[AMC-list] progress...

[tom jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>]

It's spring break, so quiet at work, and I took the week off to slam on my
'63 American hardtop. I hope to pick the head up tomorrow. Delayed by
getting the wrong valves, had to exchange, etc. I'm working at completing
all the customizations that take so many hours. Today I wrapped up some big
changes:

* electric fan installation (no small task in this tiny car)
* alternator mounting and fan belt routing
* battery relocate
* oil pump and filter business

The first three items (fans, alt, battery) are interlinked; can't run 20
amps of fans with a generator! A secondary motive is this work leaves the
entire drivers side of the engine clear of all "accessories" -- so that I
can put the turbocharger there (not in 2010 though!).


Got a new/never used Mitsubishi 35A alternator from a friend, seems about
right for this motor. Fits nice, the GM jobs are just too big and what would
I do with 60 amps besides burn up wiring? In this pic it's dangling from
half a cylinder head, the one I chopped up for port research. Very
convenient thing that's turned out to be! Tucks up nice against the block
and makes the juice to run the electric fans, and actually charge the
battery in around-town driving. No more whirling fan blade!

http://wps.com/temp/images/IMG_0217.JPG
http://wps.com/temp/images/IMG_0218.JPG

As anyone with one of these things knows it's very tight up front, but i got
two 12" fans to fit in front of the radiator. I made sheet steel mounts that
hold it 3/8" from the radiator core but attach to the chassis, and clears
the front valance by 1/8"! Completely fills the grille inlet area perfectly.
Custom controller not shown.

http://wps.com/temp/images/IMG_0220.JPG
http://wps.com/temp/images/IMG_0221.JPG
http://wps.com/temp/images/IMG_0224.JPG

The microscopic trivia for the full-flow oil pump mod is complete. I'm not
fully happy with the hose I've chosen but it'll do for now. I'll do the
final grinding of the housing to get gead end clearance to half a
thousandth. I ground the gears identical heights, and the end cover is
mirror polished. New gears, relief and spring, etc. The oil filter mount
turned out to be easy. It's part of a Summit engine oil cooler kit I bought
years ago for some long forgotten project.

http://wps.com/temp/images/IMG_0219.JPG

Battery relocation took forever (to do right). I clamped the line down every
4 - 8 inches, it cannot so much as vibrate. Wrapped in abrasive resistant
cable wrap, clamped and cable tied the whole length, and the opposite side
from the fuel line. BIG battery. I added a vent hose out through the trunk
floor.

http://wps.com/temp/images/IMG_0225.JPG

I plan to make a "continental kit" spare tire mount, for two reasons. One,
it won't fit in the well! Two, it improves front/rear weight balance a bit.
I worked up a four-bar hinge and spring system that will make it easy to pop
the spare up and down to get into the trunk. That's a summer project...
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