Re: 1971 AMC Hornet SST 2 door, assistance please

[<mail@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Al good points Tom. One thing to point out is that if you move up to a later model trans you don't have the kickdown cable to fuss with. They just use manifold vacumm.
Mark Price
mpriceATwestco.net
Morgantown, WV
69 AMC rambler, 4.0L, EFI, 5 speed 
65 Ambassador Conv, 327 AUTO, Basketcase
01 S-10 CREWCRAP 4X4



---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>
Reply-To: mail-From-mprice-westco.net@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Date:  Fri, 1 Apr 2005 11:10:56 -0800 (PST)

>On Fri, 1 Apr 2005 farna@xxxxxxx wrote:
>
>> I forgot about that Andrew! But there is a slight problem. The
>> M35/37 air cooled trans was only used behind 199 and smaller sixes
>> in big cars, 232 in the light weight postal Jeeps and early
>> Hornet/Gremlin. They weren't used behind the V-8 at all.
>
>I have a 1970 232, bolted to a 1965 air-cooled M42.
>
>> The air
>> cooled bell is very different from the radiator cooled models.
>
>Are you sure about this?
>
>> There may be bosses that can be drilled out for converting the
>> M35 to radiator cooling. I know there are external pressure test
>> points.
>
>I had my transmission Brain Surgeon (Bill Burrage at B & E Trans,
>San Francisco) look at this when I had my current unit rebuilt
>back in 1989, he didn't think it was a good idea. It would affect
>pressures inside.
>
>The air-cooled transmissions are FINE. Racing or hauling is
>probably a bad idea. They are light-duty but that is not the same
>as "junk".
>
>It is CRITICAL to keep the throttle-position cable adjusted right,
>ALL OF THE TIME. It directly determines pressure on some band or
>clutch. It's not simply "kickdown" though it does that also. This
>the Brain Surgeon told me and said it's why people badmouth this
>trans -- they don't know to keep it adjusted right.
>
>I get annual or biannual "tuneups", costs $100 or less, worth
>every dime.
>
>Mine is starting to seep at the seals now, 16 years after last
>rebuild.  Works fine still. Believe me, I use the hell out of this
>car, for a while commuting to Irvine from LA (2500 mi/mo),
>southwest desert driving, over 100 degrees, 200K miles of use on
>it in a Classic wagon. 300K on the car.
>
>I wish people would stop worrying things that don't need worryin' :-)
>
>
>
>
>
>