It continues to blow us away when stuff like this bubbles up on the internet and it happens every freaking week. You are looking at a set of unused Ram Air IV heads and a never used one-off, specially built Hilborn fuel injection system from stacks to pump! This is really amazing stuff and if you are a true Pontiac lover, it is unobtanium, basically.
The Ram Air IV engines were really healthy and along with the round port heads, lighter aluminum intake manifold, better flowing exhaust manifolds, the engine got increased valve lift due to the use of a different rocker arm ratio as well. The 400ci engine was factory rated (underrated) at 370hp and 445 lb/ft of torque. Having driven a GTO with this engine in it, we can tell you that those numbers are pretty laughable. It isn’t like the thing was going to run down a top fuel dragster but for a reasonably heavy car, it moved out with great alarm and would burn the tires for as long and as hard as you wanted them to.
Factory Ram Air IV cars bring stupid money at auction. Why? Over the span of a couple years, only about 1800 cars were produced at the factory with this particular combo. Available in GTOs, Firebirds, and Trans-Ams not many people sprung for the option. The allure of 455ci over 400 may have been one of the reasons but we’re guessing the price for the package was also a turnoff for guys looking to score as cheap a muscle car as they could. Discerning buyers were rewarded with a killer car that could hold its own with virtually anything else on the street at the time.
The fuel injection system is another kettle of fish. A one-off Hilborn unit with 2″ stacks that was made to fit these particular heads. The whole program is so complete it even comes with the letter from Hilborn taking on the project to make the stuff work, apparently by adapting Oldmobile stuff! This is not a pile of parts this is the real deal.
eBay: Incredible NOS Ram Air IV heads with one off Hilborn Injection!
this would be a killer set up on a gasser or a lakester … not good for much else
421 Ponch on Alky…. Running in SEGA in a early Tempest
68-71 went to HS with a kid who’s dad owned the local GM dealer
He would drive what ever he wanted off the lot -used to take a 70 Judge
GTO to school – some really nice burnouts were done on the way home ..
The Hilborns sticking out of the hood of a Judge would be cool ….
“living” proof that Pontiac was as thick in the muscle car game as well as anyone else.
A Ram Air IV 400 took no crap from any other engine at the same displacement – no matter who’s.
Just an incredible find, the heads themselves would be a treasure, throw in the injection and it’s like hitting the lottery.
The heads will quadruple the cool factor of any Pontiac and ramp power way up without going to aftermarket heads.
A REAL old school tuner with a few tricks up their sleeve could make the mechanical injection streetable, or a blend between modern engine management and the injection would be excellent drivability with awesome visuals!
Effing COOL!