Re: [Amc-list] Rebuilding my transmission and adding power brakes.

[adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Sandwich Maker)]

" From: "John Elle" <johnelle@xxxxxxxxx>
" 
" Thomas
" 
"  
" 
" SNIP
" 
" Hello,
" I want to add power brakes to my 1964 Rambler Classic 770
" 232 engine and auto transmission). A guy I met told me to
" go to a junk yard, pick a car with power brakes and the 
" same amount of brake lines, and take the entire setup from
" pedal to booster and with a little mfg, I could make it 
" fit and work. I see how this would theoretically be 
" possible,but it sounds TOO easy. Is there a better way to
" do this or will doing this work just fine?
" 
" SNIP
" 
"  
" It sounds as if the term "a guy I met" is about all of the
" qualifications he has as an authority in this area.

this is actually good advice for the rotors, spindles, caliper
brackets etc - get them from a late-model amc.  they'll bolt onto your
knuckles.

" The 
" first realistic problem that I can see is the parts fitting 
" your car! I can just imagine the fun that you could have 
" trying to bolt up some obscure part from an Oldsmobile for 
" example to the holes drilled in the fire wall from a Rambler
" and have the pedal be remotely located in an area where you
" foot could reach it.
" However if you were to find a 1963 or 1964 Rambler model 
" and maybe other closely related years a power brake pedal 

'65-6 are basically the same chassis.

" assembly might just not only work, but fit the existing holes
" in the fire wall and locate the brake pedal where your foot
" can actually press it. As the brake lines would have to 
" reach the master cylinder relocated due to the power brake 
" booster some modifying might be in order but they too would 
" be available from a parts car too or from a Rambler or AMC 
" parts vendor. 
" YUP! TOO EASY is a good guess. 
" 
" []
" 
" SNIP
" 
"  I am also going to add power steering to
" it. I've got a pump and gear box that came off a 70's 232. 
" Will I have to change out the steering column to make this
" work?
" 
" SNIP
" 
"  
" This could be a bit tricky, As I remember Early Rambler power steering
" did not use a steering box for the power assist, but a separate cylinder
" mounted to the ty-rod to assist in moving it as the steering wheel 
" was turned. A service manual for your car will surely answer this one for

i'm not sure when they switched over, but this was definitely true in
the early '60s.

it doesn't mean you have to do it that way now though.  when they went
to integral p/s - saginaw 800, from gm - they mounted it to the manual
box holes with an adapter plate which i believe someone is reproducing
now.  also, the smaller saginaw 650 p/s from the chevy vega has the
manual box pattern and would bolt right in - if your column has a rag
joint and upper shaft, and not an integral shaft from the steering box.
it's very popular with the '50s rod crowd because of this.

there are 'little' details, like rag joint coupler flanges and pitman
arms...

" you too. And I am not sure what you would do for a steering column to 
" work for this arrangement but I would have to guess that without a donor
" car it would get very interesting.

for the slave cylinder type of p/s, you do nothing to the column.  for
the integral type, if your column does have a rag joint you might have
some difficulty coming up with just the right coupler for the p/s
gear, but otherwise nothing.

if your column has the whole shaft integral with the box as americans
did until '67, probably the easiest thing would be cut it and weld a
coupler flange in.

" So far though to do any combination of these ideas well a fairly 
" serious budget may be of primary importance. And well works! A 1964
" is a good looking automobile and would bring a lot of attention 
" where ever you take it and the engine (a 232 cu in I-6) was used 
" in one form or another up through the end of production an then 
" in the Jeep for quite a few years after that both as a 258 cu in 
" engine and as a 4.0 variation with fuel injection although 
" the cylinder head was changed from a rocker arm shaft to stud 
" mount rockers about 1972 as was the bolt pattern to the bell 
" housing changed at the same time so a late (1972) engine will 
" not bolt up to an early 1971 and earlier transmission.

well - yes and no.  you could adapt any '72-up six to your auto with
the converter housing and flexplate - balance weights removed - from
a 2bbl '67-'71 290-304 in a rebel [i think], american or hornet.  they
also used an aluminum warner auto.  4bbl cars got the heavy iron unit.

this wouldn't necessarily be smart; as noted, the aluminum warner
family isn't particularly robust.  if you can find a local tranny shop
that -really-knows- them, they can be built for more strength...

" Also assorted 
" accessory mounting holes changed too depending on the year. 

this is what would kill usage of the mid-'80s sanden rotary a/c
compressor.  it's much more efficient than the old york - something
like 5hp vs. 15 - but you'd probably have to make all the mounting
brackets.
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen
adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx                       and think what none thought
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen
adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx                       and think what none thought
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