Re: [AMC-List] 64 American (alternate to 196)

["Swygert, Francis G MSgt 436 CES/CECM" <Francis.Swygert3@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Date: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 06:28 AM
From: L. D. Lyons <ldlyons@xxxxxxxxxxx>

I am considering putting something other than a 196 in my 64 440 HDTP,
can
someone give me an idea on what would fit, I would love to put a v8 in.
also a 287 V8 sitting in my garage for 15 years, 199 i6 from 65 classic.
Both complete except carb. I am in south central Nebraska.
(edited for content)
------------------------------

The 199 (or a 232/258/4.0L) will fit nicely IF you don't have or want
AC. You need an early 70s CJ-5 water pump and pulley though, or a 65
American water pump and pulley. The pulley is the hard thing to find.
Keep your existing radiator but reverse the mounts left to right. That
will move the radiator forward 1.5-2". With the short pump/pulley and
radiator moved forward the bigger AMC sixes will just fit. The 4.0L
doesn't need a shorter water pump or pulley as long as you keep the
serpentine belt setup. I think (but not certain!) that the later 258
serpentine belt system will fit without mods too. You will need a
Wrangler 4.0L (1990-06) water pump so you can mount a fan on it, the
Cherokee/Comanche fan is offset and a fan won't bolt to the pump. You'll
need a "reverse rotation" fan. Flex-A-Lite makes a nice one piece
plastic fan that will work in the short space between the engine and
radiator. No room for a clutch fan! You can find that fan in most mail
order places like Summit or JCW if not locally. It might work well on
the stock Cherokee/Comanche pump, but the bolt pattern isn't the same
for the pulley on that pump vs. the ones made for a fan. 

The 287 will be a bit heavy and tight, but with stock exhaust manifolds
can be squeezed in. The later AMC V-8s are a better fit as they are
60-80 pounds lighter and a little narrower. Since you have a 196 you
have a crossmember with no perches for the engine. That makes it easier
to fabricate them. I bolted two pieces of 2"x3" rectangular tubing
between the engine mounts and my 196 crossmember to mount a 4.0L in a 63
Classic. Make sure you have 11 gauge (~1/8" thick) tubing at least, 8
gauge (~3/16") would be better. Bolt the tubing to the engine mount,
lower engine in place, then mark where the original 196 bolt holes are.
Drill and tap for a fine thread 3/8" grade 8 bolt. You can drill and tap
from underneath if there's room under the car. Use a lock washer, and
lock-tite if you're concerned. You need at least 1/4" between the oil
pan and crossmember at the closest point. You might need some 1/8" steel
plates the size of your tubing to shim it up, but I didn't. The V-8 may
be in different height locations. Craft Rambler ran an American with a
bored and stroke 327 (to 421!!) in 63-64 before AMC stuck a V-8 in. 


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