Aug 09 Newsletter for web

The Carolina Pacer
The newsletter of Carolina AMC -
Contents:
Events .....................2
Officer Column .........2
Profiles & Stories ......3
AMX Feature ............4
Tech Page ................5
vol 2009 issue #3
‘09 SUMMER CAMC GETTOGETHER….FUN IN SOUTH
CAROLINA!
Club VP Robert & Debbie Mills hosted
CAMC’s Summer Get-Together in Columbia and although we wish more of
our members could have been there, it
was a fun afternoon making plans for
the rest of 09 and starting for
2010...and there was a whole lot of
great food (thank you Debbie). I for one enjoyed the fresh veggies!
As you may have already heard, CAMC is planning on being the host for the
2010 Southeast Regional. We will discuss with the Charlotte Motor Speedway
about options to use their facility for this event—it would be a great draw from
the entire east coast to have the event at such a recognized facility.
CAMC Marketplace....6
Hinge Pins ...............7
AMO ........................8
On the web:
www.carolinaamc.com
On Twitter:
www.twitter.com/carolinaamc
On FaceBook:
Search 'Carolina AMC'
The Carolina Pacer
is published every quarter
by Carolina AMC a nonprofit charter of the
American Motors Owners
Association.
Compiled and Edited by Derek Dorroh
©2009 CAMC All rights reserved.
All logos and names are used for historical
purposes only and remain the property of
their current owner.
Direct all inquiries to Carolina AMC, 12229
Freemont Lane, Raleigh, NC 27613
NEWSFLASH! WANT TO SHOW YOUR AMC AT THE AUTOFAIR?
You can register at our website, or contact Larry Harrell at
[email protected]. Cost is only $20 and that includes admission to the AutoFair! We would love to see you there! Even if you can’t bring your car, be sure to
stop by and visit with us. We will have t-shirts, license plates, koozies, and get
your free ‘I Love My AMC!’ contact cards to give anyone you meet who owns an
AMC car you meet day to day. The best way to grow our club is to get involved
and let others know.
The Carolina Pacer........................................................................................................................................................................................ Cover Page
Events
FALL AUTOFAIR—CHARLOTTE
CAMC has 10 spaces on Saturday and 10 spaces on Sunday; cost is only $20 and your AMC will be seen by
thousands at one of the largest car shows in the country. Contact Larry Harrell ASAP to reserve your spot
CRUISE 4 CHRIST CAR SHOW-TRINITY,NC
September 19th in Trinity, NC entry fee $15 several classes, registration starts at 10:00am, held at Faith Baptist
Church in Trinity, NC; for more information contact Jerry Tucker at 336-847-4519
CAMC FALL GET-TOGETHER
Saturday, November 21st @ 10:30am—Jerry & Sharon Tucker’s House, Archdale, NC—Be sure to RSVP on our
website to let us know if you can make it! A fun afternoon of friends, food, and AMC!
Be sure to check our website each month for events posted by club members in your area!
Messages from the Club Officers
From the Pres…
Hello Everyone.
August 8th was a special day for myself and my son. We got
to have five hours together traveling to the meeting in South
Carolina. We got to catch up on all the things we wanted to
talk about. Always so very special because we are so busy
with everyday work and families. As usual, Robert had the
place set up very nice for the meeting and lunch. And what a
meal it was! Debbie had great veggies out of their garden all
cooked to perfection. She is a wonderful cook!
Thanks to everyone for coming. we had a good meeting and
a lot of good fellowship and some great cars to look over.
Until the September Auto Fair, I hope to see a lot of you at
the show.
See you soon!
2009 AMO CONVENTION WAS AWESOME!
Gateway AMC did a fantastic job hosting the 09
AMO Convention! From everyone we’ve talked
to who was there, it was great. If you haven’t
had a chance, be sure to visit their website and
spend some time looking at the incredible pictures from the event.
http://www.gatewayamc2009.com/
THANKSweb.htm
Website Update….
Be sure to check out our new website at least a few times every
month, this way you won’t miss out on the what’s going on in
the club. Have suggestions for the website? Email me with your
comments and ideas. For the latest ‘quick info’ be sure to follow CAMC on ‘Twitter’….we’re there!
Thanks, Derek
Jerry
The Carolina Pacer............................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 2
Dear fellow Carolina AMC members,
I have never really wanted to tell this story, as it is still painful after all these years, but with my membership into this car club has come some questions of why I have chosen a Marlin as my car of choice. For the first time, I will tell that story. Perhaps, along with the good fellowship I have
experienced from the Carolina AMC members, I can use this opportunity to heal some wounds and purge some demons from a difficult time in my
past.
In the mid-to-late sixties my older sister dated a guy named Dale who bought a new 1966 Marlin with a 327, 4 bbl., 4-speed. It even had the very
cool dash tach option. He was a good guy and everyone liked him a lot, but he and my sister eventually broke up. Dale went into the military and
needed to sell the car, so my mother, who also liked him a lot, bought the Marlin to help him out.
A few years later, my sister married another guy. Then, on Valentines Day, 1971, my life changed forever. In the early hours of that morning, a
gunshot took my sister’s life. Only she and her husband were in the house. He was never prosecuted. I was fifteen years old at the time. My mom
went into a deep depression after the death of my sister, and she died of a heart attack two years later. In her will, she left the Marlin to me. That
was in 1973.
I loved that car. It was different. It was sharp. It was a four speed. It had a 327 V8 with 270 hp., a 4-barrel carb. and a factory tach. Even as a
high school kid, I took very good care of that car, washing it often and making sure that it always was tuned up and running perfectly. I would sit in
it on a warm summer’s day, put a Drifters 8-track tape in and think about the two most important girls in my life, who were now gone. That car
never let me down. I graduated from high school in 1974.
Around 1976 I had to travel a lot with my job. I was still a naïve kid and a friend of mine needed some transportation. I sold the car to him with
the understanding that I would buy it back at a later date. To make a long story short, he got drunk one night and totaled it. I was sick when I
found out and I have always regretted selling my original Marlin.
Then in 2001, after not seeing a 4-speed Marlin in all the years since, I found my present car on ebay. I bid, bought it and had it shipped from California. Listed as a nearly “rust-free” car, it was full of rust and the task of restoring it took over four years. Although a different color than my first
car, I restored the car as close to my original Marlin as reasonable, adding that beloved dash tachometer.
The Marlin that you see me drive now was done not so much for me; rather it was done as a tribute to the girls that I still remember. It is my way to
honor my sister and my mother. It is my link back to a time when my family was whole and life was more innocent. Even though my first Marlin
is long gone, I now love this car. I also appreciate all of my good friends in the Carolina AMC club, who have warmly welcomed me, and my car,
into the club. Thank you.
Drive safely everyone.
Phil Heitman, Durham, NC
A very special thanks to Phil for sharing this
story with us at Carolina AMC.
The Carolina Pacer............................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 3
79 Pacer Wagon - Al & Carole Anderson
This 79 AMC Pacer SW was purchased new and has
been in the family for the last thirty years. My father-in
-law and now I have taken good care of it and I guess it
would be considered a street car in very good condition. It has the original paint and equipment with
83,000 miles on it. My wife and I now use it as a second car around town.
We have reached the time in our life where we don't
need a second car and would like to see it go to someone interested in restoring it to its original condition. It
is located in New Bern, NC and if anyone is interested
in seeing it and would like to make an offer for the
Pacer, contact me at 252-638-1724 or e-mail at [email protected]
I hope you or one of the club members will know someone interested in restoring this car.
Al Anderson
Member Story Jere Hershey
Here is a little story from an old
guy….
I had a '69, 390 BBG AMX for a few years
when I was much younger (from '7376). Two youngsters, limited budget and two
other cars that wife could drive forced a sale
(she was not real keen about using the clutch
on the 390). Plus, I could not keep clutches
in that sucker!
When young, my brother-in-law was an
AMC dealer so I owned various AMCs and
my Dad was a Nash fan and owned the
"upside-down bathtub" Nashes...which created much teasing from "semifriends."
Finally got permission to have a second childhood and got a 69 343 with 59K
miles...and a bunch of history. Nearly two years later (new seats, seat covers,
carpet, body work and paint) it allows me to "tool around" and feel ornery
again. Two photos are here to see a "close to finished" project. Seems to be all
original except for items noted...and the change in paint color to black from
"crappy grey."
Club member Jere Hershey
The Carolina Pacer............................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 4
Tech Page There weren’t many transmission options for U.S. built passenger cars in the late 50s and early 60s. The standard
across the board was a three speed manual transmission or a two or three speed automatic. The only four speed made
specifically for passenger cars after World War II that the author is aware of is the “Dual Range” or “Dual Coupling”
Hydramatic automatic transmission, and it was discontinued after 1959 in favor of the cheaper to build three speed (“Single Coupling”) Hydramatic. Just because I’m unaware doesn’t mean it didn’t exist, but three speeds were definitely the norm for U.S. makers. There were four and five speed transmissions, but they were heavy duty truck transmissions not suited for passenger cars due to
weight and “notchy” shifting. Most lacked synchronizers as well.
There was a way to get four forward gears that was very common though — the Borg-Warner Automatic Overdrive
(OD) unit. These were actually rather popular in the 50s. If one is familiar with the operation of the overdrive unit and
the auto buying climate of the 50s, it makes perfectly good sense that the overdrive would be much more popular than a true four
speed transmission.
The first reason that the OD unit was popular is that automatic transmissions were expensive, and the early models
weren’t always efficient. The Dual Range Hydramatic was the first successful automatic transmission, indeed, it was
the only one available from it’s 1937 introduction until the early 50s. Various forms or fluid drives and automatic shifters
were available through the mid 40s and early 50s, but all required some learning on the driver’s behalf to work properly,
and most required a lot of maintenance in the form of adjusting to keep them operating somewhat efficiently. $200
doesn’t sound like much today for an optional automatic transmission, but in 1958 that was nearly a 10% increase in
the price of a new car. 1958 Series 10 Ramblers listed for $2342-$2751. Today, the average midsize American built car
has a list price of $20,000-$30,000. People think twice before adding a $2,000-$3,000 option, especially if they are looking for a
good value as 50s AMC customers usually were.
When an automatic did need service you couldn’t just run it to the local mechanic or fix it yourself either! Just like today,
it’s best handled by the dealer or a shop specially trained and equipped to service automatic transmissions. Those are pretty common today, but not in the late 50s and early 60s! Like today, it wasn’t exactly cheap to get them serviced or rebuilt either! Any local
garage and most general service stations could easily handle a manual trans or clutch though.
The second reason the OD unit was popular is that it was in essence a small automatic transmission. Cars were made
with low gearing and high torque, low speed engines. Lugging one was expected! The little 196 is from that era, and
anyone who has driven one much knows what I mean. As long as the car is rolling at all there is no need to use first gear. With the
automatic OD unit, most driving could be done without using the clutch. It would automatically shift up and down between what
was practically third and fourth gears. Only when driving in town was second needed, and first was used only from a complete stop.
That’s why the old three speeds don’t have a synchronizer between first and second gears — it was deemed unnecessary.
Most people don’t realize that the OD unit typically used a lower rear axle than a straight three speed transmission. This improved
takeoffs by reducing the strain on the transmission and engine, and spread the gearing out better. The ratios inside the main transmission were usually the same with or without OD, only the final gearing was changed. The purpose of the OD unit was to improve
the spread of the transmission ratios, not to make the car go faster. In fact, most cars will go faster when OD is not used because
they simply lack the power to pull the final gearing when OD is engaged.
The first true four speed that was readily available to U.S. auto makers was the Borg-Warner T-10, first available in 1963.This is an
adaptation of the T-89 three speed transmission. In fact, if a T-89 and T-10 main case are side by side without the tailshaft housing
they would be difficult to tell apart. The T-10 is basically a T-89 with reverse replaced by a fourth forward gear and reverse added
to the tailshaft housing. Five speed transmissions didn’t appear in U.S. passenger cars until the late 70s.
AMC got a rather ingenious idea in the early 60s. Since the OD unit was basically a separate transmission, why not use it to “split”
both second and third gears? That would allow shifting five forward speeds. With the standard gear ratios
second and OD are just about the same as third gear, but if the gearing inside the transmission was adjusted, five forward gears
could be easily realized. That’s exactly what they did!
The Carolina Pacer............................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 5
CAMC Marketplace
Ok, so we're not eBay or craigslist, but we are all AMC enthusiasts, so what better
place to advertise something you want to 'buy' or 'sell'? Talk about 'direct' marketing!
Ads are free to anyone! AMC related items only! Email [email protected].
71 Javelin, Blue with white interior. 304 cid engine, air, autotrans, pb and ps. Car is very restorable. $1800, for info call Ben
at 704-588-5680 - 704-877-5422. NO photos, (also have extra
AMC high performance engines for sale)
1965 Rambler American 2 door, original with some extra parts
Restorable. $550. Fred Stout 336-629-4648. Asheboro, NC
OEM AMC Parts, Larry Harrell purchased a whole lot of AMC
parts from an out of business vendor-contact him for a spreadsheet of
items for sale. Email him at [email protected]
1986 AMC Eagle Station Wagon with 4 wheel Dr. Running,
Original paint Great restoration car. Also have 1988 AMC Eagle wagon
(was running) I consider it a parts car All or separate. Lee Humphries,
919 247-2341
4 AMC Eagles For Sale and 1 for just parts, need some TLC
1974 AMC Javelin SST, Black/Black/Black, 360 V8 engine,
automatic transmission, power disk brakes on the front, new
tires, new carpet, newly rebuilt and recovered front seats. This is
not a show quality car although it could be with work, it is a
great driver quality car. The paint is three years old, very minor
rust on lower rear quarters. This car turns heads and is fun to
drive. Contact Phil for more information, $7500, 803-522-1419
and new owner to restore. $2500 for all 919-772-4144 Sue
FOR SALE: 1985 AMC Eagle Wagon 4x4 all original, base
model wagon, metallic brown, only 48k miles, starts right up, call for
photos-Charles 901-270-7623 or [email protected]; best offer
1976 Gremlin, original condition daily driver in good condition, contact Junior or Judy Burger in Benton, TN 423-338-5385
WANTED: looking for a drivers side front fender for at 72-74 Gremlin, contact Tony Grow at [email protected]
Key National
AMC Parts Vendors:
Planet Houston AMX - Eddie
www.planethoustonamx.com
713-464-8825
American Parts Depot - Doug
www.americanpartsdepot.com
937-678-7249
WSC Motorsports
www.classicone.com
770-413-9126
American Performance
www.oldcarparts.com
321-632-8299
Galvin's AMC Rambler Parts
www.ramblerparts.com
209-365-6315
AMC Rambler Parts
www.amcrambler.com
516-935-5298
Tell ‘em CAMC sent ya!
We recommend! http://home.att.net/~farna/AMC.html
Home of the American Motors Cars Magazine, one of the best AMC publications being done today from Frank Swygert. Contact: 803-604-6548
Be sure to check out our
CAMC Online Store!
Renew your membership for 2010!
Buy CAMC t-shirts, hats, and stuff!
Pre-order your 2010 CAMC calendar!
All profits go towards club activities!
The Carolina Pacer............................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 6
Hinge Pins
Hinge Pin and Bushing Replacement (courtesy of Jeff Barfield, Peach State AMO)
Bad hinge pins and bushings are a very common problem on any car that is 20 or 30 years old, even AMCs. Does your door seem to hit too low
when you close it? Is it misaligned? To see if you need new bushings try this simple test. Open your car door, grab it on the open end and try to
lift it. If it moves at all you should think about replacing them, if it moves more than about ½ inch you need to replace them before they damage the
hinge as well.
Replacement bushings and pins are available from most major AMC vendors.
My “how to” tips will be based on my experience on my 1969 Javelin, but should be the same or very similar for almost any AMC. First mark the
position of the hinge to the door, this can be done with masking tape, or chalk. Some people actually take a screwdriver or awl and scratch the door
to mark it, I don’t suggest this as it is just inviting rust. Next remove the door from the car by removing the bolts holding the hinges to the door.
This can be done with just one person but is easier with two. Either way be sure to support the door while removing the bolts.
Next remove the spring that holds the door open. Then using a punch about the size of the pin and a dead blow hammer (a dead blow hammer is
filled with sand and has rubber inserts to keep it from bouncing off and transfer more power to the hit) drive out the old hinge pins. Separate the 2
pieces of the hinge and remove what is left of the old bushings. Use a small piece of sandpaper on the end of a small punch or phillips screwdriver
and clean out the holes. Spray with WD-40 or other lubricating oil and insert new bushings, they should go in with very light taps from a regular
hammer. Reassemble the 2 pieces of the hinge and drive the old hinge pin in very slightly from the opposite side of where the new hinge pin goes.
Insert the new pin from the proper side and drive it in with the dead blow hammer and use the punch where necessary to avoid hitting the car. The
new pin will drive out the old one, but using the old one in this way will keep the bushings aligned while installing the new pin. Reinstall the spring
that holds the door open. This can prove a little difficult but if you use a pair and pliers and twist it the right way it will go. In my case the pins
were much too long and had to be cut off after inserting them to avoid hitting the door when it was reinstalled. I cut them with a Dremel rotary tool
and a cut off wheel, a hacksaw could be used as well.
Finally reinstall the door lining up the hinges with the tape, chalk or whatever markings you used. This will take 2 people unless you are extremely
strong and extremely coordinated. You may have to adjust the door somewhat when you finish. You can adjust the striker by loosening it slightly,
sliding it up or down as appropriate and retightening it. The door itself can be adjusted by loosening the hinge bolts from either the door or the
body of the car, moving the door, and the retightening the bolts.
When finished your doors should be tight and open and close smoothly.
TWIN STICK (continued from page 5)
A standard T-96 (used behind the 195.6 OHV engine) has gear ratios of 2.605, 1.630, and 1.000 (first, second, third, respectively). Overdrive added a
fourth forward gear of 0.700. When equipped with the Twin-Stick shifter second gear was
changed to 1.906 to 1. Gearing was therefore 2.605, 1.906, 1.334 (1.906 x 0.700), 1.000, and 0.700, respectively, for all five forward speeds. Without
the extra “space” between second and third gears second with OD would only be 1.141, too
close to 1.000 to be useful. The T-85 used behind the 287 V-8 had standard ratios of 2.57, 1.55, and 1.00; with Twin-Stick
second gear was 1.83 (second + OD was 1.28). The 327 used the T-89 three speed manual, which didn’t have an alternate gearing for Twin-Stick applications. Ratios were 2.49, 1.86, (1.30 with OD), and 1.00. It was impractical to “split” first gear. That would have created a lot more shifting with
little results, especially considering the fat torque curve of those
old engines — lots of gears just weren’t necessary.
There’s a lot more to the Twin-Stick system than just a shifter and transmission. There are some electric controls
that go with it also. Even a standard OD unit has to have electric controls to prevent damage to the unit.
The primary protective circuit grounds out the coil momentarily when the “kick-down” circuit is engaged. This basically turns the engine off for one
or two revolutions, just enough to cut power input into the planetary gears of the OD unit so it
can safely disengage. Don’t do this (or use the clutch) and the strain will eventually break one of the planetary gear shafts, ruining the OD planetary
gear set and output shaft (which has the big ring gear made onto it). Those parts aren’t easy to find and are expensive! One look at the wiring diagram
shows that AMC engineers made the system as foolproof as possible with seemingly complex, but in reality rather simple, control circuits.
The Twin-Stick system is unique to AMC, and rather rare today. It was only used from 1963 to 1965, and only on the top of the line “sporty” models.
Bucket seats and the console were required. The Twin-Stick shifter can easily be used with any three speed manual transmission in any Rambler, with
or without OD, but without the special transmission and wiring will only produce three or four forward speeds.
Article courtesy of Frank Swygert
(to view this article as well as photos of the electrical and reprint of a 63 Rambler featuring this, visit our website at www.carolinaamc.com)
The Carolina Pacer............................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 7
AMO Southeast Regional Info
Amc Southeast Regionals - November 7-8, 2009
Saturday and Sunday - 8 am thru 4 pm
Held in conjuction with Mopars with Big Daddy - This event will be held at
Don Gartlis’ Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala, Florida - Interstate 75/Exit
341
For additional information for the AMC show contact Cliff Danley of
First Coast AMC Club at 904-783-4177 after 8 pm or email at
[email protected]
Host Hotel for AMC Southeast Regionals
Hampton Inn and Suites
2075 SW Hiway 484
Ocala, FL 34473
Located at the same
exit as the show Call 352-347-1600
for reservations
First coast AMC has
a block of rooms at
$95 - see flyer for
more details.
12229 Freemont Lane
Raleigh, NC 27613
DELIVER TO:
Carolina AMC Clubmember
THANK YOU
For being a
member of
CAROLINA
AMC!
The Carolina Pacer............................................................................................................................................................................................... Page 8