Hello, I was wanting to get opinions on which you would prefere and why. I like both ideas, using the ram air box from Air inlet systems in Ontario or the Stage 2 scoop. I have a GS400 that is built up and needs lots of air. So lets have those opinions which is better and why? What are the advantages of each and why? Thanks in advance. Ron
Either way you'll be cutting something up. Either a hood or your core support. From previous discussions, they both can give you about two tenths in the quarter. The scoop is going to be more obvious while a ram air box will be more "stealthy". If it were my car, I'd rather get another Skylark hood, cut it and paint it to match my car rather than cut into my core support. This is because core supports seem to be much more of a rarity than hoods. Besides, they look really cool. But if "keepin' in under the hood" is your thing, then go for the Ramair setup. Either way it's going to cost $200-300 to do it. I'll try and find the previous thread that has some good pics of the Ramair box setup. Here's the thread: http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4349&highlight=ramair Good luck. Phil
Ram Air Thanks Phil for the input. I am kinda leaning toward to stage 2 scoop as well. I know that it would look really mean.....LOL I only have my original GS hood. From what I have been able to measure with my set up of the high rise intake and the Holley carb I would not have enough room for the Ram Air intake. (I would want the 4" filter) Before I pulled my motor out I removed the intake and placed the new intake and carb on the motor and there was no way I could close the hood, this was with a 1.5" drop base 4 inch filter as well. Thanks again Ron
I have the Ram Air Box setup and like it very much.You can avoid cutting up the rad support by relocating the battery to the trunk,moving the horns a little and running air inlet tubes through the inner headlight buckets.Looks slick and saves destroying precious Buick bits.I find with good halogen lights the lighting with just the two is better than with the original four by far. No downsides except if you are using a Q-jet you will have to cut relief holes in the back of the airbox or fuel will spew from the carb.With a Holley there is no problem-you can leave the box intact.Rod
You can always check and see if a fibreglass hood is available to cut up, too. The factory ram air hood is kinda nice because if it rains, there's a place for water to go. Handy for when you wash the car, too. How's the cold air box in regard to this? Is there much provision for water management with the Stage 2 scoop?
Stage 2 Scoop Thanks for the input, I have not even thought about water management. Does anyone out there have any coments about that issue? I would love to have a flat fiberglass hood to use but a new glass hood is way out of my budget, and I can't find a used one anywhere. I would even settle for a pin on hood. My stock GS hood is perfect and I would rather use a fiberglass hood but I don't have much of a choice there. Thanks for all the help. Ron
'68 Ram Air How about making the stock '68 scoop functional? Buick actually produced a kit for this purpose "back in the day". It makes that decorative scoop on your '68 work like a cowl induction hood. The kits were used by racers like Pop Kennedy. The concept is to put a rubber duct from the cowl plenum into the back of your stock air cleaner. The duct is about 2" deep by 8" wide. You have to cut through both the inner and outer firewall to make it work. I don't have the original kit, just a copy of the instruction drawing. I took a rubber air cleaner duct from an early 80's Chevy van in the junkyard and modified it to fit. You also have to rotate the voltage regulator to make room for the duct. The instructions show a couple of holes through the air cleaner base for drainage in case of a hard rain. I did this on my '68 and the system works. It is better than the '69-'72 "suck air" systems that don't get any air due to the boundary layer of air that just sweeps over the inlets. The cowl area is a natural high pressure zone as the car moves along, forcing air into the air cleaner. My car actually runs better with the air cleaner on vs. removed. I picked up a couple of tenths on a mild, low 13 second car.
As to water management ,never had any trouble with the thru the headlights setup.Main reason is driving in the rain hardly ever happens.The car is enough of a skateboard in the dry.Seriously, the inlets run uphill and the hose material I use consists of aluminum dryer vent hose which is ribbed in terms of shape.With not too much speed in a downpour the ribbing and the uphill run tends to keep water from getting to the carb.Bugs are another story however.Rod
Ram Air Rod, thanks for the reply. Have you ever considered running some type of a pre screen on the trumpets? Can you e-mail me some pics of your motor under hood as well as close ups of where you run thru the lights. I would like to run the ram air but from what I can see and have measured there was not enough room to close my hood with the intake and the carb with the 1" spacer. Thanks Ron
Does anyone have links or phone # of a company that sells a stage 2 fiberglass hood for a 69' gs Mike
scoops Thanks everyone for the info so far. Now let see some pics of Stage 2 set-ups. I have seen many ram air set-ups thanks to all the good people on this BB. I would really like to see some of the Stage 2 set-ups. Espically the under hood area. Thanks Ron
Stage II in the rain I have a Postons fiberglass Stage II hoodscoop that I installed on my flat Skylark hood. It is not sealed up yet, but I made a scoop plug out of fire retardant foam. I stenciled the BUICK on there myself. :Brow: I do plan on sealing the carb to the hood, but I will make the front foam removable for the incidental rainstorm so that I can drive with my scoop plug in and still get airflow from the front grille.
Ron-I will try and get some pics for you but it may be a few days as I am away from home during the week.Screens would be a help re bugs but truthfully I was exagerating the problem!.As to hood clearance,if you are using a dual-plane intake and a 1" spacer I would think the 3"airbox with a 1.5" drop base will give you just enough clearance.I have a 4" airbox with the 1.5" drop base and no spacer and it all fits-just.Rod
