FOR YOU PONTIAC DUDES, 70 GTO RAM AIR 4 PICS

[MultiMopars]

WHOA!!

It is hard to determine tone with the written word. Sorry that you interpeted it this way, that was not my intent.

I have been around these old cars for 40 years. I am trusting my memory for this car from 30+ years ago. It is water under the bridge to me as the car is long gone and really makes no difference to me just as with all the others I have owned.

Regarding the color, it MAY have been the same color as the other one I was directed to. Unfortunately I am colorblind and see color differently than those who are not. The way I remember preceiving this car was a darker blue but that doesn't mean it really was. My wife can tell you we have had many arguements about colors over the years.

[68 Vert]

FWIW, if it was a Judge 'Vert, 455, 4sp and it was blue, it was a '71, car #16.

AFAIK, there were no 4sp, 455, Judge 'vert's built in '70, only auto trans cars (3).

Back to the topic RA IV, Rich, do you know if it came with a 4.33 rear?

[Mr. Chevy]

[ QUOTE ]
FWIW, if it was a Judge 'Vert, 455, 4sp and it was blue, it was a '71, car #16.

AFAIK, there were no 4sp, 455, Judge 'vert's built in '70, only auto trans cars (3).

Back to the topic RA IV, Rich, do you know if it came with a 4.33 rear?

[/ QUOTE ]

I know this car of my friend's does not have a steep gear like the 4.33 I think he said it has a 3.90 gear in it...

Rich

[68 Vert]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
FWIW, if it was a Judge 'Vert, 455, 4sp and it was blue, it was a '71, car #16.

AFAIK, there were no 4sp, 455, Judge 'vert's built in '70, only auto trans cars (3).

Back to the topic RA IV, Rich, do you know if it came with a 4.33 rear?

[/ QUOTE ]

I know this car of my friend's does not have a steep gear like the 4.33 I think he said it has a 3.90 gear in it...

Rich

[/ QUOTE ]

3.90 is the standard RAIV gear w/4.33 being an option.

Very nice car and I'm sure an absolute blast to drive.

[markjohnson]

These numbers-matching Ram Air IV, 4-speed Pontiac GTO's and T/A's are EXTREMELY rare due to the fact that a missed gear with cast-iron connecting rods usually had disastrous consequences. Every single Small and Big Block Chevy had forged connecting rods and it's a shame that Pontiac skimped in the rod department. It sure would have been nice if they had released those famous SD 455 Forged rods just a few years earlier. It would have saved some rare Pontiacs!Hey, does anybody know the story about the theft issue that occured with these forged SD 455 rods when they were released. They were big news and demand was high.

[flyingn]

so true., I grew up with a friend who had a 70 RA IV Judge 4 speed and sure enough one night on the Roosevelt blvd in NE Philly he scattered the motor.. That was about 1977 or so. Car was only 7 years old and had no more then 40k miles on it


[ QUOTE ]
These numbers-matching Ram Air IV, 4-speed Pontiac GTO's and T/A's are EXTREMELY rare due to the fact that a missed gear with cast-iron connecting rods usually had disastrous consequences. Every single Small and Big Block Chevy had forged connecting rods and it's a shame that Pontiac skimped in the rod department. It sure would have been nice if they had released those famous SD 455 Forged rods just a few years earlier. It would have saved some rare Pontiacs!Hey, does anybody know the story about the theft issue that occured with these forged SD 455 rods when they were released. They were big news and demand was high.

[/ QUOTE ]

[StealthBird]

[ QUOTE ]
These numbers-matching Ram Air IV, 4-speed Pontiac GTO's and T/A's are EXTREMELY rare due to the fact that a missed gear with cast-iron connecting rods usually had disastrous consequences. Every single Small and Big Block Chevy had forged connecting rods and it's a shame that Pontiac skimped in the rod department.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ummmm....that's hardly the reason so few RAIV's exist today. RAIV cars (Firebird or Trans Am) were produced in far fewer numbers (I listed the production figures earlier) than the LS6, Stage 1, or W-30. And the Stage 1 and W-30 continued past 1970, the RAIV did not, so the ratio of 1969-1970 RAIV cars to 1970-1972 Stage 1 or W-30 is about 5 to 1.

[njsteve]

[ QUOTE ]
These numbers-matching Ram Air IV, 4-speed Pontiac GTO's and T/A's are EXTREMELY rare due to the fact that a missed gear with cast-iron connecting rods usually had disastrous consequences. Every single Small and Big Block Chevy had forged connecting rods and it's a shame that Pontiac skimped in the rod department.

[/ QUOTE ]

That goes double for the 455HOs! -big cube, oversquare motors with a low rpm redline. The first thing I did when I pulled the original 445HO out of the T/A was to toss the original cast rods in the corner. I bought a set of Eagle forged rods and used them instead. I was completely amazed that the engine lasted 114,000 miles with the original cast rods and a four speed.

[al8apex]

[ QUOTE ]
These numbers-matching Ram Air IV, 4-speed Pontiac GTO's and T/A's are EXTREMELY rare due to the fact that a missed gear with cast-iron connecting rods usually had disastrous consequences. Every single Small and Big Block Chevy had forged connecting rods and it's a shame that Pontiac skimped in the rod department. It sure would have been nice if they had released those famous SD 455 Forged rods just a few years earlier. It would have saved some rare Pontiacs!Hey, does anybody know the story about the theft issue that occured with these forged SD 455 rods when they were released. They were big news and demand was high.

[/ QUOTE ]

talk about getting way off track of the original post but ...

I was working at Pontiac from the summer of 71 through 74 as a General Motors institute student. 6 weeks of work at the plant then 6 weeks of school in Flint.

The SD assembly area had to have a cage built around it because of all the parts "disappearing" ...

they finally installed metal detectors on the ramp to the plant but a lot of people had other ways of getting around it (them?)

One burly plant electrician bragged to me how he had a complete engine at home that he had taken out a part at a time ... the block too he used a sling to hang it from his shoulders and took it out in the winter ... he was a BIG guy (in all directions) and wore one of those winter coats that goes down to your shoes, like the cowboys wear in Montana ... I think they are called slicks ... regardless, he was happy to brag to a kid in college how he had taken home stuff all the time. People had SD parts from back in the early 60's, one guy said he had the aluminum front end, all taken out a part at a time ...

I was amazed that GM could make any money on their cars with all the slacking and stealing that was done ...

[RM Schimel]

[ QUOTE ]
These numbers-matching Ram Air IV, 4-speed Pontiac GTO's and T/A's are EXTREMELY rare due to the fact that a missed gear with cast-iron connecting rods usually had disastrous consequences. Every single Small and Big Block Chevy had forged connecting rods and it's a shame that Pontiac skimped in the rod department. It sure would have been nice if they had released those famous SD 455 Forged rods just a few years earlier. It would have saved some rare Pontiacs!Hey, does anybody know the story about the theft issue that occured with these forged SD 455 rods when they were released. They were big news and demand was high.

[/ QUOTE ]


Yes, the bottom end of the Pontiac engine was always prone to breakage. That being said it also makes a numbers matching RAIV car all that more desirable. RM