The lower price for the 400 HO wasn't related to ordering the ram air option. The price of the 400 HO option had 8 different prices for the 1969 model and none relate to the ram air option! (same situation for the option price of the regular 400 which was always exactly $76.88 less than the 400 HO).
The following will probably make your head spin, it did mine when I was figuring all this out!
Three factors impacted the price of the 400 HO, time of manufacture, transmission choice, and bodystyle.
During the 69 model run there are 5 periods of different pricing and/or content on the Firebirds. Of these 5 periods three of them affected the price of the 400 HO option. On Dec 5th all engine option prices were adjusted slightly, in the case of the 400 and 400HO it was a slight increase. From there the prices on all the three 400 engine options changed again on March 29th to reflect the reduction in standard equipment on the base Firebird. This in effect increased the price of these engine options (base Firebird tire was downgraded so 400 options had to reflect the greater step up cost to the F70 redline for example).
This third time period also created a new price difference between the three 400 options on coupes versus convertibles (because drip moldings were no longer standard on base cars but 400 optioned cars had drip moldings.
The other price factor was transmission. In effect the 400 and 400 HO option prices included the step up from the standard light duty column shift M12 to the HD floor shift 3 speed M13. This tranny was $84.26 when ordered on base engine Firebirds so if you ordered a 4 speed or a M40 with a 400 or 400 HO option the price of the engine option was lowered by exactly the same $84.26 so you wouldn't in effect be double charged for the transmission option.
To make some sense of it here is the price chart for a 400 option with all those variables. Adding $76.88 to any of these numbers will give you the exact cost of a 400 HO option in each case.
.............................................Coupe .................................Convert
.............................................3spd. ......4spd-auto.......3spd.......4spd-auto
up to Dec 4.................358.09....273.83...............3 58.09....273.83
dec 5-mar 29..............377.05....292.79...............377 .05.....292.79
march 30 +..................431.81......347.56............. ...416.01......331.76
This silliness spread to the TA option which also had 8 possible prices.
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My Break Away Squad
1969 Fbird (base OHC, 350, 400HO & Sprint Cvt’s - 400HO & TA ht’s)
1969 Custom S 2dr ht
1969 LeMans (2dr & 4dr ht & Cvt)
1969 LeMans Safari wagon
1969 GTO (2 Cvt, 2 ht & Judge ht)
1969 Cat (3 Cvt’s & a 2dr ht)
1969 Ventura wagon 2 seat
1969 Exec 4dr post
1969 2 Bonnie Cvt's & 2 wagons
1969 Bonnie Brougham (4dr ht & Cvt)
1969 Grand Prix 2 SJ’s
1969 2+2 2dr ht (Canadian)
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