1969 Crossram Z info needed.

[quick-bowtie]

I was reading an old article in a Chevy High Performance Magazine, That stated only Yenko, Baldwin Motion and Nickey where the only 3 places where you could buy a 1969 Z with a dealer installed X-ram saying that only those 3 dealers were able to buy the set-up?? It also says that only 190 car were converted.. Is there any truth to this?? couldnt any dealer order the crossram and install it?

[Salvatore]

I believe you could buy the X-ram and the headers over the counter. Why couldn't you? Maybe the 190 were the cars on record that these performance dealerships did. I am sure most were done in your neighborhood garages and Speed Shops. Not always sure how some of these magazines can make the statements they do.

[quick-bowtie]

I agree the magazines type what ever comes out of the story tellers mouth, but Ive heard the 190 figure once before and was just wondering if the story was true that only those dealers did the installs.. Doesnt make alot of sence to me other than maybe these dealers were offering done ready to go cars set-up this way.. so you didnt have to take the time to order the set-up and bring it to the shop to have it installed??

[Mr70]

If one parts counter could get it,other parts counters could get it.

[quick-bowtie]

Do you know if these dealers pre-prepped and Z cars with the X-ram before being sold then?

[Salvatore]

I am sure those dealers wanted to get your money for the install! Like Jenkins once told me that you could buy virtually almost anything from the dealers if you had a good salesman and knew what to ask for. If GM only tried to market that kind of performance amongst 3 or 4 dealers maybe that is why they are in such trouble today! I bet places like Scuncio and some of the Penske owned dealerships put out WAY more HI-PO parts and cars that was ever accounted for. My cousin worked at Mullin Motors in Ambler, Pa. from about 67 to maybe 1970. I would bet that many over the counter performance items were installed on the mechanics lunch breaks, and after hours. We used to hang out there. It was a couple miles from high school. The norm was no paperwork or paper trail in those days. It was called "off the record"

[quick-bowtie]

Is there a estimate on how many Origianl X-ram intakes where produced back in 69'

[Salvatore]

Does Winters Foundry keep a log book? Are they even still in business? I am not sure if the number of X-ram intakes produced in 69 has anything to do with the price of eggs.

[Stefano]

There was a guy who had advertised an X-ram for sale in Hemmings about 5 years ago. He still worked at the same dealership, as a parts man, where he ordered a Daytona Yellow Z28 and had to get his X-Ram "over the counter".

So yes, anyone could order one if you were in the know. I would surmise that a Hi-Performance parts operation such as Nickey Chicago sold more than a few.

[Salvatore]

I would say they sold their fair share. But I can hardly believe that their was much record keeping for that stuff back then.