[njsteve]

I have gotten a couple requests for photos of the original Formula 455HO Ram Air air cleaner, so here you go:

One interesting thing I noticed is that these were dip painted originally. You can see the paint line inside the two snorkels, where the air pocket kept the paint out.

[Lloyd-TX]

^^^^^

Thanks for those pics, Chris. No studs, as expected on a '72.

I need to check the NOS Ram Air air cleaner I have on my Formy about those pain lines . . .

[njsteve]

I need to fnd a couple of the bevelled platsic heat riser couplings in case anyone can spare a pair.

[Formulabruce]

looks exactly like my 72 unit..which, oddly enough, is soon on its way to its original car !!

[RicksGTO]

my 12A built '72 still had the studs so I assume the changeover to no studs was sometime just after that? I had mine powder coated so no way for me to confirm if the paint lines on it are similar.

[PB]

Here's a thread where we've hashed out some of the stud vs. non stud air cleaners over in the 70-72 GTO forum.

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...am+air+cleaner

[blue71ta]

Originally Posted by PB

Here's a thread where we've hashed out some of the stud vs. non stud air cleaners over in the 70-72 GTO forum.

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...am+air+cleaner

it's my belief (and as evidenced by that previous thread), that the RA air cleaners with the 2 flat spots on the rear of the bowl area are the Service Replacements (over-the-counter, dealer units). The production ones I have don't have that, but the NOS SR one I had did. Also, the production one I have (455 HO) has the studs, but the SR one did not. Just my 2 cents...

[PB]

Originally Posted by blue71ta

it's my belief (and as evidenced by that previous thread), that the RA air cleaners with the 2 flat spots on the rear of the bowl area are the Service Replacements (over-the-counter, dealer units). The production ones I have don't have that, but the NOS SR one I had did. Also, the production one I have (455 HO) has the studs, but the SR one did not. Just my 2 cents...

I wondered the same thing when I saw Steve's pics if that was a service replacement one. I am of the same belief, but you never know.

Any inkling that cleaners been replaced sometime over the years Steve? That lid didn't have the sticker on it like the one in an original pic IIRC.

[njsteve]

As far as I know that is the original air cleaner. The lid was repainted by the second owner. Keeping that air cleaner with the car was one of the reasons that the second owner sealed up the hood latch hole and removed the mechanism. The car had been broken into twice in its lifetime. The first time the seats were stolen. The second time they tried to steal the car and broke the ignition switch.

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

looks exactly like my 72 unit..which, oddly enough, is soon on its way to its original car !!

mine was shipped 11-22-71 , no studs, had decal, heat riser tubes, and I got car from original owner and took it off myself.

[Held for Ransom]

Thanks for the pics Steve.

I still can't get over the way it resembles the '76-9 base in stamping, as compared to the '73-5 units.

[Formulabruce]

Ac Delco made product, probably keeping costs in line. I have seen brand new ones show up at the dealership in 1980, for a customer with a 400 car, maybe the 76-79 was copied from the 72, as they were making them for OTC sales

[Held for Ransom]

But, what was the second flat for in '72? You can see why for '76.

[RicksGTO]

just looked at my '72 and it has the single flat spot inside

[blue71ta]

Originally Posted by Held for Ransom

But, what was the second flat for in '72? You can see why for '76.

Mike,
my thoughts exactly. They started making the Firebird/Trans Am, NON-Ram Air production ones (as in your picture) with the second flat spot around 1976, so it would stand to reason that the replacement RA air cleaners from that point on would use the same bowl section to save money.
GM changed things for a reason. If it wasn't necessary on the originals, I don't think it would be there.

[Formulabruce]

going to get my car down tomorrow and have a look..

[njsteve]

Got the windshield in for the second time...

The first date coded windshield that arrived from Pilkington Glass had some issues. The date code was supposed to be flipped but it was readable from the outside, and there were a couple scratches in the glass that looked to be from the rack they must have been stored on. Pilkington was very attentive and immediately shipped out a second one.

I can't say enough about Bob at Finishline Auto Glass in Hackettstown, NJ (908) 399-6461. He came out to the house three times - first to remove the original glass so I could clean up any possible rust issues (none found), then several days later to install the first windshield. (The scratches weren't visible until after it was installed), and then a thrd time to carefully remove the first new windshield so it could be shipped back, and then to install the second one. Extremely nerve-wracking to watch, but he is a professional and made it look easy.

FYI: if you order date coded glass make sure you give them a photo of your existing code if possible. The date codes were put on in a variety of ways and positions - the most important of which is where are you standing when you are reading the date code: is it read from the outside of the car, or read from the inside like mine.

Here's the original date code:



And the date code on the second windshield:



And the finsh installation photos:

[Formulabruce]

Looks great! was the new windshield as physically same size as old? I noticed the new replacemenst are barely big enough to cover the edges with a bead of sealer...

[njsteve]

Actually, it was exacty the same size as the original and very heavy. The glass man commented that this was a very thick windshield and not anything like the replacements that most glass shops have today. It was the same thickness as the original windshield that we removed.

I was fortunate that my collector car insurance policy covers glass with no deductible. Otherwise the $428 bill would have been way too rich for my blood. The glass was $240, the date coding was $50, the shipping was $110, and tax was $28. Insurance covered the removal and installation, as well.

[LeighP]

Very nice. I've never noticed the date coding info printed on the inside like that.