[Amc-list] Re; Rebuilding my transmission and adding power brakes.

["John Elle" <johnelle@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thomas

 

SNIP

Hello,

I want to add power brakes to my 1964 Rambler Classic 770

232 engine and auto transmission). A guy I met told me to

go to a junk yard, pick a car with power brakes and the 

same amount of brake lines, and take the entire setup from

pedal to booster and with a little mfg, I could make it 

fit and work. I see how this would theoretically be 

possible,but it sounds TOO easy. Is there a better way to

do this or will doing this work just fine?

SNIP

 

It sounds as if the term "a guy I met" is about all of the

qualifications he has as an authority in this area. The 

first realistic problem that I can see is the parts fitting 

your car! I can just imagine the fun that you could have 

trying to bolt up some obscure part from an Oldsmobile for 

example to the holes drilled in the fire wall from a Rambler

and have the pedal be remotely located in an area where you

foot could reach it.

However if you were to find a 1963 or 1964 Rambler model 

and maybe other closely related years a power brake pedal 

assembly might just not only work, but fit the existing holes

in the fire wall and locate the brake pedal where your foot

can actually press it. As the brake lines would have to 

reach the master cylinder relocated due to the power brake 

booster some modifying might be in order but they too would 

be available from a parts car too or from a Rambler or AMC 

parts vendor. 

YUP! TOO EASY is a good guess. 

It would help you immensely to obtain a service manual for 

your car. These are available and for this project alone 

would probably save you the cost of the manual. You can 

see what an example an AMC Technical Service Manual looks 

like at the following location;

 

http://www.tocmp.com/manuals/AMC/1973/Service/Part1/A-B/browser.htm

 

This is not one for your car, but you will notice that 

it does have the 232 cu in motor in it. You may be able

to find a manual for your car at one of the following 

locations; 

 

http://nashparts.com/

http://www.osborn-reproduction.com/

http://www.factoryautomanuals.com/

 

Or if not here one of the AMC Vendors listed at the following web site

 

http://www.planethoustonamx.com/

 

SNIP

 Also, though 

I'm not sure it needs it, I'm going to rebuild 

my transmission. It shifts rough at times, even after 

adjusting it as some on here have suggested and the fluid 

appears to be burnt. I know there are other things that 

could be done to possibly help, but since I don't know 

anything about how it was treated in the past, I figure I

should just have it rebuilt. A couple of things I'm 

wondering about is first, how hard is it to rebuild

one of these? I looked into rebuilding a GM t-50 one 

time, and when I bought the "How To" book and saw 

what was involved, I decided against it. Though, I feel 

comfortable rebuilding the engine, I'm not entirely certain 

rebuilding the transmission is something a shade tree 

mechanic should attempt. (Though I'm sure alot do)

SNIP

 

This is not a question that I can answer from a first 

hand experience as I do not rebuild my own automatics

although you're correct, many people do however it is 

something a service manual for your car can answer 

completely. Part of the problem with this vintage AMC 

car is the BorgWarner automatic transmission was not 

known for it's reliability when they were new and 43 

years later has not improved on the problem. You will 

also have problem finding parts and someone to do the 

rebuilding for you, but others on the AMC List can give

first hand experience and suggestions. An AMC or Rambler

service manual for your car will answer the rest of 

your questions thus paying for itself in the process. 

 

 

SNIP

Also, when buying a kit to rebuild, what should I look for?

Is there some type of casting numbers I need to match up 

with the kit?

SNIP

 

See answer above!

 

SNIP

I have also thought about adding

an AC setup to this car and have wondered how much power loss

this would cause.

SNIP

 

These cars were sold with A/C but finding a donor will

probably be next to impossible. A guess on my part 

will be that you MAY find a donor of a late 60's or early 

to middle 70's AMC I-6 powered car (199/232/258) that will

supply a compressor and compressor mounting assembly 

that will function on your car and fit and be able 

to locate pulleys etc. that will work but you may have 

to be a bit creative in order to do it. Even a middle 

80's Eagle may work for you and supply you with a rotary

compressor that is more efficient and consumes less power

but unless you get really lucky the rest of the parts will

be impossible to locate so a true after market outfit 

such as Vintage Air

 

 http://www.vintageair.com/

 

can supply part and probably kits to get the job done. 

Plan a couple of grand for this one. 

 

SNIP

 I am also going to add power steering to

it. I've got a pump and gear box that came off a 70's 232. 

Will I have to change out the steering column to make this

work?

SNIP

 

This could be a bit tricky, As I remember Early Rambler power steering

did not use a steering box for the power assist, but a separate cylinder

mounted to the ty-rod to assist in moving it as the steering wheel 

was turned. A service manual for your car will surely answer this one for

you too. And I am not sure what you would do for a steering column to 

work for this arrangement but I would have to guess that without a donor

car it would get very interesting. But maybe not as you may be able 

to adapt parts from say an early Ford that also used the same style of 

power assist and may be more common for parts, but it would NOT be

any form of a bolt in. 

Some of these conversions that you would like to do could be done 

with creativity and serious scrounging for parts, once again a service 

manual for your car would be very important to have!

Or they may be done very crudely with a BF Hammer and a cutting 

torch.

So far though to do any combination of these ideas well a fairly 

serious budget may be of primary importance. And well works! A 1964

is a good looking automobile and would bring a lot of attention 

where ever you take it and the engine (a 232 cu in I-6) was used 

in one form or another up through the end of production an then 

in the Jeep for quite a few years after that both as a 258 cu in 

engine and as a 4.0 variation with fuel injection although 

the cylinder head was changed from a rocker arm shaft to stud 

mount rockers about 1972 as was the bolt pattern to the bell 

housing changed at the same time so a late (1972) engine will 

not bolt up to an early 1971 and earlier transmission. Also assorted 

accessory mounting holes changed too depending on the year. The 

engine can be built to deliver more than adequate hp to move the 

car around, The next street I-6 I am working on will be an AMC 232

but a 1973 variation of one. 

 

Good Luck 

John

 

 

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