When it comes to pinnacle factory performance parts from Pontiac, we all kind of default to the Super Duty engines that were installed in those short number of Trans Ams in the early 1970s and those were bad ass mothers but the reality is that the Ram Air V program would have been the end-all be-all factory performance engine but it never made it that far. Yes, these parts were available in limited quantities over dealership counters, some 80-200 400ci engines were built with Ram Air V top ends, along with a short run of 366ci and 303ci race engines.

The Ram Air V is a tunnel port head that has ports so large that the pushrods run right through them. Designed to make power to the stratospheric (for a Pontiac) upper 6,000 RPM range, they were bad mothers and supposedly moved more air than a hemi head. Because of their value and limited number they are not often seen out in the wild. Until today!

This engine came out of a race car and that makes it pretty great because how many guys do you know running naturally aspirated low 9s with an iron headed Pontiac engine?! This thing makes some smoke for sure and if you are a die-hard Pontiac performance enthusiast we think you should drool on this lump a little. Can you go to an aftermarket company and score improved, modernized versions of these heads? Sure. Would they be as cool as these iron wonders from a pure gearhead point of view? Impossible. They just can’t be.

This engine is equipped with a Ram Air V 400 intake manifold as well. The casting numbers are right there in front of God and everyone to see. This is a cool engine and the fact that it is big, and iron, and gnarly powerful makes it all the better!

eBay: This Ram Air V Headed Pontiac engine is a real thumper – iron headed performance!