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The more brands of parts you have in it, the more AMC it is.
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Sep 25, 2023 03:47
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| # ? Jun 10, 2024 07:28 |
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I have been able to get some more work done the last few weeks, things are still moving slow but I'm making progress.    I had to make a L bracket to relocate the pivot on the Z-bar for the clutch linkage. Since I'm using a late model AMC/Jeep bellhousing the pivot mounting location was wrong. (It would normally bolt directly to the bellhousing)The other end of the Z-bar mounts in the strut rod bracket so that end couldn't be relocated. I set the clutch pushrod adjustment and verified that the clutch would release and had proper free play.    Transmission installed with a shortened driveshaft and a slip yoke swap to match the T-5. Had to extend the mounting surface of the cross member with some 1/4 inch plate. The transmission mount is for a 69 Mercury Cougar but it fits the transmission perfectly and has the correct height I needed for the driveshaft angle. I'm fairly sure the modification work is about done, I won't weld in the transmission mount plate extension until I have been able to test drive the car and make sure the positioning is OK. I hope to have it running and be able to move under its own power by the end of November.
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Oct 29, 2023 04:03
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hell yeah more amc content. how much work was the T5 swap? i didn't know you could use the ford transmission. on the T10, the bolt pattern is different.
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Oct 29, 2023 09:14
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Swiller of Beer posted:Not much of an update, was finally able to get some free time to put some work in. I forgot to take pictures so there is only a couple of them.
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Oct 29, 2023 19:21
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Raluek posted:hell yeah more amc content. how much work was the T5 swap? i didn't know you could use the ford transmission. on the T10, the bolt pattern is different. It wasn't too bad, I used an AMC/Jeep multi fit bell housing (AMC part number 3229127), and a clutch kit and release fork from a 77 CJ7 to make it work. You need a Ford t5 with a 7.18 inch long input shaft. You also need the Jeep t5 input shaft bearing retainer (Jeep part number 8134013) to fit the hole in the bellhousing. And I also used a slip yoke for a Mustang (Spicer part number 2-3-8251x) and had the driveshaft shop install it on the driveshaft when I had it shortened. And like I said before I had to work up a transmission mount and deal with the Z-bar.
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Oct 29, 2023 20:36
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Still here, still working on this when I have free time.    Cleaned up the distributor, replaced the points and condenser. Verified the mechanical and vacuum advance are free and working. I will probably convert the distributor over to electronic ignition sometime in the future but I actually like points. My first car had points, it's a nostalgia thing I guess. I'll just have to keep a spare set and condenser in the glovebox like the old days. Replaced the exhaust flange studs on the exhaust manifolds before installing them. Deleted the frozen heat riser. I didn't get any pictures of installing the manifolds but the drivers side sucks to do in the car, there's no way to get to the bolts without removing the steering column. Next time they go in with the engine. The biggest issue at the moment is finding a fuel pump that is not poo poo. I installed a brand new Carter only to have it start leaking fuel from the weep hole immediately. After doing some research it seems all the AMC mechanical pumps are garbage nowadays so I might have to go electric. Ugh.
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Jan 3, 2024 02:49
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If you want electronic ignition, Ford Duraspark II is easy to install and dead simple.
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Jan 3, 2024 04:18
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Salami Surgeon posted:If you want electronic ignition, Ford Duraspark II is easy to install and dead simple. I actually have an AMC duraspark distributor, harness and module on the shelf. I could also swap to a big cap HEI distributor but those are ugly. I like the look of the old Delco distributor plus the sliding window in the cap makes setting points easy with a dwell meter. In the end I will probably convert the Delco distributor to electronic ignition eventually.
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Jan 3, 2024 04:45
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Swiller of Beer posted:The biggest issue at the moment is finding a fuel pump that is not poo poo. I installed a brand new Carter only to have it start leaking fuel from the weep hole immediately. After doing some research it seems all the AMC mechanical pumps are garbage nowadays so I might have to go electric. Ugh. yeah from what ive read, this is the unfortunate truth. you either find an old original one that's supposedly rebuildable, or convert to electric, or spend multiple hundreds on a fancy aftermarket one (robbmc). the new production stock replacement ones ive heard nothing but problems.
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Jan 3, 2024 05:30
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Raluek posted:yeah from what ive read, this is the unfortunate truth. you either find an old original one that's supposedly rebuildable, or convert to electric, or spend multiple hundreds on a fancy aftermarket one (robbmc). the new production stock replacement ones ive heard nothing but problems. I'm probably going to go electric if this next pump fails, the robbmc pump is pricey and a bit overkill for a 304. I have a GMB pump ordered which is supposedly made in South Korea and some people say it may have better build quality. It's worth a shot anyways. If it works out I'll order a spare to keep in the trunk just in case.
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Jan 4, 2024 01:39
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Slowly we continue on.    Got the accessories figured out, I updated the alternator and power steering to the late model setup so I could use a Delco alternator instead of the externally regulated Motorola. Plus the new alternator is a 61 amp unit vs the old 40 amp unit. It also simplifies the wiring quite a bit and parts are much easier to come by if I need to replace anything. I will say AMC has one of the dumbest and complicated accessory bracket designs I have ever seen for a vintage car.
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Feb 6, 2024 14:53
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__2E4pQ1V-k Finally up and running. Took it for a short drive and didn't have any issues as of yet. Going to start on fabricating the exhaust next week if I have time.
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Mar 27, 2024 12:59
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   I completed the exhaust over the weekend, I don't have any pics or videos because I'm lousy about remembering to take them. I used one of those cheap mandrel bent cut it yourself kits from eBay for the pipes and a pair of turbo mufflers with turndowns. Fairly simple to build and a lot cheaper than the exhaust shops around here wanted for the job. Since the car was up on jack stands I'm going to go ahead and start on replacing the rear leaf springs. The left rear has lost it's arch and I have a new set that I bought a while ago gathering dust so I'm just going to get it over with. I'll replace the rear shocks and the parking brake cables while I'm there so I can stop using a concrete block as my parking brake. That'll be nice. The only things left to do under the car once the springs and cables are done is replace the fuel sender in the tank, finish the install of the inline electric fuel pump (after 3 straight junk new mechanical fuel pumps I give up) and service the rear axle. At that point the car will be as reliable as I can make it and hopefully I can make it farther than the seven miles I made it the first time I drove it two years ago.
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May 7, 2024 01:33
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That shifter is great. Oh, and the pro move is a harbor freight rubber chock block with about 6 feet of rope tied to it. That way you can string the rope in through your window, drive off the block a little and anchors aweigh, capn!
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May 7, 2024 07:11
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Another fun weekend of AMC car repair! In this week's episode we focus on the rear suspension.      Replaced the rear springs, shocks and parking brake cables. Springs were upgraded from three leaves to four leaves. Cleaned and painted the shackles, shackle mount, upper shock mount and the spring retainers using a high quality painting facility (the tree by the garage). Per the AMC rulebook, something unobtainable had to break and in this case it was the threaded stud on the right rear spring shackle. For some reason only known to long dead AMC engineers the 70-72 Hornet/Gremlin shackles are different than the 73 & up version. So I had to grind the head off the shackle pin, drive it out, drill the hole to 1/2 inch and use a 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch bolt with a locknut.   Serviced the rear axle probably for the first time in this car's life. Oil was nasty and foul smelling. Also was able to count the ring and pinion teeth and find out it's a 3.08 ratio axle. Did some math and now I know I need to order a 20 tooth speedometer gear. I'll order the parts this week. I have a few things left to do before I take the car off the stands. Front parking brake cable, speedometer cable and gear, and install the front sway bar I scavenged from another Hornet.
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May 13, 2024 02:20
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I couldn't sleep and I was bored, so I'm cleaning carburetor parts. I've had these soaking in a bucket of diluted Pine Sol for 24 hours, scrubbed with a nylon brush and rinsed off. Not bad looking and they smell nice!
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May 22, 2024 04:18
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drat, we had a Hornet in that same color when I was a kid, I still remember that car! This thread has been a real trip down memory lane. My dad later went through a Mustang phase but eventually returned to the AMC fold; he currently has a 1968 AMX that he's dumped a bunch of money into. He's getting up there in years and tired of the project so he's thinking about selling it on now.
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May 22, 2024 04:23
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     Carb is buttoned up and ready for installation. Rebuilding a carburetor is a trip down memory lane for me, when I first started as a tech in the early 90's we would have cars come in that needed carb rebuilds and that was one of the jobs I was trained on. But as time wore on they dried up and then I went to work at dealerships and you never saw them. Then I got tired of the flat rate rat race and moved into forklift repair. Over here it's all propane fuel, diesel and electric, and now internal combustion forklifts are slowly being phased out for electrics.
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May 24, 2024 20:32
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I know everything forklift is a meme these days, but if you're ever interested in posting some forklift repair poo poo in here, I'd love to see it. Not specifically requesting it, but don't be shy if you encounter something interesting.
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May 24, 2024 23:56
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Same here, I probably have a poo poo heap 40 year old forklift in my future one day and I'd love to see what I'm going to be up against because I'm far too cheap to buy one that's already been gone through so it's going to be a nugget needing everything for sure.
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May 25, 2024 00:31
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      Just a few pictures of what you might encounter in the wonderful world of forklift repair. From standing up a turret truck, to the tire installer loving up lug nuts, to working on garbage in some of the nastiest places known to man, and working on giant 36000 lbs capacity forklifts and then old antiques that should have been retired 30 years ago.
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May 25, 2024 01:33
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   Something I've been wanting to do is swap the car over to a tilt steering column. The factory steering wheel position leaves a lot to be desired. Good for me that in typical AMC fashion they used Saginaw columns and steering boxes instead of building their own. So in true AMC fashion I found this 87 Cutlass at the local u pull and robbed it's column. It needs a little massaging to make it work and I'll have to fab up a steering shaft. That's next weekends project.       The wife and I were also at Great AMC Day at Edgewater Sports Park enjoying the car show, races and talking to all the crazy AMC people I haven't seen since last year. It's always a fun time.  And finally, this heap showed up in my driveway. 90 F150 4x4 with a 300 six. Will be the next project after I get the Hornet sorted out. Will probably be a beater truck as it's pretty rusty. But the frame and underpinnings are good, just need to sort out the safety issues and the severe lack of maintenance. It'll be good for hauling home more AMC project cars. (I want an Eagle wagon, I don't know why, probably because I enjoy pain or something)
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Jun 3, 2024 02:00
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Eagle wagons are awesome so I support this
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Jun 3, 2024 04:56
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Still kicking myself for not getting a cheap Eagle Wagon that was for sale here a couple of years ago. I have seen 1-2 for sale since then. I've promised myself that I'm buying the next one that pops up for sale that is reasonable.
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Jun 3, 2024 08:36
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       I normally don't work on the car during the week but I wanted to see if the column would 1) actually fit, and 2) if it fit, to get measurements to make an intermediate shaft. After some grinding and cutting I was able to get the Cutlass firewall mounting bracket off so I could use the AMC part. I also had to use the AMC U- bracket that mounts the column to the dash. Other than those two things it fits like it was made for it. Just need to order a length of DD shaft, a coupler and a U-joint to make the shaft and it should be done.
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Jun 4, 2024 00:46
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 PXL_20240608_004559091.MP by swillerofbeer, on Flickr PXL_20240608_014432480 by swillerofbeer, on Flickr PXL_20240608_021718970.MP by swillerofbeer, on Flickr PXL_20240608_191127294 by swillerofbeer, on Flickr PXL_20240608_223049899 by swillerofbeer, on Flickr PXL_20240608_211555998 by swillerofbeer, on FlickrColumn swap is complete. Built the steering shaft using two u-joints (1" to 1" DD and 3/4 DD to 13/16-36 spline) and a telescoping shaft. The shaft was the most expensive part of the swap, but I feel it gives me a little safety margin if I'm in an accident and I can install/remove it without removing the column. As far as wiring the newer Saginaw columns use a different connector for the turn signal switch (4 1/4" on the newer column, 3 7/8" on the old column. The solution for that is just to take the connector pins out of the bigger connector and put them in the old connector shell. They go in the same spots. I installed the drivers seat and took it out for a spin, the driving position is now comfortable and I'm happy with how it turned out. Between the column and the parts to make the shaft I'm into this for about $180 and a couple days of work. Next up is finish reassembling the rest of the interior, figure out why the fuel gauge doesn't work and straighten up the mess in the engine bay.
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Jun 9, 2024 09:02
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Mr. Wiggles posted:The more brands of parts you have in it, the more AMC it is. Man, AMC was my favorite years for Jeep though, so this is a good thing.
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Jun 9, 2024 14:30
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