Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Only in my own mind.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Yeah...very much appreciate that observation, I better get a ruling on that before I do it. Not really changing what the upper A-arm does, just moving an existing welded on piece closer to the middle of it so the smaller diameter spring will 'hook' into it. We'll see what they say on that when the time comes.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Hey Tom,
I was being somewhat facitious when I used those terms, they're ones some of my friends use in conversation, and the picture on here of those nice early Ramblers was -certainly- not my place!
Try to imagine a little ol' country salvage yard with 30 cars out back in the bramble patches, a few decent driver-types lining the driveway on both sides, a big pole building with 2 really nice collector cars hidden inside and 300+ pinball machines blocking them in right now. There is a wife in the 1880's one room schoolhouse we re-fashioned into a country home we like to call "Little Shack on the Prairie", and she wishes ALL of my stuff was gone. There you have my place.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

it's all good....I've been to the one I've posted, believe me, 30 cars ain't even a dent in what he's got;) it's really a "must see" for amc guys..he DID get hailed on bad last year and I haven't been down there for a year or 2...

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

(Still in November sometime)
Back to the build, or teardown--whatever the situation demands...

While the auto shop bay was tied up, I focused some attention on planning the next steps to go through on this car. Still need to get the peripheral useless stuff off of it, like wiper pieces, heater box and fan, and various other unneeded weighty pieces not important like body dum dum and interior insulation around the firewall.
Will also need to replace the wood-grained looking dashboard pieces with some brushed aluminum looking pieces like the AMX model would have had. Probably not a big deal, the tech guys most likely would never care, but if it's going to be called an AMX we might as well get it as right as we can.
The other thing was how to proceed with the engine build. For the time being, I'm going to leave the '80 car engine alone and put it into the build car in order to accomplish two things:
1) I need to get this car mobile as soon as I can so as not to be a burden to the shop I'm so graciously allowed to work in.
2) Doing this will allow me to iron out other driveline components while the car can move on its own power. Makes it possible to do some initial testing on track this spring to find out some things too, like what size front tires to run so I can cut a light in this pig! Also gives me the chance to weigh it race ready, and record all the parts changes I make in a gradual manner and determine what helps and what doesn't.
All this will mean pulling another 258 2 bbl engine and automatic from a 4 door 1979 Concord I have out back that will be sent off for some real lovin' while the mule motor is propelling the race car. The Concord was destined for scrap anyway, so nothing good is being destroyed, and it clears out another space back there. Have to wait for the ground to freeze in order to make getting it out easier though.

So, thought I'd give the mule motor a little coat of AMC blue and get things spiffier looking for the re-install.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

(Thanksgiving weekend)

The heater box assembly is now out of the car-- what an ordeal! Took the better part of a whole afternoon.
Unbelievable amount of screws, dash pieces, steering column drop, etc etc, even some rivets had to get sheared off. I have sympathy for anybody on the auto shop clock working on switching out a heater core in one of these.

Tackled the wiper piece removal too, and continued on stripping out useless weight like the sound deadener, cabling, some wires behind the dash, the speakers, and various other little things in the engine compartment. We're to this point now.

The result picture is showing the dashboard pieces stacked all over the top of the car and a firewall that's getting cleaner all the time. Got a few wires to select and keep, most will go away.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

(catching up into mid December)

After more engine bay clean-up and some more removal of unnecessary items in there, I washed it all off with prep-sol, touched up some areas that were crying for paint, and got things ready for the re-install of the mule motor. New motor and trans mounts went on, and the cherry picker came out. This is a real shoe-horn process with the trans attached, but if you go slow and keep re-adjusting the angles, it just does slide in.
You'll notice in the pictures that I tried to fabricate a more AMX-ish looking grille, it was a mesh type from the factory, but mine just isn't doing much for me. Nothing like having an original, so I'll keep looking.
After the drivetrain was installed, it kind of perks you up some to keep going harder. However, with the prime season for the pinball business I do, Christmas season, I'll be torn away from this project some for a while playing Santa and delivering some customer machines. When that calms down some it'll be back to build time. Need to get the dashboard all put back together next, and then finish up the front suspension rebuild on the left side.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

If you have not do so, you need to become a member of these sites:


http://amccars.net
http://theamcforum.com


Both sites have classified forums much like ClassRacer.com where you can post what you are looking for. Also, the AMC enthusiasts seem to be very helpful to their own.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Looking good Brian!!!!

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

You could be doing this too Steve! I got a feeling your future AMC Stocker is going to be running a -lot- faster than the one I'm building though.
When your time comes, I'll be cheering YOU on.

For those who don't know, Steve and I used to tangle occasionally on dragstrips all over the midwest about 25 years ago. He is one tough cookie in the AMC world!

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Thanks for the kind words Brian. Those were some Awesome days back then. I still look back on those days often.

It has been many years & a lot of ideas but I think I'm finally stuck on the Hornet. For the first time in my life I have a garage! I am working on getting it functional then I will start to bolt on all the things I have collected for the last 15 years. It's scheduled to go to the chassis shop in the spring.

Keep up the good work!

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Thanks Dwight, I have been to both in my searches for information already. There is another group I used to be part of many years ago, it is the NAMDRA organization which is the AMC racing arm of the hobby. Good place for finding specialty racing pieces geared to AMC's.

(Catching up to present day, Jan 11th 2016)
The dashboard is all back in place and the parts pile on top of the car is shrinking. Part of the dashboard redo involved me trying to put a brushed aluminum applique over the woodgrain plastic. I was trying to cut pieces off a bulk roll and fashion them into the proper size for dash piece, and the end result didn't thrill me a whole lot, but it serves the purpose of making the car more AMX-ish. I have plenty of aluminum decal left, so I may try this again on the spare pieces I have from the parted out car and see if Try #2 goes better.
Currently I'm sorting through the wiring nest in the engine compartment, it's a mystery because I'm retrofitting an older engine into a newer system that used a computer and a whole raft of different componentry, but it will turn out fine. Nothing a pinball guy can't handle, I'm used to seeing about 30 miles worth of wiring in all those ancient machines I fix.
Time to order several pieces now for future installations, the credit card will be taking a post Christmas beating!

The console with gauges cleaned up pretty nice, more interior pictures on the next post when I get them resized...

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Have you considered naming the car....Pinball Wizard ? That would be , ....shall we say......Way Cool !!!

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

As long as the car isn't bouncing off the retaining walls like a pinball I'd be good with that name! And I hope it launches from the starting line like a ball plunger is shooting it...:)

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Before and after pictures of the dashboard teardown/rebuild. The only thing missing I'll need to fill a hole with is a factory radio. I think there's an AM/FM/Cassette/CB still parked in an '80 Concord wagon out back. Yeah baby! Retro all the way.

A new shifter is ordered, might be overkill for this car but I absolutely loved the look and had to have it. Always wanted one of these when I first saw them come out around 1985. Frivolous expenditure #1 is now on the way.
Pictures when it happens! Can you guess what it is?

That third pedal keeps hanging there and intriguing me. I think I'll leave it there in case it's ever needed. You never know....

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

How do you think he does it ? I don't know ! What makes him so good ? Hey Teddy Yacavone , whatta ya think about those lyrics ?

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Brian

Was good to see you this summer. Lots of racing stories from those Magic Days at Rolling Thunder and Motion . Excited to see your project is underway. If like contact me anytime. My 2c the journey is the best part. Have fun

Don

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

You were one of the guys that pushed me over the edge to get into all this madness after we talked there in St. Louis last fall Don. Let that burden weigh on your mind from now on, you and a couple others are responsible for whatever might happen. :)
See you sometime this year, hopefully with a running car.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

"Teddy"?
Who are you?
Who, who, who, who?
Who are you?
Who, who, who, who?
Who the f*** are you ? who who?

How about that?


Sorry, Mr PB ..He made me do it.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Good one Mark!
Little does anybody know I've been playing keyboards and brass instruments for the better part of 50 years now, so 60's and 70's rock music is right up my alley.

Been a little slow going for the last couple of weeks, the shop I'm borrowing for this build is still pretty busy, everybody else's car is dying since it's 0 out right now, so I've been pushed clear down to the end bay where it's dark and cold and have no lift available. However, my desire to want to flog this Rambler this year is pushing me on. I keep trying to find little things to do.
Mocked up the shifter install today, had to saw the console into three pieces and trim the heck out of it on the insides around the hole, but it's going to graft back together. Figured out the original 4 speed hole in the floor is right where 2 of the new Kilduff automatic shifter's mount holes have to be, so I'm going to have to patch weld the hole in the floor shut before I can drill into anything for mounting. As usual, nothing comes easy.
But the look----oh man, it's everything I wanted!

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Mark, did you forget to take your meds ...?? LOL
On a sad note, I would bet that the corner in Winslow Az. was a little lonely today.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Sad indeed .

For all the Ramblers...


Featuring Detroit native Glenn Frey on guitar and vocals
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKwXHDs1R6Y

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

A little more gradual refinement has been going on, it's been slow going lately, but the auto shop has slowed down some since the weather improved. I've got my lift back now! Got to get underneath this thing and get some loose ends tied up.

Got the shifter installed in it's permanent spot now, the factory gauge cluster and console were interesting to fit into the scheme of all this, but after some carving here and there it all fits back together now. I had a ball playing with those shifter rods! Can't wait until it actually controls something that's running.

The radiator and other necessary engine accessories are all back in place now. Jim Mantle of Div 6 AMC Pacer fame has been a tremendous help on getting my header fit issues solved, nobody makes a true fit header for these old AMC cars anymore, so you have to use Jeep ones, and now I can get the proper type ordered, reconfigured, and get that heavy chunk of cast iron exhaust manifold out of the engine bay.
My old brown 4 door '73 Ambassador bracket car I lovingly used to call the 'Stool Strangler' will soon be giving up it's fuel system, gauges, line-loc, and Weld wheels for this project. Sadly, the old race car will probably have to get parted out after this, it's time has passed and there's not much left on it that restorers would ever want. The built 360 engine and trans in it will probably go into a '67 Rambler wagon I've been saving to make a street machine out of. I have a feeling they're going to be surprised at how little the big brown car weighs when it finally crosses the scales at the scrapyard. It looked like it weighed every bit of 4200 lbs when it was on the track, but it sure didn't. The 80's Camaro and 5.0 Mustang boys at St. Louis can attest to this. :)

The interior in the AMX is pretty complete right now other than a missing radio, which I have at home, and a broken sun visor which I'll have to do some junkyarding for. I may not use it, but I want it there just in case the sun is at a bad angle near the tree. I got two new lift supports installed on the rear hatchback and it sure is nice having that thing hold itself up. I can retire the 2 x 2 chunk of wood now.

Next on my list of things to do are some wiring on the transplanted 258 engine to get it to start, and tackling the left suspension. After that, only about 712 more things to do before May. We'll get there...

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Just made a deal for a parts car that will offer up almost all the AMX goodies I needed to convert the Spirit over to a true T/SA '79 car now. Also got the wheels off my old race car installed onto the build car. Looking a little racier now. The difference in weight between the factory wheels/tires and the Welds/tires is astonishing! Had to have saved at least 50 lbs.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

And the resized pics of before and after wheels...car sits up pretty good now!

You know, I'm always amazed at the little unseen differences from one engine family to another as these older cars came off the assembly line. I've already went through the crossmember differences on AMC engines previously in this thread, but today I realized while hooking some more things up in the engine bay that I had to change the whole gas pedal assembly because the accelerator cable was different from a 4 cyl to a 6. It was quicker to just change it ALL out as an assembly rather than mess with the cable itself.
Down to about 708 more things to do.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Started out my usual day off from the real job today cutting some panels out of sheet metal to fill in the gaping firewall holes from the blower motor and windshield wiper motor removals and getting those fitted in. Went pretty well, nothing all that exotic of course. Been there done this before. Nice to not see the holes anymore.

Then I spent the majority of today getting the engine compartment wiring sorted out and some wires tagged for future use or permanent removal. Long session with the test light and the schematics (which aren't all that big of a help sometimes). After removing the remains of the myriad of computer system and pollution garbage wiring and the original GM starting system wiring set-up from the OEM Iron Duke motor it had and converting some of it back to Ford style with the old- school Ford solenoid so I could keep the proper AMC Ford-style starter in place, I finally got brave and hooked up the battery cables and twisted the key. The key has not been turned to 'Start' even once in this ride for what has to be every bit of 25 years.

It cranked over!
No smoke coming from anywhere either...big sigh of relief there. This car is going to LIVE!

Not only was the cranking over a most promising sign, the lights on most of the car worked too--headlights, the gauges in both the dashboard and console, taillights, side markers, everything but a couple of dashboard lights, a license plate light, and the dome light. Bear in mind when I bought this car so long ago, it was just a body and I knew absolutely nothing about the condition of things other than it was red and fairly straight. And it's not like I kept it garaged either, Mother Nature has pretty well had her way with it, but it held up well.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Just a little update this time since only a little time to work on the car presented itself.

Was intending to pull the fuel tank out of the car and tackle some more dirty work underneath but no lifts available again in the auto shop on a Monday. So it was on to Plan B which was installing an HEI distributor in the hole where a Ford/AMC designed one was. It was a fairly straightforward swap, and I added in the appropriate plug wires. The HEI looks so big compared to the old distributor but it clears everything fine. This should get the car running now once we can feed it some fuel. Wiring is all ready to go, even found a couple of hot leads with key off to run the future cooling fan and electric water pump drive.
The other big work was mounting an AMX emblem on the glove box lid. Wow...that one about wore me out!

So, slow going but at least progress was made. When I get the powder blue AMX parts car back home next weekend there will be several body and trim pieces to swap out and sand off, so if no lifts are available there will be other work I can do. But the next critical thing is to get some gasoline flowing and start this car up!

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

You're probably going to want to keep them live for between rounds cooling.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Slow progress is fine, Pinballer, as long as you keep the project moving in the right direction. Good luck with it, sounds very cool!

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Appreciate that Billy and Dave,
I will not quit. I might go broke eventually, but I will not quit.

One of my very young co-workers at the NAPA store I work at has taken a liking to my Stocker project, enough so that he has educated himself a little on how the Stock Eliminator cars are classed, especially the slower ones. So he's messing around on Craigslist during a break looking for a cheap car to fix up, like kids even 60 years old like me tend to do, (!), and finds an original '84 Camaro 4 cylinder stick car with a bad clutch for sale for $850. He hollers to me to come and take a look at it, and immediately wants to know if this would make a good class car. I see an opportunity to razz him some here..."Could be, you'd be way down there in W/S, the lowest of the low. 4 cylinder cars only. You'd be about the only sick-o in America trying to run a Camaro down there." (Like I should talk, considering my choice of combo).
He says in his innocence, "Ooh, that would be good then, right? If I was the only Camaro I'd win class every time!"

What have I created here???

I didn't have the heart to tell him a Pinto owned by an Illinois racer named Buth would probably clean his clock out there in a bad way. Let him find out the hard way like I probably will. :)

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

But it will be a Camaro, a real car not a Pinto.lol Nice way to spread the religion of Drag racing. Nice project.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

I appreciate hearing that. Hopefully the masses don't find this whole long-term build of an off-the-wall six-banger AMC car boring. I know it's a slow car and runs way at the bottom of the classes, and not a lot of people would give it a second glance, but it's anything but that for me. I'm pretty stoked about it because it's new and different than me building another bracket car with a breathed on V8 and bolt-on everything. I know I can do those and have success, but this class racing venue is a whole new thing for me because a lot of thought has to go into every component due to the rules. It's going to take a while.

You know, if I wasn't already a Rambler man, doing a Stocker 4 cylinder Iron Duke stick '84 Camaro way down in W just might tempt ME! I'd have to sneak up on those wicked Pintos though...might take a couple years of re-adjusting to the Chevy ways.
I have '96 and '85 Corvettes out in the stable that I love to drive on nice days, so I might get an urge sometime to go back to the Bow Tie camp, you just never know.

Spent Saturday evening and all day Sunday driving from central IL to and from Minneapolis to get the baby blue '79 AMX parts car. Used my usual Monday off work then to strip the fender flares, emblems, and grille off of it and get started installing those into the build car. The flares are going to need some work first before I can mount them, they're almost powdery from old age and chip easily, but the grille is really good and went right into the race car with minor effort. I'll add some pictures later on.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

And the pictures of some of today's efforts. One shot shows a factory fender flare for the AMX cars I'm talking about in the above post.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

"Hopefully the masses don't find this whole long-term build of an off-the-wall six-banger AMC car boring"

You're kidding right? If it was yet ANOTHER red 69 Camaro with a small block I wouldn't be reading. Over 10,000 views....that says it all.

What was that song, it's hip to be square? haha, this is an excellent thread, love to see a thread on a 6 cyl ford or ccccchev too.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

I don't see anything boring going on from here. Keep up the good work! You and Robbie Racer are restoring my faith in Drag Racers and Hot Rodders!

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Love the build nothing boring here

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Not boring at all keep going.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

^^^^^This^^^^

Rick Thomason
GTOMayhem

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Nothing boring here! Cool? Heck yeah!

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Keep cheering me on guys, it's helping---my old arms hurt real bad from twisting out stuck screws all day!
Where's that Celebrex bottle at??

Not a lot to tell on today's efforts, it was simply doing a bunch of little things to improve on the car that won't readily show up. Spent most of today removing the wheel well chrome trim pieces and the lower mouldings along the rocker panel on the driver side in order to get ready for the flares to mount on. Stuck screws as I fully expected slowed this work to a crawl, but eventually I managed to get one side cleared off. I had hoped to get both sides done today.
I also took a solenoid operated hatch release assembly off the back end of the blue AMX and cleaned it all up so it could work on the red car, which had it's missing. AMC, in it's infinite wisdom, decided that a key/lock assembly to open that hatch might be a bit too much to ask, so they ran wires from the fuse box to the glove compartment switch, then ran two more wires down the entire length and across the back of the car to the solenoid. The original opening push-button is located inside the glove box, but I plan on moving it to the shifter console or the radio plate area at some point so my ever-fattening body doesn't have to lean way over there in full race dress and flop open the glove box lid to push on it to get ready for a fuel check. I chose "lazy" this time.

The remainder of the day was spent repairing my portable air tank, cutting off the emergency brake cable underneath the car, and cleaning up small parts to be installed later, mainly the fender flares. I had the thought of spray-can Plasti-dipping these things in order to keep them from crumbling any more on the edges than they already have.
Anybody had experience with this P-Dip stuff on an already rubbery material much like the Corvette bumpers were from the late '70s and 80's? It would have to remain really flexible after spraying it on because the wind is going to flex the fender flares a little bit all the time.

And finally, when I got home from the shop I see an email that the Division 3 office got my competition number for Stock processed. I was overjoyed to see that my humble request for my old bracket racing number was granted. Once again, and from now on, I am T/SA 3790.