Q: Difference Between a 400 H.O. and Ram Air Firebird

Whats the difference between a 400 H.O. Firebird vs an identically equipped Ram Air Firebird?

A: Functional (cold air) ram air induction came on the 1969 RA III. 1968-1969 400HO cars did not have this. Besides this, they are 100% identical (ie ra III did NOT have a different carb settings, cam, heads, exhaust manifolds etc)

As I recently mentioned, if you wanted all the hardware and performance upgrades that the “Ram Air Performance Package” truely offered (i.e. cold air induction PLUS better flowing heads/stiffer valve springs, 3.90/4.33 rear, radical cam, stronger valvetrain, etc) you HAD to get the RA IV (not the RA III/400HO ) in 1969. In 1968, the RA I or RA II (and not the 400HO) had to be ordered.

Think of it this way…. RA III Firebirds (and Trans Ams for that matter) came with *Ram Air Induction* while RA I, RA II and RA IV ‘Birds and TAs came with a *Complete Ram Air Performance Package*

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