[AMC-list] That non-AMC car

[Bruce Griffis <bruce.griffis@xxxxxxxxx>]

A week or two ago I had posted that it might be cool to swap a 258 or
4.0 into my middle son's car as the transmission was leaking like a
sieve and it wouldn't run. Joe answered that the least inexpensive way
to get it running again is to simply fix what it's got. So I spent
some time chasing down transmission leaks. It was leaking from where
the speedometer cable goes in to the tailhousing. I ordered a
speedometer bullet. I also noticed that it was leaking around the pan
gasket. I checked the bolts and some were loose. I decided to replace
the pan gasket, as the car is a little older. So - I replaced the
speedometer bullet and pan gasket on a TH350 today! First time I
messed around under a transmission, and it was fun. Very little room,
(so I need to lose a little weight or raise the car a little higher).
We put transmission fluid back in, and so far no leaks. We're not
counting it done until it sits a few nights and we actually get it
through it's gears. Shoot, $4.99 for a speedometer bullet, coupla
bucks for a pan gasket, coupla quarts of ATF. Can't believe I psyched
myself out over that!

On to the next subject - why we can't run it through it's gears.
Wouldn't start. We chased it down and saw there was no fuel making it
to the carb. We had replaced the gas tank, fuel sending unit, rubber
hoses and filter two or more years ago. Checked connections, and they
were good. Ordered up a fuel pump and will try popping it on this
weekend. Hope we can get it started! Don't see why not - it wanted to
catch when we give it a spritz of starting fluid. I'm hoping it's just
the fuel pump, and not other incidentals. We'll start with the most
reasonable. ACDelco fuel pump was just 25 bucks. I sprung for a
snazzy, chrome one to look pretty. Still, sixty bucks for a pump is a
lot less than swapping in a 6 (providing we didn't mess up the 350. I
should know tomorrow).

But - even if the transmission stopped leaking and we get fuel to the
engine, we're not running it around. When my middle son went to
disconnect the brake lines at the rear he broke one, then lost it. I
need to figure out the fittings and length. The rear end is from a '78
Mustang II. Not sure how to figure out sizes and lengths. I'll give
that some thought.

My oldest son took some pics today but we can't find the usb cable.
We'll look around.

The car?
It was bought as a kit in '87. The man who bought it did it as a
father/son project. They started work in '88. Then sent it to a kit
car building shop in '90 to get it completed. It went on the road in
91. Last papers are from '92. The father and son had a falling out and
the car got parked in a garage until it got moved out by a Porsche.
(if I had a Porsche, I would move everything out of the garage, too!).

The front and rear suspension is from a '78 Mustang II.
The engine is a rebuilt 350. It was rebuilt in '87, so has some years
on it. Like 23?! I'm getting old!
The transmission is from the same era.
The steering column is a tilt column from a Pontiac Sunbird.
The fuel tank is from a Chevette.

It's funny - those were junk yard cars when the kitcar was built. Now
you get funny looks when you ask for Chevette, Sunbird and Mustang II
parts. But everyone understands and has parts for 350's and th350's.

The car got a little over 3,000 miles put on it before it was parked.
My oldest son and I are hoping to at least get it drive-way driving
for when my middle son comes home from seminary. I think he'd get a
kick out of starting it up again.

And why did we stall the project? We got it running. Rebuilt the carb.
Gave it a tune and tires. Redid the fuel tank. My middle son drove it
around the subdivision a couple times having a great time. Then he got
in and hit the go pedal big time. It's a 2500 pound car with a 350,
four barrel, headers, Edelbrock intake. It left some serious rubber in
the culdesac while my two older kids were in it waving fists in the
air and giving hoops and hollers. No plates on the car. No
registration. No insurance. Transmission leaked, car wouldn't start,
lost a brake line so I left it parked.

It's time to get it running again. But we gotta lay off the go pedal
at least until it's licensed and insured. (hope it doesn't leak. hope
I did a decent job with the pan gasket and speedometer bullet. Hope I
can get that fuel pump swapped out - there's no room in the engine
bay).

I owe you guys pictures. They still sell the kit. Link to a good one
is here: http://www.classicroadsters.ca/html/sebring_mx.html
My son's doesn't look like that - it looks like it's been parked and
needs some work ;-)

Sorry to move off Rambler stuff. I just had fun doing non-Rambler
stuff today. I might continue my evil ways tomorrow, then kick myself
for spending cash saved for the Rambler on a non-Rambler. But I want
to get it a little better than it is. It's existence is threatened. My
wife wants garage space back! Me, I'd like to hit the go pedal pretty
hard when no-one's looking.
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