barn find 1968 rambler american eco project!!

[slownugly]

I should be good. I've done seats before. This will be the first time I'm doing custom seat foams but it should be straight forward. Maybe they have that online and I'll check it out. I'm sure lots of people have little tips and tricks that work good.

[night9]

I can't wait to see the finished product and what kind of gas mileage you can squeeze out of it. A Nova would be fun too but Ramblers are something you don't see very often. I love AMC cars. My Dad has a bitter sweat orange AMX sitting in his garage waiting for its restoration. As soon as he finish's building his workshop he plans to do a full restoration. He has been collecting parts since he bought it in 2007.

[slownugly]

amxs are cool. my friends dad has 3 of them and 3 javelins.

thanks for the interest. itll be tons of fun. eventually i want to build a teardrop camper to pull behind it. im shooting for a 30 mpg goal. i cant wait!!

[night9]

Camping in style : ) without the cost of a truck or the bad gas mileage. Sounds like a win, win, win.

[slownugly]

Precisely!! The rambler won't even know its back there

[zjrog]

I just found and read this thread for the first time and look forward to seeing what you can accomplish. I can understand wanting to keep it all AMC and applaud that. SO let me toss another idea for others out there. Indeed parts for the AMC derived 6 are available, and AMC did some great things reworking the 6 to make it a 4.0/242. Now, I know it sounds odd, but if you started with a 4.0 block and pistons, and used the 258/4.2 crank and rods, you get a 4.5 liter stroker motor. Tons of torque and plenty of HP. Some prefer the 87-90 block casting but the later 4.0 HO heads, with 2000 and up model intakes. Performance cams are available. EFI options range from the 87-90 Renix (Renault/Bendix) system. Not easy to decode but darned near bulletproof code. No programmers or diagnostic machines to read it. Poking a big hole through your firewall for the wiring for Renix or any EFI might not meet your desires, but at least with Renix you can still run your original speedo and maybe adapt the gauges to work with the wiring harness. Or, the Chrysler derived EFI set from the HO. Or of course, MS.

Keeping it all AMC, using anything from the driveline from a 93-98 Grand Cherokee works, as it was basically AMC's last design hurrah. After the buyout, Chrysler spent a lot of time re-engineering the interior and adapting Chrysler electrics/electronics.

There was the Peugot based 5 speed for 87-90, which many people hate. Not very strong. THen the AX15 which is pretty stout. I'm not familiar enough with the NV3500 to comment. The AW4 automatic has a nearly stand alone electronic module, many allow a performance/economy switch to alter shift patterns. Its a modern 4 speed auto and is very strong. I'd sure love a 6 speed manual for my Grand Cherokee.

I love your project, I had a 65 Rambler wagon, can't recall the model. But it had a 3 on the tree and frequently hung up in 2nd.

[night9]

I think you will need to change your user name when you get this up and running ; )

[slownugly]

HAHA itll still be slow but maybe slownclassy??

zjrog- the only thing im really taking advantage of when it comes to the 4.0 is the head. im getting a 4.0 head for free from a 95 grand cherokee. these are supposed to be the best flowing factory 4.0 head. of course im not really looking for power just efficiency. this things torque band will start right off idle haha. that coupled with the highway gears and the 5 speed should be a home run. ive heard of guys doing the strokers. i think they even sell aftermarket cranks for even more cubes. i think theres a 5.0 stroker kit out there.

[night9]

I like it "slownclassy"

[slownugly]

Santa claus came!! Tach, oil pressure, Eco/vacuum. Also my pro thane trans mount, fuel pump oil pressure switch, and fan relay/controller. Still waiting on prothane engine mounts. Ordered carpet and fuel tank sending unit from apd. Amc parts specialists