A buddy of mine brought up the question of what year did tunnel rams come popular on drag cars? He couldn't find any photos prior to 68 or 69 that showed tunnel rams on gasser or fx cars. If anyone knows the answer or has pics of BBC with a tunnel ram dated or documented prio to 68 let me see them. I would even like to see some catalog adds if you got them. I told him you guys have the answers. Let's see
The tall tunnel rams first came out in the tail end of '69 I believe. Bill the "grumpmaster" Jenkins (and others) had one in his big block '69 Camaro S/S car that became the predicessor (did I spell that right??) to the first Pro Stockers. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. I'm only 49 years old.
First tunnelram. I think this was the first tunnel ram car, from the late '50s. It is High & Mighty - the Ramchargers first racing car
That car came up in our conversation. And we know about Grumpy a d have found plenty of photos about his cars. But who did what between the Ramchargers shop built tunnel ram and the Grumps car?
The first 'true' tunnel ram was a factory Pontiac 421 Super Duty piece, built for doing battle in the stock car wars back in '63.
Lippy - Are you Carrol? Wether in Texas or in other Division 7 - no matter where I went for points would would be there to kick my ass! I ran a Fairlane in d & E Modified Production - only got past you a couple of times - then always had to face the Texiera Bros for Mod Eliminator...If it's you... how in the hell are you and what are you up to now? My sponsor was Ford Muscle Parts (ford SVO in those days)...I ;ve got some pictures of us going on at Amarillo, Beeline and Puallup somewhere - I'll dig em out of it's you.
After Pontiac Super Duty the first I know of is the Ridge Runner but that is still 68 maybe some time in 67 from what I've found myself. Others have claimed earlier... Something you may want to research are marine intakes, many are much taller and have a steeper carb plane due to the angles the engines were mounted at. With this you'll also find the Ram Charger style intake wasn't so much a clear cut first as many guys tried variations of it. * This one was on craigslist for $3000 "Vintage hotrod rat rod gasser blah blah blah"
The tunnel ram became pretty much a standard in drag racing probably in 1970. I remember seeing my first SBC and BBC the same year..... in 1969. Probably the first was the Ramchargers car pictuted in one of the above posts, but as regular standard use probably 1970.
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