Re: [Amc-list] 195.6 and 58-63 American hop-ups

[Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>]

On Wednesday 05 September 2007 08:54:09 Frank Swygert wrote:

> I ran a 63 American 440 sedan for 14 years, and it would *almost* make a
> rally car! Splitting the exhaust is tough because there are only three
> ports -- one for each pair of cylinders. Dual carbs don't work well
> because there are four inlet ports -- one for each end cylinder and two
> siamesed port for the center four.

Well none of those things are a problem for me, since I don't have plans to 
hack up this old motor. With a super-low VE (I use .75 as an optimistic 
estimate) the engine is only pumping 136 CFM at 3200 rpm! A pair of 
motorcycle carbs would be better than two YFs! :-)

Thoug it's very early in the game, I'm gonna paper-research the Ford 200. As a 
lifetim AMC/Rambler zealot I refused to hear such suggestions, but the 
thought of all that expense to build a 195.6 for reliable highway use daunts 
me. However if this motor stays fine, or if I collect a good motor, or parts, 
etc I'll wholeheartedly keep it as-is. I've joined the Ford inline forum and 
will persue the early six possibly mating to the BW trans business.

Man, there sure are a lot of good and cheap and available parts for the Ford 
200!!! Unbelievable!

Horsepower isn't that much of an issue to me, though 150 - 175 would be very 
nice in this car. 135 just means I am more in tune with the car when I drive, 
that's worked out just fine for me in my current old Rambler.

> Handling is the big surprise in these cars!

That's pretty interesting! I haven't driven it enough to know yet, but most 
AMC cars geometry seems OK. Rears are usually bad sprung/unsprung ratios, 
especially the TT rears, which paradoxically ride just fine anyways. Damned 
AMC engineers seemed to know what they were doing somehow.

> I also ran 7" cast aluminum slot wheels with 
> 195/65R15 tires (usually Bridgestones). 

I was planning on at least trying one of all my existing car's wheels on the 
American; 205/70-14 on steelies (hornet), 215/75-15 on torque-D's (63 
classic), whatever the 72 has (fat 65-14 AMC rallye) to see what interferes.
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