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The Mystery of The Slot |
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tomj
AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/27/2010 Location: earth Status: Offline Points: 7522 |
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Posted: May/10/2021 at 5:49pm |
All Rambler Americans from 1958 through 1963 have this slot in the rear of the hump, just in front of the back seat lateral support. What is it for?
It's not just a slot in the pan. It's got a lip, in anti-scoop direction (assuming you're driving forward). It's not for air -- they are typically sealed over with asphalt tape, similar to unused clutch pedal floor holes in automatic cars. Also the carpet and it's backing cover it. The only things I and my friend Bruce can come up with are unibody longitudinal flex/stress relieve, or possibly some anti-resonance thing. Also possible is that it actually does nothing at all, and fits some 'theory' like left-handed lug nuts. That seat base is significant in this chassis; it's a major pan stiffener. In 61-up it got beefier and different (more) bracing. |
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1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5 http://www.ramblerLore.com |
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ramblinrev
Moderator Group Joined: Dec/28/2008 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 11463 |
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No idea! Looks like someone used a cutting wheel on it! I've never had the carpet out of my convertible, so now you have me wondering what's down there! |
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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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tomj
AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/27/2010 Location: earth Status: Offline Points: 7522 |
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Lol, it's fairly elaborate! It's not a stamping or machining artifact, accident, etc.
I suspect it allows a tiny, chassis-crack-avoiding bit of flex in that center of the pan. The tunnel, being U-shaped, is certainly very stiff, front to rear. What happens to stress when you jack one corner? The sheet formed by the pan has gotta deform, even if just a hair. Right where the tunnel meets the seat base/stiffener, I bet is two planes of stress 90 degrees apart. I've skimmed body TSM stuff looking for a clue (as in, dont weld it up! etc) but nada. But who knows. Cars had left-handed lug nuts on the left side for DECADES for NO ENGINEERING REASON DETECTABLE. Even Nash I think. |
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1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5 http://www.ramblerLore.com |
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gtoman_us
Moderator Group Joined: Jul/10/2007 Location: E. Nebraska Status: Offline Points: 3859 |
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Ahh the anti vibration factory modification.
I think Farna did a write up years ago that they had a drone noise or vibration the engineers couldn’t resolve. If I recall AMC brought in an outside contracted engineer (German?) who identified the source and cut the floor. Viola’ problem solved. The factory had a special tape over it the gap. If memory serves me correctly....
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Moderator - Emeritus
Used to collect trophies, now I collect gas receipts and put on miles 1964 Rambler Ambassador Cross Country Wagon 1965 GTO 1931 Model A original survivor "Flat Roofs are Cool" |
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tomj
AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/27/2010 Location: earth Status: Offline Points: 7522 |
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Aha! Thanks for that! Hopefully Frank will see this and verify. It's gotta be something like that. Thanks for remembering that.
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1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5 http://www.ramblerLore.com |
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gtoman_us
Moderator Group Joined: Jul/10/2007 Location: E. Nebraska Status: Offline Points: 3859 |
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Now if I can remember where I put my car keys and coffee cup....
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Moderator - Emeritus
Used to collect trophies, now I collect gas receipts and put on miles 1964 Rambler Ambassador Cross Country Wagon 1965 GTO 1931 Model A original survivor "Flat Roofs are Cool" |
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pacerman
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Jul/03/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9042 |
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AMC is not alone in this. Was it the Corvair convertible or the Camaro convertible that used the cocktail shaker vibration dampers? Joe
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Happiness is making something out of nothing.
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ramblinrev
Moderator Group Joined: Dec/28/2008 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 11463 |
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It was the Camaro and Firebird convertibles that have those big vibration dampeners in the corners of the trunk! |
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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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gtoman_us
Moderator Group Joined: Jul/10/2007 Location: E. Nebraska Status: Offline Points: 3859 |
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I would think that modern Dynamat would have solved the problem.
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Moderator - Emeritus
Used to collect trophies, now I collect gas receipts and put on miles 1964 Rambler Ambassador Cross Country Wagon 1965 GTO 1931 Model A original survivor "Flat Roofs are Cool" |
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tomj
AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/27/2010 Location: earth Status: Offline Points: 7522 |
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Did you look in the cup? I put down and lost my phone like 4 times today.
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1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5 http://www.ramblerLore.com |
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