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Spirit Build

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nudhistbudhist View Drop Down
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    Posted: Sep/28/2019 at 12:43pm

Hello all, my name is Greg, my car is a 1980 AMC Spirit GT. I've had this car a good many years but never really had the time, money or energy all at the same time to actually do anything with it. Had LOTS of hopes dreams and plans but none of it ever came through. But finally I just said one day while puttsing around in the garage, why don't I just poke at it a little, I can do that... and it began.

Project plans (ish)
4.0L swap, later turning into a 4.x stroker
ax15 perhaps later a t5
ford 8.8 4.10LSD disc brake swap
bunch of electronic upgrades inside from power locks and windows to gauges to a pile of power in the form of sound equipment
 
I started with putting up a tent around the car in the garage with 2x4s and poly, and ran in some power and air, and ground away a bit in the engine bay and gave it a coat of flat black to kinda clean things up a bit.
 
I also did a little patching of a rust hole or two in the car while I was at it. Then it was treated to the same grinding and sanding inside, followed by a solid layer of sound deadening
 
 
after all that was done, I slammed the junkyard 4.0 in and cleared out the tent and enjoyed the feeling of having something done for a bit
 
 
Next thing, and I wish I had more pictures, was to redo the harness bumper to bumper, and splice in the MPFI for the 4.0 while trimming out the aw4 portion. I elected to omit much of the jeep parts, this car never had AC and I don't plan to add it, and its getting a rear battery and the fuse block under the hood wasn't going in, as well as the jeep alternator was a no go for me because I wanted to use my delco 10/12SI (does 175 amps)
 
Then the wiring was installed, hoses plumbed, and an intake made with the air filter in the right side fender. Also had to figure a different alternator mount.
 
At the start:
 
 
progressing:
 
For fans, I used a Ford Taurus setup, with a fan controller for the right fan and the jeep PCM output running a relay that controls the left fan. I'm unsure on the jeep controlled fan, and if I find later it runs too hot, I will wire in a second fan controller to run the other fan. Another thing worth noting is the Jeep PCM has the alternator control internally and being I used the delco unit, I have a persistent CIL with a code for no alternator. honestly doesn't bug me because I have also codes for no fan relay and no cruise.
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nudhistbudhist View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote nudhistbudhist Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep/28/2019 at 12:58pm
Next was Transmission. Initially I had wanted to go T5 but I landed on a deal on an AX15 and the idea of a simple bolt on transmission was appealing with no extra "which clutch part number and which pilot bearing part number" stuff. The ax15 is quite a bit different from the sr4 the car was born with:
 
 
But nonetheless it's in:
 
 
At this point, mounts are figured but need to be bought and I need to still figure a shift handle, but I have a .750" inside square tube that slides tightly onto the shift shaft and I may see about maybe welding the old sr4 lever to it. This bell is the external slave bell from 95 wrangler, so I also need to see about a master cylinder. I may try to see about maybe an s10 one or something with an external res.
 
Other little odds and ends at this point include the louvers being mounted back on, I had to make some little sheet metal tabs to connect them to the glass clips and while they were off I went through and popped new rivets into the slats to firm them up a bit. Later I will paint them, around the same time I paint any of the car. Gauges are also in progress, I went with an Autometer setup, Procomp 1 for speedo and tach, and Pro comp 2 for the oil press, water temp and fuel level.
 
 
For the oil pressure, I have it teed in with the oil light sender, and the water temp is using the little 1/8MPT port in the back of the head. The fuel level is gotten from the original sending unit, with the jeep fuel pump mounted on it in a similar fashion to what billd did with his. Fuel is run supply and return through new steel 3/8 tubing bent under the car.


Edited by nudhistbudhist - Sep/28/2019 at 1:00pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pit crew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep/28/2019 at 2:50pm
Looks like a great start.

73 Hornet - 401EFI - THM400 - Twin Grip 20
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 73LevisX Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/01/2019 at 10:08am
Really cool.

Keep up the good work!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mr. Ed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/02/2019 at 8:54am
I've had a few Spirits, including a one owner '79. Is it my imagination or does your car have a Concord grille and headlight assembly?

Later!
Mr. Ed
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo "Gwendolyn."
1978 Concord Sport coupe "Mr. Black".
1982 Concord wagon. The Admiral. FOR SALE!
1976 Sportabout X, 304, auto, air. The Bronze Goddess

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nudhistbudhist View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote nudhistbudhist Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/03/2019 at 6:39pm
Hey, good catch, that IS a concord setup. When the prev owner got the car, the grille was missing and they put in an eagle egg crate grille which was in there when I got the car. I was looking to do something different, and decided to give it a shot.
First I scabbed the entire setup from a pick n pull close to me when a concord happened to show up (pictures missing.....)
 
and mocked it up
 
 
from there, it all looked good, and I had planned to weld it all in but between not having a welder and forgetting about it when I rented the welder to fix the floor, ended up screwing the lot in. while it was all out in pieces, I did also clean it all up and treat it with a coat of rust fix.
 
 
the only thing is the hood trim. It's not an exact fit, and I'm not sure how I will deal with that as of yet. the little contours at the ends don't line up. I DID however decide being as I don't listen to FM let alone AM radio at all ever, to shave the antenna for a little cleaner look on the fenders. Needs a little bondo love but it's done.
 
 
Later tonite I'll be back at the gauges again and hopefully have a couple pictures of all that. It will need to be "prettified" but I will wait for that until I am ready to do the whole car (carpet/vinyl/fiberglass touch up/etc)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote nudhistbudhist Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/03/2019 at 8:27pm

For gauges I used Autometer Sportcomp 1 Tach to 8k and an Electronic speedo, to be triggered off the tone wheel in my 8.8. The Oil pressure, Water temperature and Fuel level are all Sportcomp 2 gauges using either their own senders or the factory fuel sender. Factory sender in the spirit is a 240 ohm empty, 33 ohm full. Signal lights and Warning lights are little bulbs I found local, all 12v incandescent, check engine was going to be a yellow LED in the dash but being my persistent codes I am unsure whether to leave it in the dash with a toggle switch so it doesn't annoy me or move it to the console (rally pack) area. I constructed with just some 1/4" mdf tonite a couple panels to hold them all and got them wired in and tried out tonite, I'm pretty happy with the results:

 
 
 
 
also worth noting, the digital voltmeter was intended for the rally pack area as well but it didn't fit so I pulled the original bezel and mounted it in the dash panel. All of this will eventually be stripped down in the "prettify" phase and the screw heads with be covered and the window will only be visible.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 23baseball3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/31/2019 at 7:54am
Wow, that looks fantastic! Can't wait to see what's next.
1979 Spirit AMX 304/4 Speed AC
2005 Volvo V70R
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote blumontag Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep/04/2020 at 9:41am
This is great! Any updates?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote nudhistbudhist Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/24/2021 at 1:49pm
It's been a minute since I've updated this. Life, etc, I'll stop making my excuses now. Anyway, since last update, Here's the point form list of things done:
- Drivetrain all permanently mounted
- Interior pieces largely installed or test fitted
- wheels bought
- exhaust installed
- shakedown drive!

When I was installing the AX15, I found the mount is more rearward and upward of the SR4. As luck would have it, I was able to use the original SR4 crossmember installed in additional bolt holes rearward on the frame. Rubber isolators were sourced from a service rig mount (my work). After that, the Explorer 8.8 was narrowed, regeared with 4.10s, and the limited slip rebuilt with new clutches. I decided to install the clutches with less running clearance/more preload for a tighter grip between the two wheels. Installed the rear, sat it on new perches, and prepped it all for setting my pinion angle. A new driveshaft was made for me, basic steel driveshaft. Parking brake cables are still a work in progress but I used the explorer back halves, mounted to the spirit locations

After that, there was the clutch. I used a hydraulic setup, LOTS of searching and reading online showed me that the stock YJ slave cylinder had a similar bore x stroke as the 80s S10 master cylinder, so I ordered the pair from Rock Auto (which apparently I also got a bonus of excessive spam email). The push rod was the worst of it all, I'm still not 100% happy with the result, I find the pedal rather heavy but it disengages fully and fits where no one said it would (much like my taurus fans). The bend in the rod stops the binding, and allows smooth clutch pedal travel. Frustrating to figure that one out.

Other little odds and ends included the louver top mounts, originally plastic and broken, i bent up some metal and riveted them on. Went back and forth but decided to keep them.

Inside, the massive amounts of stereo was installed, along with power locks and windows added, and the left side mirror control relocated to the dash, just below the light and wiper controls

During the research and decision making of gears, the wheel and tire package was carefully decided at the same time. I wanted a taller wheel than the 14 inch rims that were on it originally. I went with a Ridler 606 with grey spokes, 17 inch rim with 4 inches b/s. 225/50r17 tires on them, I had intended to go 40 but ordered incorrectly. Lowering plates fabricated from instructions found here, I went with full drop, making the taller plate with only 6 holes in them. No one ever mentions the need to clearance the plates for brake parts, that was fun to find out on install.

Exhaust was pieced together with 2.5" pipe from summit, cut and weld in my garage, with a flowmaster muffler that was cheap. I find this setup to be rather loud, and in current running form, decel pops are INSANE. Electronic speedo programming was not agreeing with me initially, but after a sensor change, the new speedo is calibrated and working awesome. I have some gauge/running concerns tho but I will post them in the 4.0 swap section

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