Re: [Amc-list] 61 American moves north

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

The only things to watch out for on the 61 vs. the 63 are the rocker panels and the inside door handles. Everything is pretty much the same as 62-63 models except the rockers aren't galvanized (they were starting in 62, and some other panels also, so the 61 will rust out faster), the inside door handles use pins and flexible rubber grommets to hold them on (push in on the grommet at the bottom and wiggle handle, pin will fall out -- push in at top and wiggle to insert pin) like the 50 Nash Rambler did, and of course the grille insert is different. 

I don't think the shift pattern is "crazy", but I learned to drive a stick with one. If you pull it off the side of the column and stick it on the floor it's more familiar to the young-uns though. Try to shift a column shifter fast and you'll have a problem for sure! Odd that the column shift was invented in the US, but abandoned for stick shifts long before it was in Europe and Asia. You can get brand new Asian trucks with FIVE SPEED column shifts! Mostly the small to medium (up to 1 ton, at least) "pug nose" models. Drove a mini-van with five on the tree in Korea in 2005. A friend has a 61 Mercedes with a FOUR SPEED on the column. Don't know how long the Europeans kept using them. 

Yeah, if it's a keeper trunnions first! If not worn much you can get by with just disassembling and cleaning, then reassemble with anti-seize and modern lithium grease. Your trick for spreading the grease better sure is nice, but assembly with anti-seize and lithium probably makes it just a nice peace of mind job. I used to run a 9/16" bit through the trunnion body to knock the peaks off the threads so grease would spread a bit easier too though. Flat siding the pin probably works better, as long as it doesn't rotate. A tack weld would solve that, and I still suggest a good tack on the acorn nuts on the lower trunnion. If nothing else when a tack breaks you know it's time to disassemble/clean/grease because it's starting to stick. Heck, stick a LOT if it breaks a good tack weld! 

------------
Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2009 20:13:39 -0800
From: Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>

Welp went down to Joe Smith's and took the '61 2-door to it's new home. 
We hung out a bit, then loaded up the wagin with rusty metal and drove 
the larger chunk of metal home. Runs nice actually.

Funny, I like the bench seat and column shift. The crazy 50's shift 
pattern though, that's a way to get in trouble fast.

Won't get to do too much to it for a while, and I have to figure out 
what it will be. I plan on finishing what Joe started, and attacking the 
trunnions, brakes etc as I did on my 63. Maybe this one will get discs. 
Joe did a lot of work on the body!

-- 
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html
(free download available!)

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