With 326 cfm intake flow and...
With 326 cfm intake flow and a moderate roller cam, the 464-cubed engine delivers what the owner desired-lots of power and trouble-free operation.
The No. 44 Ram Air V heads received no port work, but did get a four-angle valve job. They were also fitted with 2.19 intake and larger-than-stock 1.77 exhaust DCI Severe-Duty valves; Comp cams 10-degree chrome-moly retainers and keepers; Viton positive valve seals; Comp valvesprings with 220 in-lb seat and 575 in-lb open pressure at 1.950-inch installed height; and Comp cams 3/8x9.350-inch pushrods. On DCI's Superflow 600 flow bench, the ports flowed 326 cfm intake and 219 exhaust at 0.600 lift and 28 inches of pressure.
Air and fuel are combined by a Holley 800 cfm Double Pumper carb on a 3/4-inch spacer and the mixture is dispersed to the heads via a stock R/A-V intake. A GM points distributor was fitted with a Pertronix unit for maintenance-free operation, and spark is delivered through ACCEL 8.8mm wires to Autolite 85 plugs. Total timing is 32-degrees, all in by 2,500 rpm.
Since R/A-V exhaust manifolds are even tougher to find than the heads, Don built a set of custom headers for the project that feature 2-inch primaries and 3.5-inch collectors. The remainder of the system is comprised of 3.00-inch pipes with MagnaFlow mufflers.
Regarding the engine combination Don says, "John wanted the most power, while retaining streetability on pump gas, and he wanted to be able to drive it all over the country without overheating. That's why I used a hydraulic roller cam and the dished pistons, and so on."
Behind the potent engine now sits a Centerforce clutch, an M22 transmission and a 3.55-geared Safe-T-Track. In an effort to balance the go power with whoa power, an 11-inch drilled-and-slotted rotor Baer four-wheel disc brake system with single-piston calipers was installed.
Back in the engine compartment, there was still considerable work to do regarding adding A/C to an R/A-V headed engine. Abe says, "All of the brackets were designed by me and made by a local machine shop. Though there are accessory holes in the heads, they are not for A/C. We made brackets to use those holes for attachment points and it cost about $2,600, thanks in part to the 50 hours of labor to do it." Don designed the headers to go around the A/C brackets and the crank pulley from the 400 was mated to the R/A-V balancer to allow the installation of the belt to run the A/C compressor.
The Result
With a Starlight Black/Parchment interior numbers-matching '69 Judge convertible and a '99 Firebird already in the Moauro stable, John isn't short on great Pontiacs to drive, but when he wants to feel the power of 464 cubes being fed through those R/A-V tunnel ports, this is his ride of choice. He relates, "My GTO turns a lot of heads. I just love driving it. With the R/A-V it has tons of tire-smoking power, yet I'm able to drive it anywhere. And, with the addition of the rear sway bar that came with this car, it corners well, too."
Though this isn't a project for the faint of heart or light of wallet, John has accomplished his goal. He now has a '69 GTO that blends the elements of a legendary race-engine program with modern technology and building procedures to create a combination that is actually driveable on the street and is full of executive comforts to coddle the occupants. John wanted everything in his GTO convertible, and it appears that he got it.
Here is the engine at DCI...
Here is the engine at DCI Motorsports prior to installation.The 44 code is between the center exhaust ports and the big oil pan is there to protect the investment.
The GTO was loaded with options...
The GTO was loaded with options when John bought it, further lending the project to the Gentleman's hot-rod theme. Note the wood wheel, console, and Rally gauges with hood tach. Power actuation was added to the passenger seat as well, by John's mechanic, Abe.
That's John in the passenger...
That's John in the passenger seat. Abe is driving. John's mandate to engine builder Don Johnston at DCI Motorosports was to build him an R/A-V that he could drive across country without a problem.