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AMC Spirit Rally Car

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jebidia24 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote jebidia24 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/25/2018 at 12:30pm
In the above photos is the car up in the air completly mechanically stipped.  The next photo is the car on the dolly I built to make the metal work easier.  The third photo is the car with most of the exterior paint removed.  I stripped the paint using aircraft paint remover rather than media blasting because I was concerned the heat generated from blasting would warp the thin 1970s steel.  Cost was also a consideration.  Stripping it myself has taken a long time but I have time and the SD4 engine choice along with purchasing a new garage/house has got me financially drained.  Lucky for me I have everything needed for the body and cage.  As far as the crank/stroke, I got a line on a 2.7L crank which I will probably buy when I have some money again.  2.7L should give me a good sweet spot for power vs. RPM.
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23baseball3 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 23baseball3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jun/25/2018 at 3:48pm
Looks great! Keep us updated on your progress!
1979 Spirit AMX 304/4 Speed AC
2005 Volvo V70R
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jebidia24 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jebidia24 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/12/2018 at 12:44pm
Have gotten much work done on the project lately, I was busy building a new garage with insulation and heat this time (Michigan winters are brutal in an unheated and uninsulated garage).  Either way, to hold people over here are some photos of AMC Spirits running rally in the late 70s and early 80s.  The yellow cars are from the national VAM team.  The AMX was ran by Chuck Cunningham, which unfortunately DNF'd.






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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote farna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/13/2018 at 8:26am
Interesting that VAM ran the short lived (at least in the US) Kammback.

Frank Swygert
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jmerican Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/13/2018 at 5:57pm
I’m going to go back through this post. Very cool, though I have only skimmed. I do know the tolerances and materials were different on the German vs AMC. The 924 turbo was the first electronically managed boost control that Porsche used on a road car. The 924 GT, GTS was based on the Audi. The GTR not so much. But they made damn good power for their day. Not super reliable beyond their design spec. But won some endurance racing. Nothing like today’s Mitsubishi or VW/Audi 1.8t for boost appetite.

I had a track drive in a 924GTS Clubsport, with between 245-310 hp. It lost a head gasket, but not before mopping up much more modern Porsche’s while on relatively tame rubber.

I digress though.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote farna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/15/2018 at 5:24am
Tolerances were different for the AMC built 2.0L, but materials weren't that different. The major castings (block, crank, and head at least, and I'm pretty sure pistons and rods) were made by Audi in Germany (or wherever the engine factory was). Only minor things like the valve cover, water pump, and distributor were made in the US. AMC did the final machining and assembly of the engine over hear though. They purchased a plant specifically to machine and assemble that engine, but numbers never got up to the point they could economically start full production. Good thing it turned out, as the little front engine Porsche sales were mu h better than expected. It just wasn't big enough for the current AMC cars, and AMC didn't have the funds to develop a smaller, lighter car as they had originally planned. I suppose they could have increased the bore and stroke had they taken over production, and I suspect they had planned to, but it just wasn't quite enough for a Gremlin/Spirit. The assembly plant was sold to Deutz, IIRC.
Frank Swygert
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote jebidia24 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/28/2018 at 8:41am
The parts for the 121 were made in Germany, at least the head and block.  They have VW/Audi casting marks on them.  AMC 121 engines were assembled in Indiana and were built to different specs.  I am not sure what "different specs" means.  I know that these engines were tuned down, have lower compression ratio, and have single barrel carburetors.  I do not know if the clearances or torque specs are different.  Ether way, I am under the impression that Porsche 924 2.0 internal parts will work with this engine.  As stated above I plan on using a GM SD-4 engine with my build unless I am not allowed.  Either way, I am keeping my 121 for some future project. I am not sure if Rally America is going to continue to exist, if it doesn't I will have to build it to either NASA or ARA rules which are different.  So it might end up in this car after all.  I may just build it up just to see if it is possible.  It doesn't seem like there has been much work exploring the possibilities with this engine so I may break some new ground.  Time will tell.  Garage is mostly finished, but I am current sidetracked on my Eagle SX4 project.  Will get back to this soon though.
1981 Eagle SX-4 258
1979 Spirit Kammback 122
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote farna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/29/2018 at 6:19am
All the big castings (head, block, crank, rods at least... maybe pistons and cam also, but since they were different may have been different source) were made in Germany. AMC had things like the water pump and valve cover made by others, and the distributor and I believe starter were locally sourced.

"Different specs" means just that. AMC may have done the final machining. If you look at the specs in the TSM then look at the Audi specs there are a few thousandths difference in clearances on everything.

There were a couple people running them with Audi heads and the EFI system (should have changed cam also?) years ago, don't know about now. No reason you couldn't change the pistons as well. I do remember that the Type 4 VW and the Porsche 914 rant the same engine with some internal differences, one being the Porsche version ran three compression rings rather than two to help boost compression. I don't know if there was any other difference in the piston, most likely was.
Frank Swygert
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jebidia24 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec/10/2018 at 8:56am
Well, it looks like Rally America is going to go belly up as all my local rallys are now ARA (with the execption of the NASA events).  I am waiting to hear back from ARA regarding novice class restrictions which may impact the direction of my build.  Upon reading the ARA rules, even if I have to run in limited 2wd.  I can still run the Spirit with the EA831.  Good thing I kept it and all its parts around.  Unfortunatly in limited 2wd I wont likely be able to put on my AMX fender flares.  Although, they are OEM to the AMX version of the same year so an argument may be made.  I was really curious to see how they looked on a kammback.  I know they do not add any function and are hard to come by but I like the way they look.
1981 Eagle SX-4 258
1979 Spirit Kammback 122
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jebidia24 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/09/2019 at 7:26am
I still haven't heard back from ARA regarding novice driver class restrictions but I think I am going to go with the EA831 engine build after all just to be safe.  One thing I will need is a bellhousing for the EA831 audi engine (AMC 121) that mates up to a Borg Warner HR1 (sold on AMC Gremlins, Concords, and Spirits from 1977 to 1979).  The HR1 was also called the FoG (Ford of Germany) when mated to the ford pinto and mustang ii.  In Europe they called this trans the Type E.  I may have found one on a online junkyard dealers site but they wanted alot of money and couldn't give me specific details.  They said it was a 1979 4 cylinder amc bellhousing but that could mean iron duke bell housing, which I already have.  I could also get Lakewood to custom make one for me which will be really expensive for a bellhousing.  Hoping to find a genuine original bellhousing.
1981 Eagle SX-4 258
1979 Spirit Kammback 122
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