How to assemble a 3rd Gen Ramcharger hood...with pictures!

[AKcharger]

Adding a Ramcharger hood to a 3rd Gen is arguably the coolest factory option there is. The good news is you can get parts, bad news is its gonna' cost you. Below is a breakdown what you can expect if you intend to put on one on

IMPORTANT NOTE: WHERE EVER POSSIBLE BUY USED ORIGINAL OR NOS PARTS!! So far I've went through 4 "new" actuators and 2 "new" switches...the repo stuff is CRAP!!

Find a hood! there out there but expect to pay a premium and have to source all the bits and pieces like I did

Prep of area around opening with Semi-gloss black (krylon1613) to match stripe and install stripe...yes this is a '71 black out, the '72 hard a larger blackout that has to be painted in using a stencil...I didn't feel like it, plus I thnk the '71 black out is smaller and cleaner. Oh, don't forget top seal!

Another seal for the airbox to hood and add airbox, box to air cleaner seal and flapper door/ They sell expensive kits for the airbox seal, I just went to Lowes and used stainless steel harware

On flapper door a few things: those side seals are a pain, have to install door BEFORE you install little decal and I did have to rig the door to the hinge, it was rubbing when it opened

Here's everything assembled. My cross frame already had nutplates installed for the door actuator but I could not find any SAE or metric bots to fit so had to drill them out. I was tempted to save some $$ and just get standard vacuum hoses but get the hose kit...its worth it

I always wondered what all those holes were for under the dash! The Switch and solenoid can be pricy I bought a new switch and a aftermartket electric vacuum solenoid that works fine for $20

Standard hood swap and alignment...paint match turned out...OK

Vacuum actuator cause some headaches. The 1st two I received were broke in shipping, they packed it in a box with some paper, it bounces around and breaks off the aft vacuum line, the 3rd worked for about 5 minutes and stopped working, PG classic was good about it and said they found a bad batch and sent me another one, turns out the rubber seal inside the actuator developed a hole...after 5 minutes of operation?? Well hope the 4th one works a bit longer

And the end result

[CDN72SE]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, been hoping someone would do something like this. Much appreciated. 

Not quite there yet myself

[AKcharger]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, been hoping someone would do something like this. Much appreciated.  

Sure thing Sir...I was amazed how little info there is on this hood and components

More pictures trying to fix the PB dump!

[CDN72SE]

True, I've been watching out for any info, I knew you were in the process of gathering parts and was hoping to learn from your experience. 

[AKcharger]

Ohhh, ohh Actuator #4 going bad. I called P&G and they said a new lot that should be good are due in sometime in Dec so for now, door inop. You'd think prisoners in those Chinese concentration camps/factorys would take more pride in their work!

[JB400]

Looks like the results turned out pretty good, minus the actuator.

[Nacho-RT74]

The most interesting on this is YOU GOT A DEALER REPLACEMENT HOOD! its a 73 kind ready for ramhood!

[AKcharger]

The most interesting on this is YOU GOT A DEALER REPLACEMENT HOOD! its a 73 kind ready for ramhood!

Well I think that's the best explanation. the hood itself is a mystery. Its a '73 but they didn't have Ramcharger hoods in '73. I'll admit to the possibility it was a "manufactured hood" but there is ZERO evidence of any metal work to graft in the door recess. Most queer is the factory nutplates welded to the cross frame for the actuator, not even my '72 hood had that, just the holes, so it seems it was a factory hood 

[Nacho-RT74]

I think it is somekind of replacement hood, thats all... Maybe searching around still can be found some printed/stamped PN and will match some collision PN. Maybe from lates 72 production

[AKcharger]

... Maybe searching around still can be found some printed/stamped PN and will match some collision PN. Maybe from lates 72 production

I'll look!

[justcruisin]

I have a ramcharger hood to fit to my 71, any idea on hood clearance using an aftermarket intake.

[AKcharger]

Good question!  I was concerned my Torquer intake would be too high but found it is only 1/8 inch higher than a stock cast iron and I didn't have any problems with fit. Also if you have a 383/400 you can gain about 3/8 of an inch by getting a 440 air cleaner pan

[AKcharger]

I think it is somekind of replacement hood, thats all... Maybe searching around still can be found some printed/stamped PN and will match some collision PN. Maybe from lates 72 production

Any Idea where the part # would be???

[Nacho-RT74]

I think it is somekind of replacement hood, thats all... Maybe searching around still can be found some printed/stamped PN and will match some collision PN. Maybe from lates 72 production

Any Idea where the part # would be???

can't recall

[CDN72SE]

It's a shame that your pics are gone, question for you; where did you buy your 71 blackout decal? I will be doing the same thing shortly.

Thanks, Alan.

[AKcharger]

It's a shame that your pics are gone, question for you; where did you buy your 71 blackout decal? I will be doing the same thing shortly.

Thanks, Alan.

I fixed 'em!
As for stripe I got mine from Phoenix graphics, but there are several suppliers. I had a guy up the road from me make the cowl stripe to match the existing side stripes

[AKcharger]

OK so what are my lessons learned after a year?
1) Mostly that repro parts are CRAP! 45 Y/O used parts are better than the BEST new parts!
2) If you can find a COMPLETE hood GET it!!!  Trust me you'll save money in the long run.
3) Unless you're looking for a car show, by pass all the stock vacuum hoses/switches/cans and run a vacuum line to an electric solenoid and one to the door. you'll save $300+ and it will work better (see below)

I love the hood but I NEVER got the air door to work right using the factory set-up, Well maybe for 5 mins after I put it all together the first time, but after that it would open a little bit or not at all. I had 18lbs of vacuum at manifold and 17.5 pounds after it went through all the hoses...wouldn't work. If I by-passed the whole set up and ran vacuum right to actuator it popped right up.  In my quest to make it work I went through:
- 4 "New" Actuators - the 5th one was from a '70 RR, THAT one works
- 2 NEW selector switches - 1st one had an audible "hiss" the second one didn't hiss but door still didn't work
- 2 NEW complete hose sets - I melted the 1st set in two places and cut and sliced it, my goof there. It looked to be fine but just in case I bought a second one and installed it...no difference
- 2 Accumulator cans - one new and one from the '70 RR...no difference

I ran a vacuum line to the electric cut-off solenoid (that's originally used in the vacuum switch on the dash) mounted it in the engine bay inside the "new" accumulator can. I wired it to an old rear window defrost switch which looks and operates identical to the vacuum switch. I then ran one hose from the solenoid to the "open" side of the door actuator...works like a champ every time, even at low idle. The close assist spring is more than enough to close the door and the "close" hose on the actuator is just for show it's not hooked up to anything.

[CDN72SE]

 

[AKcharger]

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