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Close to getting it on the road after 33 years

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JohnRyd View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JohnRyd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Close to getting it on the road after 33 years
    Posted: Jan/17/2021 at 4:16pm
After sitting in the garage since 1988 (the Ambassador, not me), I started getting it road ready about 5 years ago. Rebuilt the brakes, mostly new exhaust, new radiator (reinstalled original upper tank) and hoses, rebuilt evaporator and heater boxes (new evaporator, heater core and control valve), reinsulated HVAC duct, new Sanden compressor, new condenser, rebuilt dryer, made new hoses (converted to 134A), new fuel and vacuum hoses.

I fixed all the vacuum leaks from the original hoses, and the old girl ran OK but a bit rich. I decided to rebuild the carburetor (Motorcraft 2100, 2 BBL) before taking it to DMV for inspection (they are tough on emissions). Found the idle mixture screws at 2 3/4 and 4 1/2 turns out versus the recommended initial set up of 2 turns. It also had a plastic float - which I replaced with a brass float. As I write this I haven't started it since just getting the rebuilt carb on today. Keeping my fingers crossed that with the new float, power valve, accelerator pump and choke pull and a little tweaking it will run great and pass inspection. Still need to get a new set of tires.





I can't wait to get her on the road again - this was my first new car !!

Adolph John Rydzewski
Newark, Delaware



Adolph John Rydzewski
Newark, Delaware
1972 Ambassador 4dr Brougham, 360/2BBL/727 purchased new
1968 AMX 390/Auto
1957 Hudson Hollywood 327/Auto
1975 Cadillac Eldorado
1992 Lumina Z34 5 speed
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote garweb3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/17/2021 at 4:29pm
Why is the engine painted red? Is it originally from California?
1974 Javelin AMX
1980 Spirit AMX
1987 Jeep Comanche Sportruck
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JohnRyd View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JohnRyd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/17/2021 at 4:38pm
I ordered the Ambassador in November 1971 from Lucky American, Downey, California to be courtesy delivered to Las Vegas, Nevada (Jim Marsh American), where I was living at the time. I assume because the originating dealership was in California it had to comply with the California regulations.
Adolph John Rydzewski
Newark, Delaware
1972 Ambassador 4dr Brougham, 360/2BBL/727 purchased new
1968 AMX 390/Auto
1957 Hudson Hollywood 327/Auto
1975 Cadillac Eldorado
1992 Lumina Z34 5 speed
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LakesideRamblin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/18/2021 at 12:17am
Congrats.  It's a great looking car!  Very exciting.
LakesideRamblin
69 Rambler 360
73 Javelin 360
"If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month." T. Roosevelt
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 232jav3sp Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/18/2021 at 8:59pm
It's fantastic you are the original owner! Car looks very clean. Get us a video when she hits the highway again.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hassyfoto Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/19/2021 at 4:48am
Thumbs Up
Murphy's Law:
Any given mechanical job you decide to solve alone will imminently require a third hand, at its most critical moment

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ccowx Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/19/2021 at 7:47am
Pretty car and neat story! Nicely done and good luck.

Chris 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote george w Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/20/2021 at 8:05pm
Looks like an old New Jersey inspection sticker in the windshield. Glad to see there's another original owner Ambassador here on the Forum ! Car looks quite nice.
Long time AMC fan. Ambassador 343, AMX 390, Hornet 360, Spirit 304 and Javelin 390. All but javelin bought new.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JohnRyd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan/21/2021 at 6:26am
That's a North Carolina inspection sticker from about 1977-78. We lived there from 1976 to 1978 when my company transferred me. In 1978 we moved to Delaware and stayed here ever since.

I ordered the Ambassador with a rear window defroster, but when it arrived it wasn't there. I had ordered the car from a different dealership and had it courtesy delivered to this one in Las Vegas, NV. The first explanation was the heating element wires were so thin you couldn't see them. Than I asked where the switch was to turn it on. I was told it was automatic - there were frost sensors that turned it on when needed  !!!  (Bravo Sierra)

It so happened a couple of days later I was in southern California, so I stopped by the dealership where I ordered the Ambassador to request a refund for the missing option. I had saved my money to pay cash for the car, and the sales manager at the selling dealership tried to shame me by saying "You're making good money. Why are you worried about $40?" It ended up they cut me a check for the dealer's cost for the option instead of the sticker price - which was much closer to what I had actually paid.

Hopefully things are closer to normal this year and the Cecil County Dragstrip AMC day will be held.

Adolph John Rydzewski
Adolph John Rydzewski
Newark, Delaware
1972 Ambassador 4dr Brougham, 360/2BBL/727 purchased new
1968 AMX 390/Auto
1957 Hudson Hollywood 327/Auto
1975 Cadillac Eldorado
1992 Lumina Z34 5 speed
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