Re: [Amc-list] Miles. (AMC 20 rear axle ratios -- early 60s)

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

2.87 was the common gearing for autos on the early 60s big cars w/327, with 3.15 as an optional performance gear. The 4V cars all got 3.15 as standard, 2.87 would have been available as an option. Manual trans (T-89) got 3.54 standard, 4.10 optional -- with or without OD! I'm looking in a 1961 TSM -- 3.54 standard gears is hard to believe even then in a Rambler! Just checked the 62 TSM -- same thing. Gas was cheap back then, and Ramblers were quicker than anyone thought! But you had to be in an Ambassador. The Classic only got a 250 in 61, but it had 4.10 gears in a manual, with or without OD, with 4.44 optional. With auto the 250 had 3.15s w/3.55 optional. No economy model, but couldn't have been a slouch! The 195.6 was the econo model -- even it had 3.31 gears with the auto (3.78 optional).  The big car needed it. I had 3.31 gears in my 63 Classic for a while and it was marginal. 3.31 was the optional "performance" gear in my 63 American (196 OHV auto). It was a decent perf
 ormer with that. Tried 3.78 -- just made the engine turn faster at speed, no noticeable gain in performance at all. Might have been a tenth of a second or two from 0-60, but the mileage hit at higher cruising speed was very noticeable -- engine ran 500 rpm more in high gear at any speed. 

-------------------
" My 62 Ambassador 400 with 327 got 18, 19 MPG on a run from
" massachusetts to Maryland. OK it was in 1975 or so, and the
" motor was young(ish). That car had tall tires and a 2.37 axle
" (I think it was). I forget the mileage on it, 60K? 80K? I
" treated it fairly well, but I popped the transmission doing
" W's and donuts with it. Duh. I was 20, so long ago now that
" I'm not even embarrassed.

nit: no 2.37 -ever- for the amc20.  3.15 or more likely 2.86.
in the jeep era [late '70s] they added a '2 series' carrier and 2.73
and 2.56 gears, and 3.07, 3.31 for the '3 series'.  the way the amc
motor is set up, 2.56 would be a great highway gear.

there was a 2.37 for the amc15 - 232/auto american rogue, similar
early-'70s hornet.

" What axle and tires you got?

good point!  maybe he's got 3.54s?

-- 
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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