1970 gto judge ram air IV

[Steve_Hoog]

Tom

Pretty cool attitude you got there. You do your own wrenching?

Steve

[tjs44]

I do some as times allows,I have Reath Automotive in LongBeach do my assm. on the motors.I have used Joe for almost 40 years on and off.WHEN and IF I retire I will do all my own work,just dont have time now.
AGAIN,any time anyone is in the so cal area,my cars are avail to see and to test drive.NO need to have them and not been seen and driven.Tom

[Steve_Hoog]

Is there anything already published about this alu. block? I'd like to know more about it. Is there a pic of it you can post?

[JoeC]

Since this seems to be a hot topic, I did a little research.

I remembered an article about a factory hot rod Judge but couldn't remember which mag. It took me 2 hrs but I found it.
test crew Milt Schornack, Dave Warren, Brian Ballish. Article gives preliminary info as; less then 1500 RA V will be built available in GTO and Firebird only, alu intake, Holley 800 el choke, deep grove pulleys, 3 1/2 in cast ex manifolds, steel flywheel, M22, hp rated at 380. Article has B&W pictures of a RA V in a car and here is what's interesting its says "photos by GM Photographic".
Are these pictures of a factory built RA V Judge?
What does this prove - nothing but looks like engineering had a test car which is no surprise. Raises questions though. Has this Judge been found? Was it marked "scrap" and given away? Is car in B&W photos same as test car? I don't know.
Article goes on to say test car is prototype rung out at Miami Dragway. Specs given wt 3640lbs, Doug Thorley headers, 4:88 gear, M21, Fenton Hustler wheels, 9" slicks, alu flywheel, heads were tweaked, ran 11.86 -116 mph. Milt had to launch it at 6500 rpm felt steel flywheel would provide lower ET said wanted to try Hyd cam. Writer Ro Gonegal said "If it was a Rat Hunter Pontiac wanted, thy've got it and more"
Good article - I wish Pontiac made at least 50 so it could have run in Super Stock.

[tjs44]

there were 5 blocks that got out of the factory,they were ALL rejects.I bought 2 of them,1 unmachined that I finnaly sold off as I could not get it done.The other was a huge undertaking as there was a casting void,7 perosity holes and a core shift that caused the lifter bores to blowout on one side when we bored them for bushings.I bet I have over $10000 in the block now.I do have pics but dont know how to post.As far as I know,it is the ONLY one running.There are 2 in AZ,Randy Williams has one and one that is in the east that was pictured in HPP a few years ago.I can email pics if someone can post.Tom

[Steve_Hoog]

Joe
Anyway you could scan that in an Adobe file so we can read it?

[MotownMadman]

Joe,
Somewhere in this thread it was mentioned that a Ram IV judge and a Ram V engine were shipped to Florida, the engine installed, car tested, engine removed and shipped back to GM. Since the testing was done at a Florida drag strip I would guess the article was discussing that car. Why would they use a Florida dragway for testing? My guess is when they wanted to test the car/engine combo it was winter here in Detroit. Scan back through this thread to see who posted about the Florida testing.
Thanks,
Motown [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img]

[Steve_Hoog]

Email it to me and I will be glad to post it. I think I may remember the HPP article.

[JoeC]

Tom - sounds like a cool engine. Hope you can get it together.
Lets see ...a alu RA V in a Firebird..... it may run almost as good as a ZL1 Camaro [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
(just kidding but it is a Chevy site)
Mo the test car was in FL.
The B&W pictures look like pro photos like you see done by internal GM photographer so maybe the B&W photos were done at GM because it says "photos by GM photographic"
just providing some input I don't have an opinion on if one escaped the factory or not.

[tjs44]

it is in the car and running.It put out 555HP@6100 on the dyno,plenty to go to the market.Tom