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1970 Rambler Rebel 4 door Western Australia

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skymit View Drop Down
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Joined: Jan/02/2012
Location: Oz, Cowaramup
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote skymit Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: 1970 Rambler Rebel 4 door Western Australia
    Posted: Jan/02/2012 at 7:35am
Gday All,
I'm new to AMC. Didn't even know they sold them in 
Australia until I bought one about a month ago.
Its a 1970 Rambler Rebel 4 door, with a 360 2barrel and an auto column shift.
There is rust in the doors an under the back window, but rest of the car looks pretty solid. I'm looking forward to get my teeth stuck into it. Below is my first adventure. When I figure out how to post pics, I will ad some.

I bought it not running. The old timing cover had corroded out and the previous owner had stripped the front of the engine and never got around to fitting a new cover. 
The car came with a new cover and water pump. 
I pieced it all back together.The new water pump mustn't be correct for this engine as the Harmonic dampener hit it. Had to grind some casting of the water pump to get the clearance.
I then drained the oil, actually it was half water, half oil, and put some new oil in. Then removed the spark plugs and cranked it over to make sure the oil pressure cam up.
Once that was all good, I then hooked up the fuel pump to a jerry can and cranked it over. 
It was just about starting and then the starter motor would come out of mesh. Starter was stuffed.
Fuel pump was also leaking fuel, so I put a drain tray under it 

1 week later I got a new starter, and fired her up.
It idled beautifully for about 20 seconds. 
Then it started to cough and splutter as fuel started to poor out the float bowl vents and ran down towards the distributor and then in an instant, up it went.
The drain tray under the car was burning as well as the carby and manifold.
The car is in my brand new shed that I've been building for the last 12 months. It also has our two normal drive cars and a boat, aswell as all my tools. 
I had visions of it all going up in flames as I had no fire extinguisher or water in the Shed yet.
I pulled the jerry can out from under the car as it wasnt on fire yet and then ran to the house to get the hose, which was disconnected and the other end was connected to a sprinkler. I quickly hooked it up and was sure by the time I got back the Rebel would be all ablaze.
I ran back to the shed and started hosing.
Off course, it spread the flames a bit did start putting it out. Took about a minute to get it all up I reckon.

Damage wasnt to bad in the end. It melted the washer bottle and its wiring as well as  balckened the carby and underneath of the bonnet. My drain tray was melted into a flat piece of plastic and that was the worst of it really. Could have been much worse.

Went to the hardware store that day and bought a fire extinguisher for the shed and one for the kitchen. I dont want to be in that situation again.

Needle and seat for the float must have got stuck open.




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Zioamc View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zioamc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/02/2012 at 3:20pm
welcome to the forum sounds like you will be hanging around here a lot

Edited by Zioamc - Jan/02/2012 at 3:23pm
      .....1969 Sc/Rambler....
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FuzzFace2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/02/2012 at 8:55pm

Welcome to the forum good to hear it all turned out ok as it could have been a lot worse.

Dave ----
TSM = Technical Service Manual

75 Gremlin X v8 for sale
70 Javelin 360/auto drag car
70 Javelin 360/T5 Street car
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skymit View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote skymit Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/03/2012 at 6:30am
Thanks for the welcome Dave and Ziomac. 
I got myself a photobucket account.
See the link below for some photos we took when I was picking it up from the previous owner and then some photos of it in my new shed, before the fire.
Thats my young fella supervising.
I'm the one doing the winching at the front of the trailer.

After the fire, I did a compression test on the engine. 
#4 only had 100psi
5 &7 had 190psi
All other cylinders had 150psi. 
Still runs well but will need a rebuild for sure.
There is also no brake fluid in the reservoir, so thats another problem to sort out.
The previous owner had the cable from the starter relay to the starter going back to the negative terminal on the battery. One big short circuit!
So there is a bit of melted wiring to repair.
And the list goes on.
Will be a fun project though and reasonably unique over here. Makes a change from all the old Australian Holdens and Fords.
I want to restore as apposed to turning it into a street machine. Will be keeping the original steel hubcaps for sure.

No doubt I will be checking the site out regularly for tips from the AMC Gurus.

Cheers


http://s1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd420/skymit1/1970%20Rambler%20Rebel%204%20door%20360/ket.com/albums/dd420/skymit1/1970%20Rambler%20Rebel%204%20door%20360/
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ohio AMX Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/03/2012 at 7:04am
Great looking project, and glad the fire wasn't too severe. What kind of truck are you towing it with?
1940 Hupmobile Skylark
1968 Javelin future Pro Street
1969 AMX 290/auto (first car)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RSX 401 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/03/2012 at 9:08am
Welcome........
 
Mighty fine looking Rebel in that "shed". That dash looks perfect.
I'll follow these lines a little ways more,

Until I can find what I'm looking for.

With the pedal to the metal,

I'm gaining my speed.

Riding down low in my AMC.....
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fast401 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/03/2012 at 9:45am
Welcome!!!  Hope you enjoy your AMC.  Keep us posted on your progress.
Disturbing the peace since 1970!!!   AMX 19245
Facebook page - AMC Nation
www.fast-401.4t.com
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skymit View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote skymit Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/03/2012 at 9:50am
Yeah the dash is pretty good for a 42 year old car. Nobody has hacked into it to fit a cd player or anything like that. Still has the original working AM radio in it. 
It shows 65,000 miles on the odometer, which I thought was amazingly low for its age, until my mate pointed out that it only goes to 99,999 miles. LOL. Can only guess how many times its been around.
It was owned by an Italian guy(in Donnybrook) from new for 30 years.
When he died it went to his neighbour (also Italian)and sat in his shed for 10 years.
The last owner bought it off the neighbour in exchange for doing some painting, and a bit of cash.
Then I came along.
The tow ute is my 2009 Ford Ranger with a 3L Common rail diesel and variable turbo. Good Motor.
They make them in Thailand and also badge engineer them into a Mazda BT50.
I've seen photos of the Afghan police driving around in them.
One of the boys I work with was over there a few years back and he showed me some photos of them shot to pieces.
So they definitely aint bullet proof!

Different to the Ford Ranger in the USA though I guess?



Edited by skymit - Jan/03/2012 at 10:03am
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Craigie View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Craigie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/04/2012 at 5:43pm
Welcome to the site mate !! I'm also an Aussie local ( across the Nulla in Brisbane).

Sounds like you had a few hairy moments with the fire, but a good result in the end !!

Will be following your project, don't see many Rebels or other AMC's over this side of the country. I owned a Hornet back in the 80's, wanting to get back into another one real soon.

Regards
Craig.
Craigie.........

1968 Dodge Charger "Bullitt" tribute
1971 SC/360 Hornet
1973 "Levi" Gremlin
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skymit View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote skymit Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/06/2012 at 5:01am
Thanks Craigie,
 
Seeing you will be following I will need to start doing more work on it.
I am very looking forward to getting stuck right into it but few little things I have to finish first.
I still need to finish my shed. (Electricity to hook up, finish the mezzanine and paint the exterior).
Hope you find your new Rambler soon. 
There is a  very nice looking 1968 Rambler Rebel on the Perth Gumtree website if you are interested. http://perth.gumtree.com.au/c-Cars-Vehicles-Motorbikes-Parts-cars-Rare-classic-rambler-for-swap-W0QQAdIdZ342520087.
 
Cheers
 
 
 
 
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