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The Mystery of The Slot

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tomj View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tomj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: The Mystery of The Slot
    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.


1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5
http://www.ramblerLore.com

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ramblinrev View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ramblinrev Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/10/2021 at 6:06pm
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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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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tomj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/10/2021 at 11:33pm
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.

1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5
http://www.ramblerLore.com

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gtoman_us Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/11/2021 at 6:20am
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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1964 Rambler Ambassador Cross Country Wagon
1965 GTO
1931 Model A original survivor
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tomj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/11/2021 at 11:39pm
Originally posted by gtoman_us gtoman_us wrote:

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....

Aha! Thanks for that! Hopefully Frank will see this and verify. It's gotta be something like that. 

Thanks for remembering that.
1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5
http://www.ramblerLore.com

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gtoman_us Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/12/2021 at 6:24am
Now if I can remember where I put my car keys and coffee cup....
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1964 Rambler Ambassador Cross Country Wagon
1965 GTO
1931 Model A original survivor
"Flat Roofs are Cool"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pacerman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/12/2021 at 2:42pm
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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ramblinrev Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/12/2021 at 3:20pm
It was the Camaro and Firebird convertibles that have those big vibration dampeners in the corners of the trunk!

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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gtoman_us Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/12/2021 at 7:06pm
I would think that modern Dynamat would have solved the problem.
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1965 GTO
1931 Model A original survivor
"Flat Roofs are Cool"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tomj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/13/2021 at 12:28am
Originally posted by gtoman_us gtoman_us wrote:

Now if I can remember where I put my car keys and coffee cup....

Did you look in the cup? I put down and lost my phone like 4 times today.
1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto
1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5
http://www.ramblerLore.com

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