REBEL/M-XRV8

Thanks for the positive comment. Necessity is the mother of invention?

I really had no clear vision on how to do the rear shocks, but I've learned that sometimes, if you simply 'go at it', sometimes one come up with a good idea anyway.

But I did have a clear vision on how I wanted to do the front shocks... and once I could 'see it' in my mind -I knew ~that~ was what I wanted to do (go ahead and use the oversized Ford truck shocks on all four corners)

Here's a few pics of how the front suspension shares the same shocks as the rear, and how the shock extension limits the wheel travel to keep the cut down coils in position (as it is now, with the coils cut down, they are so much shorter it makes them much easier to remove or install... and I really like that because the suspension is become much easier to work on; just unbolt the shock, lower the wheel and the spring is ready to come out.

One more reason I chose to go with Ford pickup truck shocks is to keep the option of installing 'helper spring'/overload shocks if the stock rate springs do not live up to my higher performance expectations -this way, I can install Ford truck overload shocks to increase the spring rate... plausibly instead of having custom coils made at a spring shop.

So now I have comparatively giant shocks on all four corners, to limit suspension extension, which works to keep the shorter coils locked their spring seats & the rear suspension's maximum extension is limited to keep the shorty driveshaft u-joints from unacceptable binding.

-took out these pictures not to poison the AMX/3 image gallery on Google with rough pics of this car.

The shocks are Monroe 'Gas-Matic' pn# 59517 -for '92 Ford Pickup and Vans.

These Rebels came with extra large rubber bump stops on the front  (makes Dodge Coronet bump stops look dinky by comparison) but I went ahead and bought oversize Jeep TJ urethane bump stops for additional bottom out cushioning. (the 2" diameter urethane Jeep bump stops are cut  down from four to 2.5" tall and angle cut DIY by me)

I expect this to be a very sturdy front suspension with so much weight removed from the front of the vehicle. It hasn't been driven with these mods yet (can't wait though! -to see how it feels)

Completing the 'roughing in' on the suspension was necessary (in my mind anyway) prior to this next phase of the project: Let's build a AM Warner Gear automatic 'race' transmission? 

 


Edited by amcenthusiast - Feb/06/2020 at 7:42pm

Pics of the rear clutch:



The rear clutch in this trans had 'radial' groove bronze frictions:



Similar to the front clutch, here we can see some visual evidence of... what looks to me like the trans was run low on fluid -there is some galling where the bronze friction lining is transferred onto the steel drive plates. ('Galling' by definition basically means 'metal transfer' caused by lack of lubrication)



Wow; I've never seen this before. Not only did I find the bronze frictions in the rear clutch, one of the bronze frictions was severely dished. This indicates severe heat occurred in order to warp the friction disk.




Edited by amcenthusiast - Feb/18/2020 at 4:15pm

'65 AM Warner Gear 10B auto trans main case 'before':



Carefully detailed the interior of the case with an assortment of small carbide burrs, grinding stones and sanding drums, using a rotary tool with flex-shaft extension. After, below:




Edited by amcenthusiast - Feb/05/2020 at 10:18pm

A few pics of the tailhousing getting reworked for this application:











Edited by amcenthusiast - Feb/05/2020 at 10:58pm

...waiting on parts and cleaning up the pan: