Your donations help keep this valuable resource free and growing. Thank you.
|
69 American "The Smurf" |
Post Reply | Page <12345> |
Author | |
Devilboy
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Jun/14/2017 Location: Nebraska Status: Offline Points: 997 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Nice work.
|
|
232jav3sp
AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/09/2013 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 2451 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
That's my goal. |
|
greasygt III
AMC Addicted Joined: May/27/2014 Location: Florida Status: Offline Points: 676 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
[QUOTE=232jav3sp] After making a handful of updates on the "what did you do to the AMC today?" thread, I decided it was probably time to start a project thread. For those that haven't seen the pictures I posted back when I picked this car up in March of this year, it is darn close to smurf blue. I kinda like the color, lol. Anyway, I've done all of the usual things that come with owing a new (old) car. Cap, rotor, plugs, wires, battery, a complete cooling system overhaul, etc, etc... I took the advise another member gave in my first post about this little car, in using Tamiya (I think that's right) translucent paint to recondition the corner marker lenses. It seems to work very well. One resprayed amber lense, one practically clear.
Do you have another photo of your lens'? |
|
83 Spirit GT
79 Ranchero GT 460 |
|
232jav3sp
AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/09/2013 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 2451 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Dropped in a Proform HEI on Sunday. Aligned it yesterday. Due to the radius rod bushings I used I can't adjust the Carter any further. Still a large improvement over where they had been! |
|
farna
Supporter of TheAMCForum Moderator Lost Dealership Project Joined: Jul/08/2007 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 19611 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Most trunnion cars (Ramblers) have a desired caster of 0 degrees, so you're close. I could only get 3.0 degrees of positive caster from my 63 Classic (converted to two piece strut rod bushings and adjustable strut rods) before the trunnion starts to bind. It was actually 3.5 on one side 3.0 on the other. The first shop I asked to set as much positive caster as they could actually set it just like that, so naturally it pulled! Instead of taking it back to them I took it to another shop for correction. Only an idiot would assume I wanted as much as I could get from each side individually without taking into account the pull! I cheated and told the other shop what had happened and that I wanted the car to drive straight. They just set both sides the same, as they should be!!
Later model Americans had adjustable rods. I'd get a set, or if you're comfortable having the rods welded (I welded mine... beveled down to a 1/8" spot in center, welded that, then built up to proper diameter) you can easily convert what you have. Just get a 6" threaded stud from a fastener supply (NOT threaded rod!!) and weld that to a shortened original rod. Just make sure you have enough adjustment. A 6" stud should be plenty, but you can get an 8". Those are hard studs, at least grade 5. Used for high pressure flanges in industrial applications. |
|
Frank Swygert
|
|
232jav3sp
AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/09/2013 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 2451 |
Post Options
Thanks(1)
|
Mine has adjustable radius rods, but, I couldn't find bushings for the car. So, I ended up using bushings from a Mustang (iirc) as they are the same ID. They work, but slightly too thick to get caster perfect. Caster is negative, but, not as negative as it had been! Lol. Some vehicles won't have equal caster numbers due to chassis wear, manufacturer tolerances and specs, etc... Instead, you have to look at your cross caster graph to determine straight line drivability. Cross caster might not be 0 like we'd all like to see; it just has to be in the center of the graph. Example; a car/truck might have 3.5* POS caster on the left and 4.1* POS caster on the right. Alignment theory tells us that anything .5* or more will cause a drift/pull, BUT, it you consult your cross caster graph and it shows to be dead in the middle you're going to drive straight. Happens on most all GM trucks from 99-07. Both of my 01 2500HD's are this way.
|
|
232jav3sp
AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/09/2013 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 2451 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Got to installing the T5 cluster support plate from 5speeds.com. really nice fit. Really don't need it for the 232, but, doesn't hurt! My clutch disc and throw out bearing cane in today, as well. I'd really like to get the swap done this weekend... It's not going to happen though. |
|
232jav3sp
AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/09/2013 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 2451 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
It rained today and my new windshield leaks at the passenger lower corner 😭. Luckily it's very minor and it'll be going back to the installer to have it fixed. It didn't help the car was parked leaning towards that side.
|
|
232jav3sp
AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/09/2013 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 2451 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Got the flywheel turned on Tuesday. I've also come up with a way to join the 74 Hornet clutch rod to the 69 Rambler z-bar by way of a heim joint. Saturday is going to be fun. |
|
232jav3sp
AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/09/2013 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 2451 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
After some roadblocks yesterday morning I managed to get the T5 in the car. Did not have the time to finish it, and I don't have a key to work so can't do anything to it today. Will go in early tomorrow morning and get it to the point that I can get it outside. Cross member is made, crude, but safe and functional. Hole is cut in the floor for the shifter, too. Things left to do are: u-joints, fill trans, hook up clutch linkages and figure out how to join the 74 Hornet clutch rod to the 69 Rambler z-bar. I picked up a bronze sleeve with flange and a steel spacer, that bronze sleeve fits in, along with a grade 8 bolt and ny-lock nut to attach the two together.
The day's setbacks included forgetting the pilot bushing, which meant an hour round trip to my house. Then, two pressure plate bolts snapped off in the flywheel, followed by an easy out snapping off in there, too. Wasted a solid two hours dealing with those things. |
|
Post Reply | Page <12345> |
Tweet
|
Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |