1983 PONTIAC TRANS AM

25TH ANNIVERSARY DAYTONA

PACE CAR REPLICA


On-Demand Ram Air

The length of throw on the door lock motor is less than the throw on the factory solenoid.  After playing around with the set-up, I finally got the max available opening on the air flap.  I made sure the flapper was in a fully closed position with the motor in its "closed" position as I don't want any rainwater to get in the system.  This pic shows the motor in the closed position.

Here it is in the open position.

I wound up making the new swing arm out of 1/2" wide sheet brass stock.  I got it from the hardware store for less than two bucks.  Model shops also carry it.  It was about 10 inches long, and I only used less than 2" for the new arm.  I drilled the two holes just large enough to accommodate the different sizes of screw and wire.  I bent the corners of the arm so they stay in position on the original plastic arm (that was left on just for a spacer).  The collar with lock bolt is a radio control model item.  The wire is from a coat hanger.

On the actuator end I used a small brass stepped collar from another radio control part (a 90 degree "L" shaped control horn) to decrease the diameter of the hole so the wire would fit tighter.

Just a close-up of the way I mounted the motor to the ram air unit.  Two of these allow positioning the motor just about anywhere you need it so it will line up with the actuator arm.

I positioned the two relays on the inner fender wall just in front of the firewall (this is where I used to have my windshield washer pump).  I ran the wires for the switch thru the firewall beside the speedometer cable.  Now all I have left is to wire up everything.

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