By James McCarter
LA VIEW Publisher
Jeff Bourcier has a thing for 1969 Pontiacs.More specifically, he has a particular fondness for 1969 Pontiacs with Ram Air IV engines.

He bought his first brand new in 1969, a Ram Air IV GTO which he raced in a variety of configurations for many years.He still has that one.

Later, he acquired a 1969 GTO Judge, a limited edition goat that is also powered by the Ram Air IV (we’ll come back some other time and write about that one).

In 1980 he stumbled across another rare Pontiac that fit nicely with his collection of high-powered wide tracks, a 1969 Trans Am.

“It was in pretty good shape,” says Bourcier.‘The only thing I had to do was install the correct RAM Air IV engine block. Otherwise this is an untouched car.” In the 1970s, the second-generation Firebird was the foundation for the Trans Am that became widely known for its distinctive shaker hood scoop.

But for a short time before that, the Trans Am was built on a first-generation Firebird platform. It was introduced late in the year, and therefore only 697 units were sold.

The first Trans Am was introduced in mid-1969. It was listed as the WS4 option package for the Firebird. The WS4 Trans Am package cost $725 over a base V-8 Firebird and included the 400-cubic-inch Ram Air III engine, 3.55:1 Safet-T-Trak rear axle, heavyduty suspension with front and rear stabilizer bars, power front disc brakes, variable-ratio power steering with three-spoke wood-grain wheel, a unique hood with functional scoops, functional front fender vents, a big rear wing and assorted other trim items.

The base engine produced about 335 horsepower.

The new high-performance package got off to a rough start. Pontiac lifted the name Trans Am from then-popular race series sponsored by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA).When threatened with a lawsuit, General Motors agreed to pay the SCCA $5 per unit.

Further controversy erupted when the press hammered Pontiac for naming the car after a race series in which it could not compete. The SCCA rules for Trans Am race cars limited the engine size to 305 cubic inches. Pontiac engineers experimented with a destroked 400, but they just couldn’t get it to produce the power needed to compete with the 302-powered Mustangs and Camaros. Besides, the marketing people at Pontiac wanted to take advantage of America’s thirst for horsepower and there was no better way to supply it than more cubic inches. So while the press railed on the car, by the middle 1970s, it became one GM’s best selling high-performance packages.

Bourcier’s car has a manual 4-speed Muncie transmission. In 1969 the Trans Am was available in only one color, Cameo White.

The Ram Air IV engine package makes the car even more special. It was optional and cost just over $200. The 400 cubic inch engine had four-bolt mains, an armored steel crankshaft, forged pistons, bigger push rods and semi-solid lifters. The intake manifold was aluminum.

The Ram Air IV engine was in the cylinder heads. They had special oval exhaust ports that produced significantly more horsepower. Pontiac lists the output at 345 horsepower, but it’s known that the engine was detuned for insurance purposes.

The same engine was listed as 370 hp when sold in a GTO.With some slight adjustments to the carburetor, it could generate the same power as the GTO version.

The combination of the Ram Air IV engine and the fourspeed manual transmission make the car even more special: There were only 48 built with that configuration.

Bourcier had parked his Trans Am for over 10 years. Last year, after being urged by friend Bob Van Sickle, he fired up the old bird and took it to several cruises, including the Woodward Dream Cruise.

“It was great to get it out again,” said Bourcier.

Now Bourcier and his wife, Donna, take the car out regularly during the summer months.

If you know of an interesting automobile please contact Jim McCarter by e-mail at jmccarter@laview.net or call (810) 245-9343.

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