Re: [Amc-list] Rambler American shock (1963)

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

50-63 Rambler front shocks have been hardto find for quite some time! I 
think Kanter can get them, but most places simply can't. It's unique to 
that appication, no other AMC either. It's hard to adapt another shock, 
but there are two ways. 

The best is to get find a urethane or rubber bushing that the spacers
in the lower shock eye will fit in. Then you need a piece of tubing the 
bushing fits in. On the side of the tubing weld a flat plate. Drill it
and use a late model Concord shock. You've basically made a pivot
bracket similar to the spring bracket on 70+ AMCs. You could use an
original shock eye if you're careful cutting it off and welding.
Finding a new bushing won't be to hard if using urethane -- find one
close to the right size and turn it down (or the hole bigger). Either
can be done with a good drill press. 

The hard way, and waht I did years ago, is to weld up a little box that 
fits between the control arms with a hole for the through bolt. Don't
use the spacers, make your box the right width. I made the top of this
box wider than the control arms, more so to the front. This allowed me
to make it extnd far enough for a sway bar end mount. The top and
bottom were 1/4" plate, the two uprights between the arms 1/8". Drill a 
hole in the top center (centered between the arms) for the stud end of
a 63-64 Classic shock (or other bayonet on both ends shock). Put the
box on the shock then slip it between the control arms or you can't get 
to the nut and lower shock bushing, which will be tight in there
anyway. The lower piece of plate can't be wider than the gap between
the arms, naturally. The only drawback to this method is you will
likely need to loosen one of the trunnion caps to get the box in. The
good thing is you have a spot to mount a sway bar if you want. A
Concord/Hornet swaybar can be modified to fit if you have (or have
access to) a hydraulic press to alter the arms. 

I had to do this back in the late 70s because no one reproduced the
shocks and I just didn't know where they might be found. No internet,
and I din't know about AMO. AMCRC didn't exist for another year!
Information is great, but ingenuity will overcome the lack of info when 
necessary...


On May 4, 2007 Tom Jennings wrote:

> Anyone have a part number for a front shock that fits 62-63 01's?
> 
> It's unobtanium from the usual retail suspects. I wanna drive
> it, so old stock probably isn't a good idea.
> 
> Does anyone have a Monroe or whoever's catalog that has
> compressed/extended length data? I can yank out one of the
> shock-shaped pieces of rust and dirt that are currently occupying
> that space and measure.
> 
> (They're bad enough that the car might not exactly ride better
> with them removed, but it would at least be quieter.)
> 
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