Re: [AMC-List] Brought home a Vigilante over the weekend...

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

There's only two things "wrong" with an AMC 327 (or any GEN-1 V-8):

1. No speed parts. The only thing you can easily do is improve the
exhaust system and air filter. The factory 4V intake takes a Holley
carb, so a carb upgrade is pretty easy, and the stock units are only
like 450 or so cfm -- a 600 cfm would be nice! Later AMC aluminum
intakes can be adapted, but adapter paltes have to be made. It's not to 
hard to have a stock cam reground either, but that's about it for easy
-- if you consider changing a cam "easy".  

2. When the water pump goes out on a trail, you'd better have a spare!
They are still obtainable, but you're going to be stuck a few days,
maybe even a week, while one is ordered. Same for other hard parts. The 
only things you can walk into any auto parts store and get are tune-up
parts, belts, and hoses -- provided you don't mind using universal
hoses. 

Not good for a daily driver! That's why I finally gave up on running a
196 equipped American as daily reliable transportation. It was
reliable, but when something did need fixing the car might be down for
a week or two awaiting parts. Not a problem most of the time while I
was in Georgia or MS, I rode my bike. But if something went out on a
long trip I'd have been stuck! That only happened once -- one of the
lower trunnion caps came out. That took two weeks to get and the car
had to sit in a towing company yard the whole time. Luckily the company 
took pity on a young USAF guy and charged me a flat fee to keep it
until I got back (this was 15 years ago!). Still, it cost me $200 to
have the car towed and stored (in an open lot) for two weeks, and I had 
to rent a car to continue my trip to a training class, ordered the part 
and had it sent to the class, then had to rent a car to go back! I was
traveling from SC to Governor's Island, NY, and the trunnion cap fell
off in Maryland. Luckily no damage was done to the car, steering just
got real bad all of a sudden. I just screwed one of the caps from the
new trunnion onto the old one, peened the threads in the arm to keep it 
from backing out, and drove on. Now I tack weld every one of those
suckers when I reassmble a trunnion front end. Not really necessary on
most, but it's cheap insurance! The tack weld makes it easy to inspect
them too. If the tack is broke, the joint is starting to seize. Of
course if you keep them greased it should never be a problem! I'd
rebuilt mine a few years before and the threads in the arm were just
tight enough to hole the cap. Should have checked that before a long
trip! Peening the arm is really enough to tighten it up. 

On July 14, 2006 BaadAss73Gremlin@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> -------------- Original message --------------
Also while I agree about using a more reliable engine/trans combo whats 
so bad about the AMC 327? i thought in 4v form they were tough motors.I 
see traditional hot rodders revamping flatties and Ford guys running
tried and true Y block V8's myself included with my 60 Effie.
> Bart


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