Re: [Amc-list] my 63 american

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

My remarks mixed in after Toms below:
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Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2007 17:00:05 -0700
From: Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>

THe filler neck is all rubber! Damn. It was in decent shape, still soft, no 
cracks when I flexed it. It had a worm-type clamp instead of those factory 
wire jobs so maybe it was replaced in the last 40 years.
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Frank: I suspect it had been replaced at some point too! Those things are impossible to find now. According to the parts book all 60-62 Ramblers used the same type filler tube, and I suspect 56-59 models did too. I've seen one from a 62 Classic and all my 61-63 Americans used it. The only fix I've found is to remove the old tube and the plate that holds the gas capon, then weld a short piece of curved exhaust tubing to the plate. You might have to cut the tubing at an angle or "squish" it a bit to clear the "ears" on the gas cap. Then you can use a piece of 2" neoprene ("rubber") fuel tube from NAPA or most other parts stores. NAPA seems to have more stuff like that on hand because they cater to a lot of industrial customers. I fixed my American like that, don't recall if I had to angle cut or squish the tubing, or if I used a 45 or 90 degree bend. Don't try to weld it all the way around! Four good tacks, opposite each other (12/3/6/9 o'clock positions) is all you need. Try w
 elding around and you'll likely just warp up the plate. Use epoxy to seal the tube to the plate. If you need to make a sharp bend near the tank use another piece of pre-bent exhaust tubing. The rubber tube you get from the parts store is to thick to bend. 

Here's something I didn't know that I got from the parts book -- ALL 60-62 gas tanks and filler hoses ARE THE SAME -- American and big car! I would assume that 58-59 are identical to 60-62 as well, and most likely 56-57. That will make finding a tank easier if it ever becomes necessary. 
-----------------

Tom: I found a real solution to the american upper trunnion bolt. I'm very 
satisfied with it, and even if I had new trunnion bolts sitting here (at 
$70/pair), I would use my new fix instead. It's superior.

I took a 5.25" length of chrome moly 5/8-11 threaded rod (not cheap!), turned 
down to .590" OD. Milled a flat it's entire length one side, about .040", and 
a parallel flat on the other just over the width of the trunnion casting. 
Cross-drilled a #18 or so hole in the center of the flat. (I milled the flat 
full length to aid aligning it, but it's unnecessary.)

Drilled a hole for a zerk in the flat part of the casting that faces the tire, 
right into the threaded hole.

The upper arms assemble to the trunnion, but you insert the rod such that the 
hole in the casting lines up with the hold in the chrome moly rod. Now you 
can get grease to the BACK of the trunnion. Grease will run along both flats 
and exit out the ends of the casting (4 places).

Remove the zerk, and you can poke a drill bit in the hole to clean it out, or 
align during asssembly.

A pair of grade 8 nuts run up to the flat of the upper arm does what the 
original bolt and nut did. I'm double-nutting them for safety.

Generic O-rings and generic Buna-N neoprene cups from MSC Direct work great.

I assembled this all, it works great. I'm only missing a tap for the zerk 
fitting, it's a small pipe thread I don't have.

I took a lot of photos and will do a how-to page.
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Frank: That's a GREAT idea Tom!! I suppose you could have milled flats in the original pins for the same effect, maybe just partially along the length. Would have been harder to align the holes (in pin with zerk hole) with the original pin since it has a head on one end. With your pin it will be easier to align them. They don't have to be perfectly aligned, of course, as long as the zerk is putting grease in flat area it should work fine. 

You didn't mention the thickness of the nuts. I found that two regular thickness nuts will hit the rim. To use two nuts get "jam" nuts. They are roughly half the thickness of regular nuts -- two together is just a little thicker than one regular nut. 


-- 
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html
(free download available!)


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