Aussie 73 Hornet.
Printed From: TheAMCForum.com
Category: The Lounge Area
Forum Name: General AMC Chat Australian Edition
Forum Description: There are some things mostly of interest to Aussies - this is their AMC Chat spot
URL: https://theamcforum.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=86607
Printed Date: Apr/16/2024 at 8:52am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Aussie 73 Hornet.
Posted By: Mostly last.
Subject: Aussie 73 Hornet.
Date Posted: Apr/04/2017 at 7:04pm
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Been living under a rock I guess. Only found out about AMI assembled AMC cars last year. Did some research and thought a AMI 72 Javelin would be good to try. No luck there. Saw a Hornet come up for sale and thought that's a cheaper way to find out about AMC. Was 3000km away so having had a few wins buying off the internet I bought it without going down to look. Dissapointed when it arrived. Was not roadworthy like the advert said and " just a tiny bit of rust under the drivers side corner of the rear window " turned out to be the passenger side sill was rusted on the inside from one end to the other. Also found when I joined this forum the engine didn't look to be a 258 like it should. Our 73 is on the road now, full registration, is a 258, good to drive and I like it a lot. Glad I bought it. Can't believe the attention it gets. How it was.  Rusted inner left sill. The sill has 3 drains each side. Unbelievably all three were spot welded closed. Until it rusted through the sill must of had a layer of sand, dirt and moisture about 2" deep. The outer side seems to have more galvanising and survived OK.  Spot welded sill drain.  What to do about it. Had some 2mm gal offcuts from building a shed. Used a stick welder all my working life but never a Mig. Bought a Mig and spent a lot of time practicing. Pulled the engine out on Christmas Day. Started cutting out the inner sill on New Years Day. Started at the front. Did it in 4 sections. Was harder at the back cos the sill gets deeper there so I had to straighten out one edge of my new sheet then bend it again in a different spot.  |
Replies:
Posted By: pit crew
Date Posted: Apr/04/2017 at 9:26pm
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Wow. Looks like you had a fair amount of work to do. -------------  73 Hornet - 401EFI - THM400 - Twin Grip 20 |
Posted By: Mostly last.
Date Posted: Apr/04/2017 at 9:36pm
Took some time to make up some of the pieces and fit them.   Had four attempts before I got the front part looking sort of right. 
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Posted By: Mostly last.
Date Posted: Apr/04/2017 at 10:06pm
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Engine next. Took it out so body didn't go out of shape while I had the sill cut up. Also wanted to straighten the sump, and have a look in there while I had it off.  To help anyone new to these cars like me who buys a 4.2l Hornet and then finds they have an " E " engine block ( Should be an " A " ) here is what to look for if you are hoping you got a 258 like you thought you paid for. 258 crank has 12 balance weights. You can measure the throw of the crank with the sump off. Its half of the stroke. ( Stroke is 3.895" ) So 1.947" And even easier with help from members of this forum if you look on the balance weights there is a casting number. Ours is 3214723 correct for 258.  Head and intake didn't come with this car either I don't think. Head number is 3213809. Intake number is 3217245. Shift Command transmission with starter on the right is odd as well. Never mind, easier for extractors to fit and runs beaut so far. No smoke, starts easy.  Going back in after I painted the engine bay. Apologies to AMC fans, I picked the torquoise colour from a chart, but wish it had more green. Next time out, I'll get it better. ( Found the correct Seymour EN-66 on Amazon, cheap too, but they wouldn't ship to Australia. )  Back in. 
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Posted By: Mostly last.
Date Posted: Apr/04/2017 at 10:29pm
Bit of a challenge, but not work. Learnt alot and real satisfaction enjoying it now. AMC did well I reckon. Todays cars just aren't cutting it for me.  Strange thing this car had two rear left hand side automatic wheel adjusters, so one was right on, otherside right off. Got the correct Wagner right hand adjuster from USA. All good now.  Underneath. Transmission mount was in three pieces. Put a new front universal in driveshaft. Shaft had A-413 on it so I put it back best I could.  Getting there. 
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pit crew wrote:Posted By: Craigie
Date Posted: Apr/04/2017 at 11:56pm
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Great work !! You have got that Hornet looking very sharp. Hope to catch up and see it at a show one day .......... Me and my Hornet are down in Brisbane. ------------- Craigie......... 1968 Dodge Charger "Bullitt" tribute 1971 SC/360 Hornet 1973 "Levi" Gremlin |
Posted By: AMoCoLite
Date Posted: Apr/05/2017 at 4:46am
I dig the Hornet...nicely done!  Your garage looks pretty spacious as well. 
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Posted By: ausrambler
Date Posted: Apr/05/2017 at 5:06am
| Great to see you putting in the time and effort on such a nice Hornet. Keep the progress pics coming. |
Posted By: Mostly last.
Date Posted: Apr/05/2017 at 5:49am
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Craigie, thankyou. Do hope to catch up. I have never seen an SC 360 Hornet. AMoCoLite and ausrambler, thanks for the kind words. Interior is pretty good. Would like to get the clock working but left it alone so far cos the plastic around it looks pretty thin and fragile.  Tidied up things in the back. Leaving the Orange hinges as a visible reminder of the original colour.  |
Posted By: Mostly last.
Date Posted: Apr/05/2017 at 6:09am
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On the road, really enjoying it. What looked no good at first gave me something to do for three months or so. Learnt plenty and got something good to show for it. Good to get out on the road now we got it registered. Got to say thanks to this forum, got so much from studying all the info here.     |
Posted By: 6768rogues
Date Posted: Apr/05/2017 at 2:35pm
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I like that last picture. Nice car.
------------- Content intended for mature audiences. If you experience nausea or diarrhea, stop reading and seek medical attention. Located usually near Rochester, NY and sometimes central FL. |
Posted By: AMoCoLite
Date Posted: Apr/05/2017 at 6:38pm
What kind of wheels are those?  (I like.  )
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Posted By: Mostly last.
Date Posted: Apr/06/2017 at 4:58am
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6768rogues, Thankyou. AMoCoLite, We call those wheels 12 slotters. A company called ROH makes them. They come with a couple of different types of centrecap. Really common over here on another make of car sold in USA and Australia. Good rims, thick chrome on them, even if gone a little rusty polishes up well, but if I find something that looks more AMC issue I will change over. |
Posted By: 70Hornet
Date Posted: Apr/06/2017 at 5:40am
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Wow, seeing your Hornet, and the 2 Hornets at the show the other week is really spurring me on to get mine done :-) It is going to take me a little more then 3 months though And nothing wrong with the 12 slotters at all. In Australia we do associate them with another brand of car (am I allowed to say what brand on here lol) I reckon they absolutely suit the Hornets. But not all Hornets, for example Rob Mackays orange one that was at the 4th OZ AMC/Rambler show the other week I couldn't picture it with anything but the Magnum style wheels he has on that. And the Maroon 70 Hornet with the standard Australian Motor Industries (AMI)hubcaps suit that car to a tee. But your car with the 12 slotters look the part from this end and if you didn't know they were off a F.f.f.f... ooops almost!, then like our US counterparts you would reckon they were made for the car . But maybe I am biased as the 12 slotters have been on my Hornet for 28 years :-) and I cant picture any other wheel suiting the style of my Hornet. It did have some Kidney mags for a year or so way back then but I wasn't keen on them. There is some photo's of mine on the 1st and 2nd Australian AMC/Rambler show threads before it all got pulled apart. 12 slotters galore :-) Love the car mate. Glad to see another Hornet is in good hands |
Posted By: Mostly last.
Date Posted: Apr/06/2017 at 8:45am
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Thanks Jason, I'm only a newborn on here compared to you and I worked out I must not say that word. Saw pics of your car, black and chrome always looks great. |
Posted By: 6768rogues
Date Posted: Apr/06/2017 at 3:51pm
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Engines in the US are often offset to the right to make room for steering components. Looking at the picture of the bottom of your car it appears that your engine is also offset to the right, without regard to extra room for steering components. Without exhaust and steering on the same side, perhaps it does not matter. I always wondered if your engines were offset to the left as ours are offset to the right. Is it offset to the right or is the picture fooling my eyes? ------------- Content intended for mature audiences. If you experience nausea or diarrhea, stop reading and seek medical attention. Located usually near Rochester, NY and sometimes central FL. |
Posted By: Mostly last.
Date Posted: Apr/06/2017 at 5:07pm
I did not know the answer so went over to the shed and measured. Interesting, The engine is offset to the right whichever way I measure it. By about 1.5" 17.5 " from Exhaust,Intake Manifold gasket line to Shock absorber nut at top of tower. 16" From other side of head to corresponding nut. Underneath. 6" from edge of box section to engine mount stud on left side. 4.5" from edge of box section to engine mount stud on right side. Same difference using the straight sump sides for a reference. If I was assembling a USA built car in Australia today I would do it the easiest practical way that works. Changing as little as possible getting it to a useable RHD while spending as little as possible to get it past whatever ridiculous hurdles some goverment fella in an office dreamed up to stop me. Thats just how Australia is. |
Posted By: Mostly last.
Date Posted: Nov/04/2017 at 3:57am
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Update since April. Pretty much got the Hornet good enough to keep me happy. New Moog front coils got here from USA. Got them on. No chance of the front wheels rubbing the fenders now so installed all the stainless trim. Got the heater hoses and tap worked out and a new core in the radiator. Spreading the word about AMC and Australian Motor Industries at a local car show today. 
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Posted By: DaemonForce
Date Posted: Nov/04/2017 at 4:36am
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I love how that engine bay looks. You have your steering on the same side as all the primary electrical connections, and then air/fuel+exhaust on the other side. It's as if it was purposely meant to be like this and I can't unsee it. Our LHD American cars here in the states are weird. ------------- 1971 Javelin SST American 304 2v | FMX | AM20-3.31 1983 American Limited Jeep 4(.7)L S-MPFI | 1982 NWC T-5M (4.03/.76) | Dana30IFS/35-2.72 |
Posted By: Mostly last.
Date Posted: Nov/04/2017 at 5:04am
I wouldn't mind if our brake reservoir was swapped with a LHD one. Then the brake lines coming from same would be away from the engine. I made a plastic clip to keep the back spark plug leads from touching the brake lines. Also would be one less thing to worry about taking the engine in and out with the brakelines out of the way. ------------- 69 AMX. Aussie AMX#14 68 AMX 390 ex USA. |
Posted By: 70Hornet
Date Posted: Nov/04/2017 at 6:33pm
Did you get a front photo too? Looks like a good variety of cars at the show 
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Posted By: Mostly last.
Date Posted: Nov/05/2017 at 5:39am
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Was on open paddock behind us,all the cars were in front. Got this one though. Shows Hornet ride height with new front springs.  ------------- 69 AMX. Aussie AMX#14 68 AMX 390 ex USA. |
Posted By: WesternRed
Date Posted: Nov/05/2017 at 7:42am
| Looking good |
Posted By: Craigie
Date Posted: Nov/07/2017 at 10:01pm
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very nice ! ------------- Craigie......... 1968 Dodge Charger "Bullitt" tribute 1971 SC/360 Hornet 1973 "Levi" Gremlin |