[Tim Corcoran]

Mr. Bruce

Ram Air was more marketing than functional back in the muscle car days. I heard Jim Wangers say on TV that Pontiac knew at the time that because of the way that the air flowed over the hoods that their scoops were below the actual air stream so there was no actual ramming effect anyhow. I do think it was brilliant marketing though and you still got the cool air in. Chevrolete could not say Ram Air because it was already taken so they called it Cowl Induction, another brilliant marketing term. There is a high pressure area at the base of the windshield so that is a great location to get cold air in. In my opinnion both systems improve performance equally. If you use a seal between the hood and your air cleaner, like Pontiac did from the factory, then you can bennifit from the cold air. The performance gain is not in the ramming effect, but rather providing air to the engine that is much cooler than the hot air trapped inside the engine compartment. The cooler air does give you some performance gain but not because of a ramming effect. As for the top fuel cars, I can't explain that. Maybe it has something to do with providing undisturbed air rather than the actual ramming effect. Or maybe there is some ramming effect performance gain at 300 MPH, and maybe those scoops are in the direct air path and do assist the supercharger in getting more air in.

Tim C