Re: 1968 American floor info and a big question

[farna@xxxxxxx]

Matt, you're forgetting something... AMC assigned VINS as cars were ordered, not built! You need the body number and/or final assembly number. I think the body number will be the best indicator, though I think bodies were numbered as they rolled out of the plant regardless of model. Still, that would indicate a less than/greater than body number. Other AMC had to meet the spec too, but I think the big cars just got collapsible steering columns, no body mods. 

On February 21, 2005 Matt Haas wrote:

> A few weeks ago, I started in on the process of tracking down a rear clip
> for my American sedan and I noticed that the parts book lists two front
> floor pans for 1968 Americans. Which pan you have/need/want depends upon if
> the door tag lists that it meets federal safety standard 204. There's also
> a Canadian standard with the same number and requirements. I don't know if
> the body tag is different for cars meant to be sold in Canada but in any
> case, it should list this same standard. This standard says that in a
> collision, the steering column can't move back more than 5 inches and that
> cars manufactured starting on Jan 1, 1968 had to meet this standard. To
> meet this standard, AMC changed (this was to American only) the floor pan,
> extended the braces that connect the front frame sills to the floor, and
> also changed a few front end body parts. If you'd like to read more on
> this, you can take a look at these two links:
> 
> http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/FMVSS/#SN204
> http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr.cgi?TITLE=49&PART=571&SECTION=204&YEAR=2001&TYPE=TEXT
> 
> When I was at AJ Jacob's (South Texas AMC) last week, I brought this up and
> we started looking at the cars he had there. The most noticeable difference
> is that the frame sills were connected on the later 68 he had there but the
> earlier one (which is like mine) does not have them connected.
> 
> According to the safety standard, the cars had to meet it starting on Jan
> 1, 1968 but I'd like to know if that's when AMC actually started making
> Americans with these changes or if they actually started making cars with
> this change earlier. If you have a 1968 American with no VIN on the dash,
> the body tag states it meets standard 204 and/or has the frame sills
> connected, I'd be very interested in the VIN and numbers off of the body
> tag to try and track down when exactly this change happened.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Matt
> 
> mhaas@xxxxxxx
> Cincinnati, OH
> http://www.mattsoldcars.com
> 1966 Rambler Rebel
> 1967 Rambler American wagon
> 1968 Rambler American sedan
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