[AMC-List] 62 rambler classic

[farna@xxxxxxx]

The Panhard bar should be near parallel to the axle when the car is loaded. It will be slightly higher on the body end when the car has a light load. but not much. ALL panhard rods will move the car slightly from side to side with suspension movement, but less than 1" left and right through the full suspension travel. If you can FEEL the movement you have other problems -- loose mounts, worn bushings in the ends, worn shocks, and/or worn springs. 

Early 60s Ramblers were still sprung rather softly due to road conditions back then -- still few Interstates. You will need new springs about 15-20% stiffer than stock to attain a modern car ride -- front and rear. You will find this to be MUCH cheaper and easier to install than coil over shocks. Go to www.coilsprings.com and they will make new springs at the desired rate. The new ones will be progressive rate springs also -- they get stiffer as they compress. This provides MUCH improved handling and ride. 

The stock shock locations aren't strong enough for coil over shocks. They are also "bayonet" (stud) ends on top. All coil overs I've seen are "eye" end. It would be easy enough to make a steel bracket for the shock end and bolt it where the bracing in the body IS strong enough -- in the coil spring pocket. You would really need to do the same for the front. Make a bracket that sits in the upper spring pocket. On the Classic the spring mount is straight above the spring on top of a screw off tube -- it's a very different trunnion than the American/Javelin. Rather than modify the original I'd get a piece of thin wall tubing the right size and have threaded to match. Then make a bracket for the shock on hte upper end of the tubing. 

To mount a four or five speed you will have to go to an open driveshaft. This will require either a ladder bar or four link setup. Ladder bars are easiest, but the four link will ride a little better. 

What I think is a better solution is "truck arms". These are basically long ladder bars angled in toward the driveshaft. Check this out at http://www.hotrodstohell.net/truckarm/truckarm_index.htm. Take a look at the "G-Body" kit. This  is closest to what I'd do with a 58-66 big Rambler. It keeps the springs in the stock location (you'll need the stiffer rear springs). The spring seats can be removed from the original axle and bolted to any other axle with a fine thread 3/8" bolt in the tube, just like stock. I did this when using ladder bars on a 63 Classic. My bars were to short (24"), and caused it to bounce a lot on rough roads. I wouldn't use less than a 36" ladder bar now, and the longer the better. You can make your own bars and mount them to the trans crossmember, but you'll have to make solid mounts to replace the rubber crossmember mounts. Worn out rubbr crossmemebr mounts will also greatly affect your ride now. Galvin's (www.ramblerparts.com) has repro rubber mount!
 s. With
 the torque tube they are needed, it's easy to fab a solid mount if you're changing to another rear suspension type. While your on the truck arms site, look at the "Shoebox" page. That gives a much niver view of how the system is installed. Most of the kits mount the springs forward on the arms, not desireable with the early Ramblers though. Also check out www.hotrodders.com/forum/home-made-truck-arm-suspension-27086-2.html. This is where someone installed the arms from an actual early 60s Chevy truck in their car. 

Yes, there is a lot of frame width difference between the American and Classic! It doesn't look like it, but the rails on the American are only 40" apart on the inside and the Classic rails are just over 47" apart. A later big car axle is only a couple inches wider than the Classic axle and has the four link setup. You can remove the four link from a later big car and mount it in the Classic with a little work. If you have a model 20 (Classic V-8) now, you can even narrow the axle housing to fit the axles out of the 62 Model 20 housing. 

--
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Independent 
Magazine" (AIM)
For all AMC enthusiasts
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original message ------------------------------

Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2006 08:55:44 -0700 (PDT)
From: d stohler <das24rules@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [AMC-List] 62 rambler classic

i have a 62 rambler classic custom 2 door. it is in stock condition now 
with rebuilt 196 and 3 spd manual. has the coil rear suspensin. my 
panhard bar is not paralell with the axle like it should be so it throws 
the rear end from side to side when over 40 mph. i am looking at getting 
a triangulated 4 link. i am wanting to go with a coil over shock 
package front and rear. does anyone know if the stock shock locations are 
strong enough on these bodied cars to suport a coil over set up? also, if 
any one has read the newest car craft, they built their 67 american 
exactly as i want my 62 classic. can anyone tell me if there is alot of 
difference in the fraim width from the 67 american and a 62 classic? i 
want either a 304 or a 360 in it and a 4 spd manual. any help would be 
great. i want to dive into it when i get back from iraq in a few months. 
thank you for any  help.
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