Anyways, after a little research and talking to a Javelin owner at a "Cars and Coffee" show a couple weeks ago, the dip stick should be near the master cylinder, but it is not there.

The car has headers and from what I've been told is they may have been in the way and either not installed or broke off.

I'm in search of the did stick and tube, may have found one, how much of a job will it be to install it?

This concerns me as I dont want to blow the 390 motor, it was recently rebuilt.

He bought the car at auction, does it look familiar?!

Thanks

I never use the ugly stock dipstick and PITA tube anymore. I either cut the stock stick down till its flush on the block and remark or use the Buick BB shorty style that seals against the block. Yup its hard to see and put back in but no more ugly AMC dipstick killing the view of coated headers and nice valve covers

http://www.taperformance.com/proddetail.asp?prod=TA%5F1500D" rel="nofollow - http://www.taperformance.com/proddetail.asp?prod=TA%5F1500D

 

To each his own, but when properly installed the OE AMC dipstick and tube is no uglier than any other OE dipstick/tube.

 

 Their not that tough to install either.  Years ago I made a very simple tool to install AMC dip stick tubes. Split a 1" long piece of small tubing that fit nicely around the dip stick tube, weld them to a small pair of vise grips, place the end of the split tubing against the dip stick tube flange and tap the side of the vise grips until the dip stick tube flange is against the block.      

Havent started assembly yet so cant say if it worked yet.  

Are you the third owner since the rebuilding?  How’s it holding up?  Happy with the quality of craftsmanship?

Tell us more.

Would be interesting to know the inside scoop on that car and build.

Stev-o wrote: The car has headers and from what I've been told is they may have been in the way and either not installed or broke off.

The dipstick will fit with headers, but tends to get roughed up a little while installing the headers. It's possible a PO got lazy and didn't bother installing the tube thinking the headers would prevent installation. It's also possible they got a little too rough on the tube, while installing the headers, and it cracked, then fell off at a later date.

As already mentioned, the dipstick tube is an interference fit in the block. The tubes currently available seem to have an overabundance of interference and can be nearly impossible to install with the engine in the car. There are a few threads in this section on how people have solved the problem.

Check to see if there is a broken end of a tube stuck in the block. A popular removal method is to screw in a sheet metal screw and hammer on the underside of the screw head.

Yes, it's the Misfit car.   I've watched the show a few weeks ago but dont recall the sales price on the show nor do I know who bought it.

My friend bought it last month when we went to the Mecum auction in Houston, I advised him to buy it if the bidding did not go over $30K. [After a little research, I valued the car at $40K]

https://www.mecum.com/lots/HA0419-373158/1968-amc-amx/ 

The car was delivered to Greg's ranch 3 days after the auction, the battery was DOA upon arrival. I advised him to install a new, spare battery that he had and the car has started and run great since.

Greg travels a lot, and since I help care for his cars, I can drive whichever car in his collection I desire so I told his I would "test" the AMX for him!   I had the car for about a week. It runs great, sounds good but not as quick as I hoped a rebuilt 390 would be, possibly due the automatic trans?  [I'm comparing it to my '70 Corvette with a 350/4spd]

I prolly only put about 125 miles on the car that week but encountered no issues, I love the car!

The fit and finish of the body is beautiful, the interior is also excellent. However, I wish the seat were recovered a little bit more like stock, but that is just me.

My biggest beef is no dipstick!  The last thing I want to do is blow this motor up due to no oil.  And the gauges dont work, but that is typical of a classic car 50 yrs old.  Tach must have gone out many years ago as someone put a cheesy tach mounted on the dash [it doesnt operate correctly either]

Weather permitting, I may get the car this weekend, I want to drive it more and get a dipstick fix in place. 

Thx for the replies

Guessing this is the part you are suggesting.

http://www.bulltear.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=190 - http://www.bulltear.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=190

Does the header need to be pulled?  I'm not currently with the car.

Thanks for all the replies, guys.

BTW - the Misfit episodes are available "On Demand" with DirecTV.  

0.334 inch OD is the correct size of the 2 friction bumps on the dipstick tube that go in the block

per the notes I have saved, best way is to somehow re-swage, but some sand or file down OD,

some even enlarge the hole in the block.

iirc I installed a new dipstick and tube after the motor was in the car and the headers installed.

Skuttlebutt is with an AMC, run 1/2 to 1 Quart Oil overfilled to avoid pumping Pan Dry

if any "spirited" driving is on the itinerary, since drain-back off the heads etc back to pan can be slow.

When I had a broken one for awhile, I had the top of the Dipstick Tube with the Stick in it in the car,

and a bolt in the other broke off half still in the block, would reach, crawl, etc,

remove bolt and put broken half and stick down in block and check oil !  Ha ! 

Wonder what rear end gears are in that car ?  Some gears might make it quicker.

Does it have a stall converter?  Is it still the Borg Warner Automatic?

Here's a curiosity that would be nice to know, what are the Front and Rear U-Joint Angles?

Believe it or not, stock AMC set-up is Trans and Pinion both angled DOWN by the same degree, iirc.

Found my '69 Pinion required shimmed down with 4 deg Leaf Spring Shims to get it right,

point being, you saying you'd hope it would be a little faster / quicker... looking to help that.

Wonder what "tune" is on it, what Advance Curve...

What's the induction set-up ?Saw the show last year, but forget.

Some Dipstick Info posted in a thread here:

http://theamcforum.com/forum/amc-backfiring_topic95175_post843226.html?KW=dipstick#843226" rel="nofollow - http://theamcforum.com/forum/amc-backfiring_topic95175_post843226.html?KW=dipstick#843226

Someone posted here and image from an orig AMC source U-Joint Angle Info:

http://theamcforum.com/forum/pinion-angle_topic97665_post859141.html?KW=ANGLE#859141" rel="nofollow - http://theamcforum.com/forum/pinion-angle_topic97665_post859141.html?KW=ANGLE#859141

With the Buick stick you still need a tube in the block to guide the stick to the right spot though, correct? So if you had a dipstick tube that was broken off at the block the Buick one might be a quick solution?

Or do you use it with no tube at all?

This seems interesting. To get my headers out I have to pull the tube out first, there's no other way. Mine comes out easy now, but still I'd rather not jack with it at all.

If using a stubby shaft in a broken off stick I.dont think that rubber skirt will have anything to seal on. Probably noy a big deal but something to consider.  

http://theamcforum.com/forum/my-390_topic99733.html" rel="nofollow - http://theamcforum.com/forum/my-390_topic99733.html

Ramzilla wrote: Dipstick tube OMX-1742402 this is the tube I got from Summit. I was holding it up against my original top peace 1969 390. And I noticed something I did not notice before. That is the new tube is 1/4 inch shorter that means that the dipstick will go into oil pan a 1/4 inch farther. That means about 1/2 quart of oil difference. May need to mark a new line on dipstick a 1/4 inch above full. I think I will do what someone here suggested cut it in two and install a compression fitting making sure that 1/4 inch longer adjustment. Than it can be disconnected if headers need to be changed or put on after the headers. Not sure who had done that with theirs. Maybe it could be reposted again. Thanks Larry

I wouldn't do anything to the stick before I took a reading off it after an oil change.  If the marks are off with 5 fresh quarts (or whatever your preference), you could always just make new marks on the backside of the stick.  The depth of the tube isn't important, just having an accurate mark on the stick is.

My buddy and his Dad were there with their AMX and Javelin, snapped a crappy piture of the three cars together.

He had a spare dipstick tube bracket in new cond and gave it to me, ya meet good people driving AMX's!

I have ordered the Bultear tube and dipstick and plan to install it soon so I can check oil level and not worry about blowing the motor due to no oil.

I'll update the thread once it's in.  Thanks