Re: [Amc-list] Ford V8 in a 62 AMerican

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

I've got a mid 50s "Speed Mechanics" magazine that shows a 54 Nash Rambler (same as early American) with a "Corvette" V-8 (283) in it. No cutting except holes through the fender wells to change the spark plugs through -- remove the wheels and use a long extension. The exhaust was front exit log manifolds. On a SBC the manifolds will swap left to right. The builder used rear exit manifolds swapped and curved the exhaust under the car. 

Using the T-bird rack and pinion with the stock steering arms results in the turning circle of a tractor trailer. I tried that first. Works right, but could barely make a 90 degree turn. In fact, you couldn't without an extra lane! When my driveway was to the left on the left side of the road I had to swing out into the right lane just to make the left turn in with the wheels turned just about to the lock. The only way I got it to work decently was to make my own steering arms, and they still need to be about 1/2" shorter. Getting the Ackerman Angle set right took quite a bit of work. Just shorten the arms and the outside wheel turns tighter than the inside when you want the opposite. Discovered I could use a slightly shorter arm after I got the angles right, but could live with the turning radius of a full size four door long bed pickup. 

----------------
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2008 12:56:54 -0700 (PDT)
From: Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>


Was up at Bruce Gasser's Sunday. He busted up his legs skiiing,
is recovering fine but it's kept him from under cars.

He's got quite a zoo up there. A lovely but rusty roof 62 4-door
American wagon that the P.O. had put a Ford 302 in. Before you
cringe or complain... he did it without ANY sheet metal chopping,
fenders or firewall.

He did make a new, fairly complex and very well done front
cross member (a suspension brace, really). Wide but thin plate,
with an offset forward to clear the V8's oil pan.

The steering gear he replaced with a thunderbird ranck and pinion
unit that was very sweetly done -- it looked like it was made
for the car.  Use one U-joint to couple to the steering shaft.
It tucked very nicely forward, used the original steering arms
and all.

Motor was out so I got to see it all.

The project failed because he had to make his own apparently
extremely tight headers that he could never get to seal
right. They'd leak, and it would take two days to fix, or
something like that, and he eventually gave up, pulled the
motor and sold to Bruce.

It came with a matching trailer made from the rump of another
American.  Car and trailer with red with white spear and
interior. Very nice looking, but the car is rough now.


So it can be done. I am generally of the mind, 100% AMC/Rambler
or skip it. But in this chassis, due to the special circumstance,
and it's extreme age (eg. Nash design from the early 50's)
the general rule has an exception.

-- 
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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