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1961 American Convertable |
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litninrod 
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Joined: Jun/13/2025 Location: 65601 Status: Offline Points: 160 |
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 Topic: 1961 American ConvertablePosted: Jun/13/2025 at 12:20pm |
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New to the forum.
I just picked up a 61 to restore. Body is 99% straight, no rust, solid floor. It sat in the woods for years so the interior is roached. The engine fires on starting fluid but the fuel pump diaphrams are crumbling, so waiting on a fuel pump to actually start it.
I ordered a TSM, but while I wait for it, I thought I'd ask here about a couple things. Below the key is a threaded rod - what is that for? And below the heater controls there is a left right sliding switch. What does it do? Also, the heater controls say "refrig", but there's no A/C compressor or radiator. Does that just mean cooler vs warmer on the heater? I have pics but I'll have to figure out how to upload them here. |
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CamJam
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Joined: Jan/04/2014 Location: Arizona Status: Offline Points: 8412 |
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Posted: Jun/13/2025 at 1:24pm |
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Hi Rod, and welcome to the forum! I'm not familiar enough with the early Americans to answer your questions, but you won't be able to upload photos until you have 30 points (posts), which is to protect members from scams and spam. In the meantime, you can always host photos with a 3rd-party site and post links to them.
Good luck with the project, and for saving a piece of AMC history.
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'72 Javelin SST
'73 Javelin 360 '69 Big Bad Orange AMX (SOLD)   |
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ramblinrev
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Posted: Jun/13/2025 at 3:38pm |
Welcome to you and your '61! I'm a longtime '62 convertible owner (very slight differences between the years.) The only threaded rod that "might" be below the key from the factory would be an Overdrive lever (on manual shift cars). Could it be a manual choke pull that someone added? The heater control does say "refrig"...the same control panel was used for AC cars. A left-right sliding switch down on the bottom of the dash would be for Courtesy lights (under the dash). I assume the Power Top switch is on the upper left of the instrument panel on yours? You can't post pics here until you have 30 posts as a member. It seems high, but years ago when the Forum was set up, that was done to keep out riffraff and scammers....figuring that they wouldn't bother hanging around that long. I'll message you my email, and you can email pics to me, if these explanations don't do the job. RE a Fuel Pump, if it's NOS or an old rebuild, you'll really need a modern rebuild kit that can deal with fuel with some ethanol in it. If you're stuck, let me know. The other thing you should do is find the drain for the gas tank...it's in the bottom (obviously) right rear corner of the tank, and it's flush with the tank-so it could be hidden under factory undercoat. An Allen wrench will open it. Drain that tank and see what crud is in there. If the car has been sitting for a long time, you really need to drop and clean and maybe seal the tank, or your new fuel pump will get gummed up or plugged up. Good luck! Paul
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74 Hornet Hatchback X twins (since 1977)
62 American Convertible (still worth the $50 I spent in 1973!) AMCRC #513, AMO #384 70 AMX 360 4-speed (since 1981) |
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litninrod
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Joined: Jun/13/2025 Location: 65601 Status: Offline Points: 160 |
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Posted: Jun/13/2025 at 4:26pm |
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OK good to know.
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litninrod
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Posted: Jun/13/2025 at 4:33pm |
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Hi Rod, Welcome to you and your '61! I'm a longtime '62 convertible owner (very slight differences between the years.) The only threaded rod that "might" be below the key from the factory would be an Overdrive lever (on manual shift cars). Could it be a manual choke pull that someone added? The heater control does say "refrig"...the same control panel was used for AC cars. A left-right sliding switch down on the bottom of the dash would be for Courtesy lights (under the dash). I assume the Power Top switch is on the upper left of the instrument panel on yours? You can't post pics here until you have 30 posts as a member. It seems high, but years ago when the Forum was set up, that was done to keep out riffraff and scammers....figuring that they wouldn't bother hanging around that long. I'll message you my email, and you can email pics to me, if these explanations don't do the job. RE a Fuel Pump, if it's NOS or an old rebuild, you'll really need a modern rebuild kit that can deal with fuel with some ethanol in it. If you're stuck, let me know. The other thing you should do is find the drain for the gas tank...it's in the bottom (obviously) right rear corner of the tank, and it's flush with the tank-so it could be hidden under factory undercoat. An Allen wrench will open it. Drain that tank and see what crud is in there. If the car has been sitting for a long time, you really need to drop and clean and maybe seal the tank, or your new fuel pump will get gummed up or plugged up. Good luck! Paul [/QUOTE]
It is a 3 on the tree, and I think overdrive is the correct answer. I found a knob in the parts bucket that says overdrive, so now I know where it goes. I did find that drain, though I wasn't sure that's what it was. I dropped the tank anyway. Gas is supposed to be brown and smell like highly potent turpentine, right? :) The sending unit looks like it's wearing a fur coat with all the crud on it. I'm guessing replace, but I'll try to clean it first. Thanks for the info.
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litninrod
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Posted: Jun/13/2025 at 4:36pm |
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Oh and yes, the convertable top switch is top left of the dash.
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litninrod
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Posted: Jun/14/2025 at 11:53am |
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The most basic mechanic job that almost anyone can do is an oil change. So I feel really dumb asking this, but where is the oil filter? It's not on the top left like many pics I've seen. Nor the top right add on bracket. Not down by the fuel pump and coil, nor by the starter or generator.
Is it possible to not have a filter at all??
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litninrod
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Joined: Jun/13/2025 Location: 65601 Status: Offline Points: 160 |
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Posted: Jun/14/2025 at 12:10pm |
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On the top left location where the filter sits on some pics is a one inch hose that goes to right above the radiator hose. Unless the filter is just missing and the location to install is hard to see without it, I'm stumped.
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ramblinrev
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Posted: Jun/14/2025 at 1:23pm |
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Rod, it's possible that that engine (should be an OHV) did not come with an oil filter standard-or that someone removed it. It should sit up on a plate on the driver's side above the generator. The plate bolts to the cylinder head/intake, and should have a steel line going down to the driver's side of the block, and going around to the passenger side of the head. The filter stands upright, and screws onto the filter plate.
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74 Hornet Hatchback X twins (since 1977)
62 American Convertible (still worth the $50 I spent in 1973!) AMCRC #513, AMO #384 70 AMX 360 4-speed (since 1981) |
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litninrod
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Joined: Jun/13/2025 Location: 65601 Status: Offline Points: 160 |
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Posted: Jun/14/2025 at 1:34pm |
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Paul, That's what I've been seeing in the pics, but I don't have that. I emailed you photos of my engine. I never knew that any cars came without an oil filter. It looks original to me rather than someone removing it.
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litninrod wrote: