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69-70-71 Ram Air Foam Seals -> market price question

Discussion in 'Chassis restoration' started by ibis1969, Aug 18, 2024.

  1. ibis1969

    ibis1969 Member


    Matt-
    PM sent!
     
  2. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482

    here's a couple pics for clarity on what I am talking about.

    2 piece construction.. the foam, wrapped with a cloth material

    100_0991.JPG
    100_0993.JPG

    JW
     
    ibis1969 likes this.
  3. LSMS

    LSMS Lone Star Motorsports

    An observation and a question:

    Looking at the air pockets are in those original seals, the NOS seals pictured seem to be less dense and made from foam with larger air pockets. The foam in the NOS seals is also the wrong color.

    Jim, is the outer coating a cloth material or more of a rubber coating? It has been 40 years since I looked at any originals, but I thought I remembered it being a rubber-like coating that they had possibly dipped the foam in.
     
  4. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    These are the foams on my car. Original or repro?

    20231231_151443.jpg

    And the foams on GSX 571. Original or repro?

    003-stoldt-1970-buick-gsx-engine-overall.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

  5. VET

    VET Navy Vet, Founders Club

    I have repor's and they are dark gray all the way through.
    IMG_20240815_154617.jpg
     
  6. Redmanf1

    Redmanf1 Gold Level Contributor

    That car looks mostly original and I would use NOS ones. Thats me, it is one of the biggest things in your face when you open the hood.



    .

    IMG_20240227_204924354.jpg
     
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2024
  7. VET

    VET Navy Vet, Founders Club

    On Ebay, here is a set of ram air foam inserts.
    Only $500 bucks. ARE you kidding ME.....
    For 69,69 and 71 Buicks. 69???
    What happened to 72?
    These don't look right, because 71 has a different shape due to a emissions part, I believe. Vet

    upload_2024-8-20_5-45-22.png
     
    ibis1969 likes this.
  8. VET

    VET Navy Vet, Founders Club

    Forgot 70, and added 69 twice.
    My mistake. Vet
     
  9. flh73

    flh73 Gold Level Contributor

    My foams I got with the Stage 1 were like yours. I was wonder what version these are as well. Honestly I like these better then some of the new repops. They look more vintage for lack of a better term.
     
  10. hugger

    hugger Well-Known Member

    72 has the triangle seal for the driver side
     
  11. hugger

    hugger Well-Known Member

    These have the two 90° corners also...there were two designs...
     
    Brett Slater likes this.
  12. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Super Moderator Staff Member

    Here's an early build car from one of the magazine tests.

    The foam seals have the pointed corners I believe Ethan is referring to:

    IMG_4854.jpg
     
    VET and ibis1969 like this.
  13. Duane

    Duane Member

    Jason,
    The ones on your car and the other X you posted, as well as the ones on Vet’s car and the ones Redmanf1 posted are all reproductions, or are at least incorrect.

    You can tell the repros because they have a different exterior shape. Many/most of the reproductions have all 4 corners rounded and the thickness of the foam stays constant all the way around.

    If you look at the pic of the car in the article you can see the ones with the original shapes, which were made to completely cover the fiberglass pieces they were glued to.

    Those are the ones we look for when judging.

    Mark Reeves was the first guy to reproduce them in the correct shape, and I know someone else is doing them now. Mark’s were molded in that shape with the outside surface being “closed-cell” like the originals. I don’t know how the new ones are that are being done in the correct shape.

    The ones shaped correctly with the closed cell exteriors are what we look for as THAT was what was on the original cars…….and as far as judging, historically it made no difference wether they were repro or not, or were yellow or gray, as long as they were closed cell and of the correct shape.

    Now for you “survivor” guys you might want to look for some beat up originals.

    As to the price of the ones for sale they are hugely overpriced.
    Duane
     
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2024
    TimR and ibis1969 like this.
  14. dreeesh

    dreeesh Well-Known Member

    in my opinion they are repros that someone made thier own boxes for.sorry but thats my opinion...never saw nos boxes with labels that after 50 yrs werent the slightest bit faded....just sayin....even the staples were nice and shiny
     
  15. Duane

    Duane Member

    That could be true also, but if the ones being reproduced now in the correct shape are closed cell, then they should be absolutely fine for judging.

    Of course if some of you guys want to spend big bucks on “NOS” parts, that sometimes are still incorrect, and push your restorations into the $200,000 or above range, then have at it. (I did a whole article about NOS parts being wrong. I even titled it, “NOS parts, the agony continues.”)

    Are you guys buying the parts or the boxes?
    Duane
     
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2024
    TimR, VET, ibis1969 and 1 other person like this.
  16. 2.5

    2.5 Platinum Level Contributor

    Do we know who is making the correct ones now? I would like a few sets.
     
  17. dreeesh

    dreeesh Well-Known Member

    he goes by "ramairbri." on here......they are excellent !!!
     
    VET likes this.
  18. 2.5

    2.5 Platinum Level Contributor

    Thanks, I sent him a message.
     
    VET likes this.
  19. LSMS

    LSMS Lone Star Motorsports

    The foam in those seals looks correct to me, but the general consensus is that the rear corners should be sharp instead of rounded.

    I never paid enough attention to my original seals to observe if they had sharp edges. The magazine review articles from 1970 show sharp rear corners on the cars that were reviewed.

    Perhaps that was a mid-year production run change.
     
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2024
  20. cjp69

    cjp69 Gold Level Contributor

    I forgot to take more pics of mine last night, will try to remember to do so tonight!

    So what is the consensus on market value for a pair of these, as I will be selling mine soon.
     

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