[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Originally Posted by LUST01

The Ram Air III was never a official designation used by Pontiac until 1970. The Ram Air numbers, other than the 1970 Ram Air III, the 1969-70 Ram Air IV & V were invented by fans. The Ram Air II was never officially named the Ram Air II but the name was mentioned in an internal service bulletin that mentioned the round port Ram Air motor was superseding the D-port Ram Air motor and the name was also mentioned in a print add. The offical designation for the "Ram Air III" in 1969 was still the 400 HO. The ram air equipment was included with this engine with the 1969 GTO but was not included with this engine in the 1969 Firebird except for the Trans Am. As mentioned in this earlier in this thread, the Ram Air IV was not named from it's preceived place in Ram Air development but was named after the proposed four place ram air system (two scoops on the hood and two behind the grill) that never made it into production.

Here lets throw some thing else out there. The 1969 Ram Air IV was named by the amount of outlets that it was originally designed to bring air in from. Look back at the 1969 Lime Light Green press GTO's engine compartment. This is the GTO that later became the test magazine Judge. The air cleaner had two tubes running to the radiator core support, for two of the air intakes, along with two hood scoop air intakes above. Even though during the Ram Air III (Which is what it was called in the 1969 test) vs Ram Air IV. The article showed the Judges' four inlet air cleaner but called it Ram Air IV. Then the Ram Air IV Bobcat cars' air cleaner which did not have the core support tubes was used as the the III's air cleaner engine shot. Confussing?

Since the air cleaner did not go into production and the print ads and media had been told this "new" for 1969 engine was called Ram Air IV Pontiac and the public bought into it.

The early1968 Ram Air was just called that. Mcuh like the 1966 -1967. Just put a ram air tub on an HO motor. The round port that appeared in March/April at no extra cost was called 1968 1/2 Ram Air initially. Later in a few print ads it was called Ram Air II. The one that comes to mind is the 1968 Firebird ad calling it Ram Air II.
I'll try and find some of those old ads too.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer

Here lets throw some thing else out there. The 1969 Ram Air IV was named by the amount of outlets that it was originally designed to bring air in from. Look back at the 1969 Lime Light Green press GTO's engine compartment. This is the GTO that later became the test magazine Judge. The air cleaner had two tubes running to the radiator core support, for two of the air intakes, along with two hood scoop air intakes above. Even though during the Ram Air III (Which is what it was called in the 1969 test) vs Ram Air IV. The article showed the Judges' four inlet air cleaner but called it Ram Air IV. Then the Ram Air IV Bobcat cars' air cleaner which did not have the core support tubes was used as the the III's air cleaner engine shot. Confussing?

Since the air cleaner did not go into production and the print ads and media had been told this "new" for 1969 engine was called Ram Air IV Pontiac and the public bought into it.

The early1968 Ram Air was just called that. Mcuh like the 1966 -1967. Just put a ram air tub on an HO motor. The round port that appeared in March/April at no extra cost was called 1968 1/2 Ram Air initially. Later in a few print ads it was called Ram Air II. The one that comes to mind is the 1968 Firebird ad calling it Ram Air II.
I'll try and find some of those old ads too.

Now we can muddy the waters even more. Since the 1969 Tunnel Port Ram Air V, 303, 366, 400, 428 et.al., never became a regular production engine (RPO). The PMD marketing people suggested that the new for 1970 455 High Compression Ram Air IV head engine that engineering had been working on become the RPO Ram Air V. That way there would be a sequence of RPO Ram Air engines the public would understand.

Unforunately PMD's new General Manager had his own ideas and the marketing people changed. With the change in direction at PMD the high compression 455 Ram Air IV head engine was cancelled. The low compression 455 first as a d-port HO was first offered then the following year it became a round port HO then SD.

So, everything remained as we now know it. The Ram Air V is the Tunnerl Port engine no matter what cubic inch it is.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer

Here lets throw some thing else out there. The 1969 Ram Air IV was named by the amount of outlets that it was originally designed to bring air in from. Look back at the 1969 Lime Light Green press GTO's engine compartment. This is the GTO that later became the test magazine Judge. The air cleaner had two tubes running to the radiator core support, for two of the air intakes, along with two hood scoop air intakes above. Even though during the Ram Air III (called the Judge in the test) vs Ram Air IV. The article showed the Judges' four inlet air cleaner but called it Ram Air IV. Then the Ram Air IV Bobcat cars' air cleaner which did not have the core support tubes was used as the the III's air cleaner engine shot. Confussing?

Since the air cleaner did not go into production and the print ads and media had been told this "new" for 1969 engine was called Ram Air IV Pontiac and the public bought into it.

The early1968 Ram Air was just called that. Mcuh like the 1966 -1967. Just put a ram air tub on an HO motor. The round port that appeared in March/April at no extra cost was called 1968 1/2 Ram Air initially. Later in a few print ads it was called Ram Air II. The one that comes to mind is the 1968 Firebird ad calling it Ram Air II.
I'll try and find some of those old ads too.

I have got to stop doing this between patients..LOL I keep runing out of time before I can proof the stuff and make my correction. Like on the test. It is as Matt said about Ram Air designations

So the correction I could not change in the 65 minutes is: The 1969 article did not call it Ram air III but: "Judge vs Ram Air IV". Which I was trying to change.

Sorry.

Eric