68 Ram Air Firebird ??

Discussion in 'The "Other" Bench' started by WE1, Feb 4, 2007.

  1. WE1

    WE1 Well-Known Member

    A friend just purchased what is supposed to be a 68 Ram air 2 Firebird. Its rough, but fairly complete. I've checked engine casting numbers along with the heads. It isn't the stock Ram Air engine, but does have the original 4 speed trans. It has "62" heads, a QJ intake and a "XH" block with a L058 date code. As I understand it thats a 68 full size car 400 built Dec. 5, 1968. Is that right?
    I haven't found the rearend code yet. I looked on the drivers side tube about 6" from the pumpkin facing aft. It is a 10 bolt, with multi leaf springs, maybe they all had those :Do No:
    It does have the open scoops and they don't appear to have been massaged. And it has several holes on the underside of the hood where I'm thinking the pan screwed to. The entire center section under the scoops is open.
    It also has a hood tach. With a 5,500 rpm redline. If I understand it correctly Pontiac had three (short style) tachs with a 6,500 rpm redline for the OHC 6 cars, a 5,500 for the RA cars and a 5,100 for the others. Am I close?
    Any info. would be greatly appreciated.
    Thanks
     
  2. Rich Johns

    Rich Johns Platinum Level Contributor

    Dave
    Get your buddy to run PHS on the car, only way of trully knowing the pedigree of that bird.
     
  3. WE1

    WE1 Well-Known Member

    Thanks Rich:

    I'll google PHS and get some contact info. for him. Here's a couple photos I took yesterday. Thx again.
     
    Last edited: Nov 4, 2008
  4. furiousgoat

    furiousgoat Sold goat, bought Buick!

    I believe L= November, as the letter "I" was skipped to prevent confusion.

    The only numbers and codes I could find indicated that the XH and XZ blocks both put out 350hp(the highest hp rated 400 blocks for that year.) Those two blocks were only used on the Grand Prix and the GTO. The Grand Prix was rated at 10.5:1 comp. and the GTO 10.75:1 comp. I'm only guessing but I'd say that is a GP block.
     
  5. PaulGS

    PaulGS Well-Known Member

    My brother in law had a 67 Firebird with a Ram Air III 400 and a 4 speed.

    That car was stupid fast!
     
  6. darrenkp

    darrenkp Love that Torque!

  7. Rich Johns

    Rich Johns Platinum Level Contributor

    Dave
    Those pics are interesting.
    What is the build date on the firewall Body Tag?
    The reason I ask is it was not until the latter part of 68 that RA II GTO's and Birds recieved 96 Round Port Heads when RA option was ordered.
    Keep us posted on PHS and request the $ 10 extra for one day turn around from Jim Mattison
     
  8. WE1

    WE1 Well-Known Member

    Rich:
    I'm sending Ray the PHS contact info and will include Jim Mattison's name. Thanks for the input. Here's the cowl tag. Second week of October.
     
    Last edited: Nov 4, 2008
  9. WE1

    WE1 Well-Known Member

    This is getting interesting. Ray gets a phone call from the guy he bought the car from today. Says he can get all the original RA stuff for cash. The seller is a sketchy guy, and vague on many questions. But he says he has all of it in his garage. Seems he's hard up for cash. I told Ray to find out about the orig. block, heads and manifolds. We'll see what unfolds here. I'll forward as soon as I know. It would be great to save one more rare bird.
    Ray will be getting in touch with PHS also to track docs down. $45 well spent.
     
  10. ndrach

    ndrach Well-Known Member

    If you post this thread over on the the Performance years site you'll have all the help you need. There is a few RA2 firebird owners over there.Tell your friend to be prepared, Jim will try to buy the car off him.Please keep us posted as the details come in.If it's a real ra2 then your friend just stumbled on to one of the quickest and rarest Pontiac musclecars.With that build date it can't be a RA 1 to late in the year.
     
  11. oPh

    oPh Well-Known Member


    With a 10B date, don't you mean too early to be a RAII???

    RAII pieces were late in '68 Production. Years ago, I had a virgin set of '68 RAII Bird manifolds & an original 2506 block. They were both Exx8 dated.
    Currently have a pair of original RAII GTO manifolds, about to go on e-Bay.

    Got Posi?
    :3gears:
    Roger
     
  12. oPh

    oPh Well-Known Member


    FWIW, there is no rarer Q-jet to find than an original '68 Firebird RAI stick carb :shock: :shock:

    Got Posi
    :3gears:
    Roger
     
  13. ndrach

    ndrach Well-Known Member

    No, as I read this the car was built in October.There are ra 2's out there with paperwork that where built in the first week of june.
     
  14. ramair2

    ramair2 Member

    Can't be a 68 Ram Air II Firebird...

    guys i am a ram air II owner...friend from a pontiac site sent me to this post..

    few things..

    1. 10B is 1967 october build. so this car (if a ram air at all) is NOT, i repeat NOT, a roundport ram air II bird. It simply cant be. The 1968 production cycle ran from october 1967 through very early august 1968. ram air II production started in may of 1968 and ran through v early august of 1968. my ram air ii bird is an '06A' car (first wek of june 1968).

    2. now it COULD be a d-port ram air 1 bird..infact that shot of the underside of the hood does indeed look like very factory RA hood ive seen. small cutout on the passenger side is a dead giveaway. factory had to do this to make the (now missing) upper ram air pan fit...

    3. ram air 1 firebird is a very fast car and a very rare find. valuable too. however it is NOWHERE near as valuable or desireable as a ram air II. i just include this as any fyi when thinking value/pricing...that said if u can snag the original drivetrain from the past owner by all means its worth it to do so...

    4. yep the 7028277 ra 1 stick carb is nearly impossible to find!

    5. phs docs will solve this mystery...good luck!

    RA2

    PS there was a guy trying to fake a ram air II off on our site about 2 yrs ago..he/car was in Massachusets I believe..very shady. i think tht car was also an october 67 build?? cant remember every detail. he was basically run off the site! anyhow, just beware and make sure you get the facts down before cash goes anywhere! lol! :)
     
  15. WE1

    WE1 Well-Known Member

    Thank You RA2,

    Ray (the new owner) already bought the car. He paid $4,000 for it as it sits. Its a driver.......if you use your imagination. Needs a lot of attention. He is now waiting to hear back from the seller on if he can buy the RA parts. He says he has them all in his garage (RA pan, air cleaner, other various bits and pieces that I'm not sure of). The car has been in Washington state for at least 20 years according to DMV records.
    Several clues seemed to indicate it may be something other than a regular 'bird, like the holes in the framework on the underside of the hood and 5,500 rpm redline on the tach. Now that you point out the cutout on the pass. side, maybe he does have a real RA1 bird. That's why I put the question marks in the my original header as I don't know and thought I'd help Ray get some info. He's going to contact (if he hasn't already) PHS and hopefully he'll be surprised with the good news of a real RA1 bird. That would make his day. And if he can get the original RA parts for the car and maybe even track down the engine that would be icing on the cake.
    Thanks for your info, I knew we'd get the straight scoop from people in the know. Whatever the case I'll let you folks know the outcome.
    By the way, is there anything to the fact the redline is at 5,500 on this tach.....would that only come on real RA cars?
    Thanks again. :beer
     
  16. ndrach

    ndrach Well-Known Member

    Re: Can't be a 68 Ram Air II Firebird...

     
  17. ramair2

    ramair2 Member

    My car IS a ram air II. it was built during teh ram air II 'window...ie may - august 1968

    the car in question (pics etc from THIS link above) IS NOT a ram air II since it was built in october 1967..

    btw that tach 5500 has me scratching my head. dunno. i can tell you that ive owned several ram air 1 firebirds (all with hood tach) an every single one had teh std 5100 rmp redline..this is teh first ive seen with 5400! there is/was a ram air 4 gto convert with hood tach and it too ahd 5100 rpm...im not sure but its an ongoing controversy what PMD did.. maybe they used both indescriminantly?

    ps im a huge fan of the ram air II as well..imo, the RA II firebird id THEE fastest production pontiac ever made...yes im a bit biased but i have also owned ram air IV and SD455 cars and the ra 2 bird eats them all... :)
     
  18. ndrach

    ndrach Well-Known Member

    Maybe your cars tach quit working and the dealership replace it under warranty,With the one that's on it now:Do No:
     
  19. ramair2

    ramair2 Member

    actuialy my ram air 2 doesnt have a hood tach...just bench seat and 4speed (and 'deluxe' hubcaps!)..no ps no pb no power anything!...

    anyhow...i was referring to my previous ram air 1 cars with hood tach...the dealership replacement theory doesnt work since one of the cars i had..ram air 1 convert..had original paint 18k miles and 1 owner...untouched...it had the 5100 rpm redline...
     
  20. Dan K

    Dan K Well-Known Member

    Just for grins, please tell me what I need to setup my '67 Firebird to RAII specs. I am assuming heads and exhaust and ramair underhood treatment. We are beginning resto and rebuild, and I was going to open up the scoops, anyway. It is a totally stock YT code that runs GREAT, but I
    would like to make it scary fast. Thanks, Dan
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2007

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