Let's see your Ramblers!

I suppose he kept the stock one , engine mounts on a 232 258 4.0 are the same I think .

IIRC . The only difference between a 232 and a 258 is 258 are 1/8 higher and different stroke .
So a 4.0 is bolt on instead off a 258 . For the engine mounts . For the trans , it s a different story

 

I kept the stock crossmember, and what Nali says is true, but the 232 didn't come out until late 1964 and was only used in a few hundred cars other than the "Typhoon" coupe. My 63 came with a 196.

I used the original crossmember and put a pair of 2"x3" 10 gauge (1/8" thick) rectangular tubing pieces 4" long between 74 258 mounts and the crossmember. I bolted the rect. tubing to the mounts then drilled up into the tubing through the old 196 mount holes. Drilled and tapped the holes for 3/8" fine thread bolts. The old car engine side plates bolt right to a 4.0L.

 

my new one, 440H with "Twin Stick" floor shift.

 

I love the Twin-Stick! It shifts like a five speed, but not fast. The six still used a T-96 non-synchro first gear three speed transmission. The T-S trans has a wide gap between 2nd and 3rd gears so that 2nd can be used with OD. It shifts 1-2-2OD-3-3OD. That's why the kick-down button is on the shifter.

Shifting sequence: Move the OD lock-out lever to the OD position. Put trans in first, take off. Put hand over shift knob, pressing in button, and shift to 2nd. Let off gas a half second and feel the trans shift into OD (hand off shifter button). Now it's in 3rd gear (2+OD). Lay hand on shifter as you press in clutch, pressing button as you shift into 3rd. The button kicks it out of OD as you're shifting. You're in 3rd gear, but it's really the 4th gear selected. Let off gas a half second and feel the car shift into OD again -- 5th gear.

It can't quite be shifted down that way, there will be no downshift to "3rd" (2+OD). NEVER down-shift into first unless you're at or very near a complete stop! No synchro in first or reverse -- first is only meant for taking off. Shifting down into first at anything but a near stop (10 mph tops, preferably closer to 5 mph!!) will eventually lead to chipped first gear.

 

^^ Try teaching that to someone just learning to drive. I really want a Marlin, probably in the next few years i will get one. been looking and tempted but no garage space right now

 

Heres a few pics of my 64 440 HT. it was a factory twin stick. but a previous owner replaced the engine and trans with a 360 with a 998 torque command behind it. I plan on repainting it. the engine is being rebuilt / overbored right now.

 

The American looks good in yellow and black. That's the color scheme that the late 64 "Typhoon" used when the 232 six was introduced. Only the Typhoon (the larger Classic two door hardtop) got the 232, with the exception of a couple dozen late production big cars. From the photos the paint looks okay, interior needs a good cleaning and some work though!

Learning to shift with the Twin-Stick can be daunting! At least knowing how it's supposed to work helps. It's not a fast shifter like a true five speed, but it can still be fun. Once in top gear most driving can be done without touching the clutch, just in and out of OD with the button. That's why OD was so popular before the advent of inexpensive automatic transmissions.

 

Now I just need to find the pieces to make it work. The brass pin under the shifter is missing. The OD cable is also gone. The car does go in to OD like it should when letting off the gas.

 

The OD cable is easy enough. An auto trans shifter cable is heavy enough for that. Something like a choke cable isn't, though that's what the original looked like -- the wire wrapped casing type. The difference is the inner wire as a gauge size or two heavier than a typical choke cable. You might be able to find something that heavy though. I've got a cable, but it goes with the T-S shifter I'm saving. Always thought to use it with a four speed and use the OD lever for reverse.

On the shifter, the OD kick-down wire goes hp through an insulator, a spring, a "contact plate" (looks like a washer), then the brass "Button Switch Contact Plug" (brass pin with a flat head on it, sort of like a nail... a brass nail could be filed to replace it, but how long?). A better idea might be to get a shifter knob with a button on top. Jeg's has a white one (#61531) and a black one (#61534) - $39.99. Comes with a switch and two conductor wire. Replace the existing OD wire with the new then ground one of the two conductors, should work fine provided the knob will thread on the Rambler shifter. It should, knob comes with an insert for different sizes. It's usually used for a trans-brake or nitrous switch.

 

The front seats are in good shape, the rear seat is going to need completely redone. I also need window seals. I didn't like the yellow and black at first but it is growing on me. My 360 is getting bored .040 over right now, the cylinder walls were pretty bad.

 

For window and door seals (windshield and back glass too) go to www.amcrambler.com.

 

Here are some from my garage...

 

heres my old lady's 59 rambler custom. found it in a field!!

 

here is my buddy randy's car....that guy also has some clean amc's.

 

The 57 Rambler Rebel was the first muscle car if you consider it had the largest engine made by AMC at the time in a mid size compact body. But it had four doors, and most consider it a muscle car only if it was a two door, post or hardtop. At the 57 model year into show at Daytona Beach the 57 Rebel was the second fastest car there, only the new fuelie Corvette could beat it (and the Rebel was faster with EFI!). That was on the packed sand beach course, not asphalt.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rambler_Rebel :
"The Rebel was capable of 0 to 60 mph (0-97 km/h) acceleration in just 7.5 seconds with its standard 255 hp (190.2 kW) carbureted engine. The car's light monocoque (unibody) construction afforded a power-to-weight ratio of about 13 pounds per horsepower, a better ratio than other 1957 model year automobiles..."

"The Bendix "Electrojector" electronic fuel injection (EFI) was to be optional on the 1957 Rambler Rebel with a flashy introduction at the Daytona Beach Road Course trials. The Rebel's Electrojector equipped engine was rated at 288 bhp (214.8 kW). This was to have been the first mass produced engine with a transistorized "brain box" fuel injection system. A Rambler Rebel with the optional EFI was tested by Motor Trend, and they recorded this sedan going faster from a standing start than the 1957 Chevrolet Corvette with mechanical fuel injection."

 

What do you have going on under that hood Ramzoom? looks interesting.
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">

 

The green 59: Its an Olds Quad 4 with M62 supercharger and Weber DCOE carb..Muncie M21 trans and 8" Ford rear with 4:10's, 7.5" cheater slicks..

 

I m building my 66 with a Eaton M62 also , but I keep the 232 6

 

I followed your build on the rambler, have you run it at the track and what do'es it run?

 

sorry, I'm talking to you ramzoom

 

Here's ours through the years....maybe someday we'll get it done and give the Rebel Reaper a run for his hoop hanging money.


-Bigchief.

 

No I havent ran it on a track..It has good pick up and 2nd-3rd gear revs out great. I have a smaller blower pulley coming to up the boost..I have been tweaking the weber as the car has a slight hesitation on a hard take off from a stop...but it does run hard and its a kick to drive..this is my first car with a weber so I'm learning I'll play with the weber once I install the smaller pulley..

 

lets see more of the altered wheelbase american in the background of the last pic!!! let us know what the plan is for it.

 

super cool DOOOOOOOOIT!!!!

 

sweeeeeeet AMX dude I am totaly jelous! cant wait to get mine off the rotisory and start to put it back togther.

 

Here is a friends of mine.

 

Here's my 62 American

 

SWEET!! A thread I belong in! Here is my 61

 

Wow! Is that thing bagged or just hammered out? I'm wanting to do something like this to mine.