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1979 AMX Stocker update |
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Pinballer
AMC Apprentice Joined: Feb/10/2016 Location: Central IL Status: Offline Points: 63 |
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Posted: Jul/10/2016 at 8:42pm |
I started this over in the parts wanted category back when I was hunting for things, but thought I'd move it over here to do future updates. Since last October I've been gradually assembling a car to run in NHRA's T/SA Stock Eliminator class using the 258 six with the 2 bbl and an automatic. Apparently it will be the only one like it in the country, haven't found anybody else currently running a 79 Spirit/AMX 6 cylinder car anywhere in class racing, although there is a 77 Gremlin in the northeast that runs in R/SA, and a 77 Pacer running the much heavier V/SA class with the same 258 and kicking some butt out in Div 6 in the northwest. They're both way under the index too.
My car began as a down and out 1982 Spirit GT body that originally had the Iron Duke and a 4 speed, but has since been morphed into a 1979 AMX to meet the proper T class requirements. This class has an index of 14.40 and the car must weigh 3020 lbs with driver. Car is about 3/4 done now, just got the paint finished. Next up is to get underneath it and begin putting all new brake lines and fuel system in place. I'd post some pictures of where it's at right now, but haven't got enough posts on here yet to be allowed to do so. Anybody want to "host" me for a couple pictures to get me started? I'll email you the pictures. Or you can follow the whole build from the start on the Class Racer site under the sub-category Racer Builds. Posts are under the name "Resurrecting the Rambler". Good to be getting back into the old racing game again, 2003 was a long time ago! Brian Saunders Lerna IL. T/SA 3790 |
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idrambler
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Jul/02/2007 Location: Nampa,Idaho Status: Offline Points: 2942 |
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Brain.....
I just finished reading your build thread on the "Class Racer" forum.....I am really impressed...your Spirit is looking really nice..... I have watched Jim's V/SA Pacer run many times here at the local track at the spring Div 6 race....really nice guy.... and I tried to keep track of Ed's T/SA back east.....as well as the new owner.... keep us posted on your progress here also please..... |
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Jim....AMCRC
Treasure Valley AMC Club, Pres 69 AMX 401/727 74 GremlinX 401/727race only 73 Matador 2dr HT 360/727 |
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68 amc
AMC Apprentice Joined: Sep/14/2011 Location: North Syracuse Status: Offline Points: 164 |
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I am building a 70 Javelin 360 J/SA. These cars are very fast when you do them right.Little steps ,stay in the rules ,NHRA is on your side.Check out my car on my facebook or CNY AMC car club on facebook group. Good luck ,stay with it DON"T ever give up !Rich Freitag .
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cny amc,68 JAVELIN 360ci street& strip car 10:90
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Green AMX
AMC Addicted Joined: Feb/16/2012 Location: Florida Status: Offline Points: 521 |
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I,ve been following you on CLASS RACER glad to see it over here I,ll be watching to see how this goes
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69 AMX 390 4speed go pack
72 Javelin 360 auto(sons) 82 Spirit (wife's 1st car)still not done |
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Pinballer
AMC Apprentice Joined: Feb/10/2016 Location: Central IL Status: Offline Points: 63 |
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Hello to all the faithful, and thanks for the support. Wishing you good luck on your Stocker endeavors too. Although building this car has been hard work, it was also a blast creating it from nearly nothing. Taking plenty of heat from the old car friends right now, mostly being accused of losing my mind, but nothing new there. :).
I fully agree on the "little steps" advice, and not bending the rules unnecessarily. These are mostly uncharted waters in the NHRA as far as AMC 6's, so I'm planning on a long slow trip. Don't need a lot of attention... Unfortunately I'm hitting a lull period right now on car work due to needing to fix up the house's roof again, but I'll be back at it soon. |
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Pinballer
AMC Apprentice Joined: Feb/10/2016 Location: Central IL Status: Offline Points: 63 |
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The latest news is: The car is ALIVE!
Not ready for the track quite yet, but at least it starts, runs, has oil pressure, doesn't leak anything, and it has brakes. As you might expect, there's a few little things that need done now to finish up and make everything safe and able to pass tech. I also know it needs a carb change-out to something not computer controlled like the 1980 one still on the motor is. Right now it's in a state of confusion... So, I went out into my "private junkyard jungle" today and got torn up by the mosquitoes, but came out with a non-computer Carter BBD 2 bbl carburetor I can rebuild that will still meet the requirements of NHRA. The driveshaft loop went in today and I mounted up some decent used 28 x 9 slicks and some front runners for initial testing purposes. Need to arm the line-loc and the neutral safety switch, make a little adjustment on the shifter cable, and it should be about ready to travel. Soon, the l-o-n-g journey will begin as we inch it towards the 14.40 index. |
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Pinballer
AMC Apprentice Joined: Feb/10/2016 Location: Central IL Status: Offline Points: 63 |
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Car was all dressed up in it's finest and ready to test a little bit at Coles County Dragway on their unlimited runs Friday test night Sept 30---and it rained out, of course. Not really very anxious to enter the regular race on Sat and waste additional entry money when I know absolutely nothing about the car, and would only get a maximum of 3 runs. This delay did however allow me to get the spare carburetor rebuilt over the weekend, so that will get put on after a few runs with the original to see what difference it makes. I have a feeling it will make quite a bit, the original has sat around a long long time and even though it seems to have good full throttle action, the idle and off-idle is terrible, so it's probably half clogged up with crap and the pump is most likely dried out. I also found another spare BBD carb at a friend's place on his garage shelf, and he graciously donated it to the cause. Shook his head and said he wouldn't know what else to do with the piece of junk, that it didn't fit any "good cars".
What??? Everything on this ride will probably get changed over the course of next year as I gather more data, and it will be in little incremental steps. One thing at a time...but I'm anxious to get started. More as I find it out, we'll shoot for next Friday if they're still having test nights. |
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idrambler
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Jul/02/2007 Location: Nampa,Idaho Status: Offline Points: 2942 |
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Brian...you will get there just keep picking away at it......
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Jim....AMCRC
Treasure Valley AMC Club, Pres 69 AMX 401/727 74 GremlinX 401/727race only 73 Matador 2dr HT 360/727 |
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Pinballer
AMC Apprentice Joined: Feb/10/2016 Location: Central IL Status: Offline Points: 63 |
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Little update heading into the winter season...
Lately I have been searching down the properly numbered engine components to begin the build of a 258 engine to legal 1979 NHRA specs. I located a whole '79 258 engine for cheap in the Quad Cities region up on the IA-IL border that had been reworked a long time ago, even to the point of boring it .060 over, and freshening the head, (with it's correct casting number!) and then it sat unused and forgotten under the guy's bench for about 20 years. The internals probably won't be a whole lot of help unless it's got AMC factory pistons in it, (highly doubtful), but it had the right head on it and the crank and block and rods may service. I'll have to take it apart again and see it all is in order. I also found in my own private junkyard out back a properly numbered intake manifold. I wouldn't have expected the 1975 4 door Hornet I got it off of to have had it on there, my initial goal for that car was to eventually part it out, but I had to see if it was a 258 in the car like the serial number said it should be. After letting curiosity get the best of me and prying the terribly rusty hood open, it turned out the engine had been changed at some point long ago and it had a late 70's 232 wearing the correct-for-me 258 2 bbl intake. Bingo! I also had a friend who found one of these intakes for me out in Dayton Ohio and picked it up, so the next time I get out there I'll have two intakes to choose from for the build. If I can find one more #3227258 head, I'll have enough parts to build one really good engine, and eventually one spare one as a backup. |
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gremlin1945
AMC Addicted Joined: May/21/2008 Location: new jersey Status: Offline Points: 781 |
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Brian, you don't have to and shouldn't use "factory piston". There are replacement pistons listed in the guide (Ross for example).you're allowed up to .070 over pistons. Rings are another story. I think you can cross reference rings for .060-.070 from other engine brands.
Spoke to my friend about what we discussed a while back. No good, the guy who did the work for my engine is retired.
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former NHRA #1945
former IHRA #1945 T/SA |
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