my 68 Pontiac Firebird. The car has been in my family since 1972. My grandfather purchased it from his boss who purchase it new. It's mostly original with 68K miles and numbers matching. It's a 320 HP 350 H.O. with 4-speed car. I'm thinking about upgrading the exhaust manifolds. I don't want to go with header if possible. I'm thinking about installing a set of Ram Air III manifolds. I found a set on Ebay, but they're for 68 and 69 GTO. Does anyone know if these will work on a Firebird without issues?

Thanks,

[b-man]

They’re the wrong manifolds and won’t fit the early Firebirds.

You need the long branch style that fit the first-gen Firebirds and 1965-1970 big Pontiacs.