4th gen SS ram air setup? - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

hardline_42 · 09-08-2006, 07:41 AM

Does anyone have pics of the ram air setup on a 4th gen SS or TA? I'm finishing up my EFI 406 for my '81 camaro and I need to figure out how to route the air intake. I've got a Holley Stealth Ram and I'm trying to decide between a 78/79 ram air scoop setup (looks just like the 4th gen SS scoop) or a dual cold air setup with ram intakes by the chin spoiler. I like the look of the scoop but if I have one I want it to be functional so I need some ideas on how to set it up, since the TPI puts the intake further forward than a carb setup would. Thanks.

WildBillyT · 09-08-2006, 08:19 AM

Hard, just so you know, the lines of the 78/79 Camaro are such that even if you make the scoop functional by cutting it out you still won't get too much airflow into it. Back when I had my '78Z I was going to do this but I decided against it.

BonzoHansen · 09-08-2006, 08:49 AM

It would probably take some doing - the opening is too far back in the hood. You are welcome to come over and look at my hood - someone put a 78-79 hood on my 77. Bastards.

Idea: If you are relocating the battery, run it through the rad support there. Or maybe through the other side, if there is room.

hardline_42 · 09-08-2006, 09:09 AM

Bonzo and Bill, thanks for the info. I started a thread over on Nasty where I mentioned that I thought the scoop was too far back but it looks like the 4th gen ss camaros have the scoop in the same place. Bonzo, I think we're thinking along the same lines on the cold air setup. If I go that route I'm relocating the battery and charcoal canister so I can put a couple of sealed airboxes and route some 4" ducts with K&N cones into them. Then I'll run some ducts from the airboxes into the lower grill for a cold/ram air effect. I just wanted to have a scoop setup so that if in the future I want to get rid of the TPI plenum and go with dual 4bbl throttle bodies I can have a functional scoop.

qwikz28 · 09-08-2006, 09:14 AM

the SS scoop on the camaros actually sweep around the engine and feed it through the front.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/98-02...28241139QQrdZ1

look at the second picture in the description. see how it feeds air through the middle and sweeps around to the front? our cars have bottom feeding intake lids by the nose of the car. good luck and let us know what you do!

BonzoHansen · 09-08-2006, 09:25 AM

Where you going to put the Char Canister??

hardline_42 · 09-08-2006, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwikz28

the SS scoop on the camaros actually sweep around the engine and feed it through the front.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/98-02...28241139QQrdZ1

look at the second picture in the description. see how it feeds air through the middle and sweeps around to the front? our cars have bottom feeding intake lids by the nose of the car. good luck and let us know what you do!

That's an interesting way to do it. And I could fab it onto a fiberglass hood for sure. The only question is, is it worth it? Bill touched on this but, how big would the scoop need to be for enough air flow. Also, this will be my daily driver and my commute consists of 539 to the Parkway to the AC Expressway so I'm doing an average of 75 - 80MPH the whole way, enough for the ram effect to be beneficial, I think.

hardline_42 · 09-08-2006, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BonzoHansen

Where you going to put the Char Canister??

Good question. If not on the same fender behind the wheel well then, would there be a problem mounting it in the trunk opposite the battery? Kind of a long way for gas fumes to have to travel so I'll have to research that one.

BonzoHansen · 09-08-2006, 09:43 AM

Daily Driver? Careful of your design - your engine will not like rain in it.

BonzoHansen · 09-08-2006, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hardline_42

Good question. If not on the same fender behind the wheel well then, would there be a problem mounting it in the trunk opposite the battery? Kind of a long way for gas fumes to have to travel so I'll have to research that one.

I understand the LS1 cars have them under the car by the tank (you need to verify this) – of course it has solenoid controls. If your EFI setup will control it, maybe a retrofit could be in order.

hardline_42 · 09-08-2006, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BonzoHansen

Daily Driver? Careful of your design - your engine will not like rain in it.

I'll need some kind of drain in the ducting.

JL8Jeff · 09-08-2006, 09:53 AM

The 96/97 LT1 SS cars used a different air intake setup then the LS1 SS cars. It wraps around to the front of the engine and a similar setup might work for you. The 4th gen cars have the charcoal cannister back near the gas tank in the quarter panel area. You could probably retrofit that setup.

hardline_42 · 09-08-2006, 10:25 AM

Jeff, thanks for the info. That setup looks perfect and I can keep my cowl induction scoop.

Tru2Chevy · 09-08-2006, 10:57 AM

Here's a better shot of the 98-02 SS hoods:

The area in black on the underside of the hood is where the air travels.

- Justin

JL8Jeff · 09-08-2006, 06:25 PM

I wouldn't call either one ram air, but it's as good of a cold air intake as anything else. Plus, it's pretty cool to make it functional as long as it doesn't risk damage to your engine from rain.

hardline_42 · 09-08-2006, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JL8Jeff

I wouldn't call either one ram air, but it's as good of a cold air intake as anything else. Plus, it's pretty cool to make it functional as long as it doesn't risk damage to your engine from rain.

Well, I won't be using it in a ram setup. I would keep the 81 cowl induction scoop but instead of the round carb air cleaner sticking through the hood, I'll have an airbox. All I really needed to see were some ducting ideas.

BonzoHansen · 09-08-2006, 09:51 PM

The LT1 setup might be a better starting point. It will be a tight fit, no matter what you do.

V · 09-09-2006, 01:37 AM

..maybe it not what you wanna consider, but perhaps look into the 82-83 crossfire f-body cars. The camaros and birds both had functional hood air intake setups, with a vacuum controlled door. Maybe that will give you just more ideas to work with or easier to modify.

BonzoHansen · 09-09-2006, 08:46 AM

They were controlled by a solenoid, not vaccum, at least the Pontiac. I have a setup in the garage.

hardline_42 · 09-09-2006, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokingSS

..maybe it not what you wanna consider, but perhaps look into the 82-83 crossfire f-body cars. The camaros and birds both had functional hood air intake setups, with a vacuum controlled door. Maybe that will give you just more ideas to work with or easier to modify.

How did these work? Any pics of the setup?

hardline_42 · 09-09-2006, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BonzoHansen

The LT1 setup might be a better starting point. It will be a tight fit, no matter what you do.

I'm not starting with the actual airbox from an LT1, just a similar setup. I'll probably make an aluminum box to sit on top of the plenum (need to know how much hood clearance to determine the max height of the box) with a 14" air cleaner assembly and x-stream lid on top of it (that would be sticking out of the hood into the cowl) and ducts running from the bottom of the box and looping into the throttle body. I'd probably use the stock '81 cowl door assembly to open and close the scoop.

V · 09-09-2006, 10:58 AM

heres a link to an ebay auction thats selling the plastic induction piece from a trans am. on those cars the power buldge hood had the rear cowl induction opening. The square opening would fit flush(when hood was closed) on top of the air cleaner unit, in which 2 seperate paper element filters were held(2 since crossfire had dual tbi units.)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/82-83...QQcmdZViewItem

BonzoHansen · 09-09-2006, 10:35 PM

Yup, that is what is in my garage.