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Post by sc397 on Jul 2, 2014 18:34:00 GMT -8
Amazing how much people pay for bad restorations... Javtwotone and I are teaming up on this one to try to get it right for them this time around. This thing has a laundry list of things wrong with it. First up was the engine wouldn't shut off when the key was turned off. Second was the thing took a nose dive when you touched the brakes. Hmmm, maybe putting a proportioning valve back in it will help.
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Post by 71sc360 on Jul 2, 2014 23:48:34 GMT -8
Exactly why I usually buy inops. When you buy something that is supposed to be run ready, you will normally do about half a restoration just to get it so you feel safe driving it on the street. When I look at the beautifully restored, "drive anywhere" cars you find on ebay, I always think... you better bring a trailer when you pick it up if you want to get it home safely.
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Post by sc397 on Jul 3, 2014 3:52:49 GMT -8
Here is the list for your entertainment....
Hi Rick, I put a list of things to see if you can look at. I guess just don’t want to forget anything. Please do I whatever you need to make it right. Make it like it is your own car and you were driving it. If you think something is wrong or needs changed let me know. I just want it right so I can drive it and enjoy the car. I really appreciate you looking at it for me and making so time. I am not in a big hurry so if you get something that has to be done sooner I understand. I hope maybe in a month or so you can get it knock out. I guess that depends on issues. Please drive or run the car a while and then me know your thoughts on sound and drivability of the car. Things to check and look at: First of all for some reason the car will not shut off you have to Stall it off. I am not sure if it is the ignition going bad or I have to put a resistor inline since I went to a MSD system? I had to add a resistor in the Camaro for it to shut off with the key as well. Motor: 1. Oil leak around the back of oil pan and rear main. Tried to fix with thread tape and them thread sealer with the back 2 large bolts. It looks like that is where the leaks are coming from. 2. Water leaking out around intake manifold. I have taken if off 3 times. I had the heads and deck and machining checked twice and it was all good. This was done by a guy recommend that had machined about 20 Amc motors from the guy I bought the motor from. Transmission: Important note when I first got the car on the road in the parking lot it got stuck between gears at a slow speed and locked up on me and slammed to a stop. It was when I backed out in reveres and then went to 1st I started to go forward and then locked up after about 10 ft. I hear the AMC shifters are not good and this happens. This ended up breaking teeth off the ring gear and pinion and I had to put a new ring and pinion in the car. So I hope it didn’t damage the trans too much if at all. 1. Please disassemble and rebuild and check for wear or problems. 2. Seam to be leaking from the rear tail shaft seal. 3.Missing the speedo gear in tail shaft so now I have no speedometer. I hope you can get a gear for it. I found a place on line. Even if it is not the exact gear as long as it is close and I get some speed gear to work. Brakes: Just a warning and things that were done. 1. They seem to be ok but they are very touchy and sensitive. You will see you barley touch them and it wants to put you in the windshield. I not sure if this is a characteristic of the cars or there is something not right. They were converted to the 72 ambassador brake calipers setup by the previous owner and I put all new parts one it.
Suspension: Note and things done. 1. They only thing I see is I think I might need a new front right spring or maybe both front springs. For some reason only when you back up to the right with the wheel turned hard on the right side the wheel rubs the front lower corner of the fender. Trust me you will hear it backing up. It is only when backing up nothing going forward. 2. I rebuilt the trunions with all new bushings and the entire front suspension is all new parts. Maybe I have something not setup right. 3. I have not had the car aligned and maybe that is the problem. Do you have a guy that does alignment?4. Also I feel like I have vibration when getting up to highway type speeds. 5. All bearings in the rear end were replaced and a new 3:54 ring and pinion gear installed.
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Post by dcheek45 on Jul 3, 2014 5:04:42 GMT -8
What the hell you've got a whole month, not like it's a rush. :-) by the way did you get any pictures from Milan, been watching for a post.
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Post by 71sc360 on Jul 3, 2014 6:09:39 GMT -8
Looks like a restoration laundry list...
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Post by sc397 on Jul 3, 2014 9:30:45 GMT -8
Here is another one I am helping with... Verbage I had sent to Stickshifter: Went to look at his engine last night. His biggest worry was having to repaint the engine... He is a Waxer. His buddy's shop full of sand rails is pretty impressive. Hemi and BBC blower stuff so, the guy is no hack by any means. He had just never worked on a AMC and because they are from outer space and he can't relate it back to a sbc he thought there was some mystical inherent oiling issues with the engine. The simple thing that I saw was that crap went through the engine and tore up the bearings and crank. The oil pump looked fine. He just couldn't believe that it was that simple. He was looking for a major design flaw I guess - He had been on the internet and reading what all of the experts were saying... Anyway, I did open up all of the oil gallys to the mains and the rear main was completely plugged shut with something. The odd thing is the mains were not nearly as bad as the rods. Oh and as a bonus, he is running a 727 trans with a modified torque converter to mate up to the '70/'71 flant crank. The 727 flex plate is piloting on... the bolts. I told him that the the engine needs a different crank and has to be completely rebuilt including balancing. It has + 0.040" pistons and nothing was balanced. The engine buddy was getting everything I was telling him and re-explaining it to Ray. I feel kinda bad today, I didn't even look at his car for which he is very, very proud of. I will post up some pictures of the carrnage when I get a chance.
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Post by 69Rebel on Jul 3, 2014 16:17:08 GMT -8
Those collector quality restorations aren't by chance from a shop in AZ, are they?
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Post by sc397 on Jul 7, 2014 18:56:13 GMT -8
No. The AMX had been to several "Restorers" and everything on the Gremlin was done local (SE Michigan)but the engine was a out of state purchase. As it turns out the guy is 13 miles away from me and I street raced he and his buddy back in the mid '70's. (Yea, I smoked their ass..)
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Post by sc397 on Mar 15, 2015 17:38:10 GMT -8
Finally back on the AMX. Javtwotone came over yesterday and helped me pull the engine and trans. Pulled the drain plug out of the side and no antifreeze came out. Since the core plug was leaking anyway, I popped it out and dug some of the crud out. We have oil in the bell housing. It could have leaked down from the intake, could be a rear main seal leaking or oil pan for that matter. They did the RTV deal in the front and back of the intake instead of the rubber gasket and it did have a leak in the middle so, We pulled the intake. Once we pulled the intake we found someone's poor attempt to put a internal oil line in. Notice the kink at the very first bend.. Also, what the hell did they do to the pipe plug! Were they trying to get it out, or put it in.. Regardless, there is enough little things wrong with this thing that I am going to pull it all the way down and go through it.
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Post by Captain Awesome on Mar 16, 2015 8:48:08 GMT -8
This is what I dislike about the valley oil line. You have people that can't change a spark plug without fucking it up taking a drill to hard to come by blocks. That just doesn't set well with me. Whether they've actually fucked it up or not.
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Post by sc397 on Mar 16, 2015 10:17:32 GMT -8
If I wouldn't have looked at it probably no one would have known the difference. The kink just restricted the oil flow to the back. In this case, no harm done. It just didn't get the oil flow that it could have. But you are right in the respect that you can screw it up. I have had to fix one of those too.
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Post by javtwotone on Mar 16, 2015 10:56:27 GMT -8
Sc397 forgot to mention one of the fun little games of working on this car... IS THE BOLT TIGHT OR NOT!!!!! you never know until you put a wrench to it. Oh but they got us on the flywheel, breaker bar with a pipe extension and both of us trying to hold the damn thing still. we are assuming they used a 3/4 impact...
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Post by sc397 on Mar 16, 2015 19:23:31 GMT -8
Right! Forgot about that.,. Talk about bolt stretch. Let's double the torque it is suppose to have. We both about busted a nut trying to get those loose. Oh but the bell housing bolts could have been taken off with a 1/4" drive socket. And the intake bolts? Well, pick a torque. It had the full range.
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Post by sc397 on Mar 29, 2015 19:12:24 GMT -8
3 pipe plugs fkd up. These are going to be a bitch to get out.
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Post by 69Rebel on Mar 31, 2015 13:03:31 GMT -8
Oooh. I know this one! Drill a hole in it for an easy-out. Then get it red hot, and once it goes back to not being red, tap in the easy out and it'll practically fall out.
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