Resurrecting the Rambler

[Pinballer]

Been a while since I posted an update, the car work sessions have been sporadic due to other commitments, but the long holiday weekend was pretty beneficial. Got several things done and feel good about those. Right now I'm so tired I had to quit and come in and sit down for a while!

Remember that list of 712 other things that needed to get done to the car in one of my previous posts? I've knocked a few more off that, maybe we're down into the 600's now...this sucker may even run by fall!
Line lock is mounted on the firewall now, the gas tank is finally out of the car after having to saw off some rusted bolts out that held it in, and surprisingly the tank was pretty clean inside. Not sure if I'll ever use it on this ride, but it's perfectly good for something else Spirit-related on down the road, which is about all it fits. All the proper fender flares are mounted, and there was one that required some fiberglass work inside and out to keep it from totally disintegrating. The majority of the work sessions in recent days have mostly been filled up with painting the AMX stripes on the driver side of the car. I know I know...stripes don't make this car run any better, but it does makes the owner happy to see it evolving into something that won't be such an embarrassment while sitting still. Even my wife came out and remarked at what a change there had been in the whole car since she last saw it. She said it looked way more "aggressive". OK, I'll take that!! Now I have to do the other side.
Repaired some damage to the rear taillight fill panel and right fender extension by replacing them with pieces from the blue parts car. Had to repaint them both of course.
Tried plasti-dip spraying one fender flare as a test with the deepest red color I could find, but was not all that happy with the results, so peeled it all back off and will resort to using regular paint later on for a better match. At least now I know it's not quite the stuff for me.
Bought a new Snell 2015 helmet, my old helmet with it's 1985 Snell rating wasn't going to cut it, even at our local track. They told me not to come back with it. Guess it's been a good while since I bought a helmet!
Changed out the outside passenger door handle with a new one today, great to have two fully working doors again.
Lastly, cleaned out the entire car of all the leavings of unused parts, bolts and screws, wiring, and assorted pieces of whatever, and vaccuumed out everything really good. Made sure all the spare tire stuff was correct and mounted back in it's proper place and called it good. Have to get the driver seat re-upholstered soon, it's the worst looking thing in the interior now. I'd replace with with another, but I don't have any black ones as spares.
But it's all come a long long ways from the day I first pulled this car out of where it sat in front of the shop. Look back at the beginning posts and it's been a major change!

[goinbroke2]

looking great! can't wait for it to hit the track.

[Pinballer]

Neither can I !! It's hard seeing and hearing about your racer friends heading over to the track and what's going on with their racing pursuits while you stay home every spare waking moment working on your own car so you too can get there some day. Some of them are pushing me onward with this build because it's kind of unique, some of them are still shaking their heads and asking me what the H I'm doing this all for.

Got curious tonight and added up all the expenditures since the beginning (about 9 months ago) that I had on part store tickets, Jeg's tickets, Summit tickets, NHRA fees, and so on plus the initial cost of the car body ($250) and the rear end assembly with Moser axles, gears, and the install that I had a shop do way back in the dark ages. ($700). I even threw in $500 extra for misc expenses in case I forgot anything.
It's still a "nickel" rocket, but not by much. Sure to be well on the way to a "dime rocket" before it's all over. Main thing is that it eventually becomes a "rocket."

$4518.95

[Dwight Southerland]

Great job!

[Charlie A]

Bigger is better:

[Pinballer]

Thanks Charlie!

After the usual race reports from the "retired racer's breakfast club" that meets on Monday mornings at the local pub, and the normal running around paying bills sessions that always follow, the rest of today was spent prepping the right side of the car for the main striping. Managed to get two of the three stripes laid down and cleared before running out of tape late in the day. Hope to finish up that side next weekend and then move on to the flares, hood, and rest of the car and turning it all into an even shade of red. Painting has got to get done before it turns into humid 90 degree days.

Was going through a shoebox that I started putting old track and race decals and stickers into clear back in the early 80's, and happened upon a couple that I remembered being included inside the box with a new Hurst Ram-Rod shifter I bought for my '68 Camaro back then. These little red and white stickers will have to become a fixture someplace on this AMX.
They read:
"For your safety, tighten all nuts and bolts securely. Recheck periodically."
Good advice.

Another one I found interesting was a long bright orange one that we used to get from our NAPA warehouse when they would return our old stock we would try to send back to them every so often. Just reads: "Obsolete."
That one might need to go on my helmet.

[Pinballer]

Some more test painting efforts, apparently my red paint I mixed up matches reasonably well. The rest of the car will eventually follow as time allows. Can't wait!