Hi, after being on here almost daily for the last few months I decided it was time to finally join. I know my car is a little newer than most on here, but there are so many knowledgeable people on here I figured it would be worth a shot. The car in question is a 1966 Rambler Cl***ic 770 Wagon. Right now it is stock and it has the 232 and a 2 (yes 2) speed automatic. I have been having a really hard time finding specific information about the transmission in this car. From the research I have done, I can only find them having 3 and for speed automatics and manuals. I know that some earlier cars (Ford, Studebaker, Hudson IIRC) had two speed Borg Warner automatics, but most of them had been replaced with 3 speed units by the mid 50's. To be truthful I do not even know if it is a BW ****** in the car. Unfortunately I am 6 hours away from the car at school, and I have barely got to drive it, let alone dig under the hood too seriously, so I am not trying to be a lazy newb...it is just a matter of logistics that makes it impossible for me to provide any good information. From what I can tell though, it was a 2 speed car originally because the shifter only has 1st&2nd (or maybe 1st&D) ranges in it. I would ***ume that if it had a 3 speed, all 3 gears would be selectable individually, but I could be wrong. So if you are still bearing with me, do you know what this could possibly have in it for a ******? And with that, is it swappable for the 3 and 4 speed BW autos? That had been the other challenge, the torque tube driveline...trying to find someone who even knows what a torque tube is; let alone provide and good information on my specific car is very hard. Is there a common main case length, so I can just swap out the ****** itself with out changing the rear axle? I may have a 3 or 4 speed auto out of a '64 2 door lined up if it will work. Or do I need to get an auto and rear axle out of another wagon or 4 door to make something work? I know the stock rear axle is weak, and the obvious answer is simply swap rear axles for a ranger 8.8" or similar, link it, go open driveline and have free range of engines and transmissions, but I want to keep this car as stock as possible...which is a novel idea for me lol. Sorry for being so long winded, thank you all for your help in advance.
I used to have one of those. I really liked the car. Have fun changing to an open driveline. That is a bigger project than it looks. Don't forget it is a unibody car. Check very closely for inner rust and thin metal before you get too deep into the changeover. You may have trouble finding sturdy locations to tie or anchor things to even when the car is pretty solid. Sorry I can't help with the automatic info. I mostly messed with the three speed stick cars. I don't know what kind of adapter they used from the auto trans to the torque tube, but with the stickshifts you could use different Borg Warner ******s from AMC, Chevy, Studebaker, Jeep, etc, and as long as you partly dis***embled them and then re-***embled them around the aluminum torque tube adapter, you had a large source of stickshift ******s to choose from. I do not know how that translates to the auto ******s though. Sorry.
This seems to be the bible o AMC tranmissions, and the only 2 speed was the ultramatic from packard used in some big Nashes with the Packard sourced V8. Some of them were set up funny. What looks like Dr and Lo two speed actually was a split deal where Dr started off in 2nd using the torque converter for liesurly and dignified get aways. Selecting Lo gave you first and second. So starting in Lo gave you flashingly quick acceleration, while shifting from Dr to Lo at speed gave you a down shift to 2nd for hill decending. I think the early Ford Cruisamatics were like that and some hydramatics also. Then the engineers figured out that as loong as you had three gear sets to put them all in Dr and leave Lo for 1st gear only. http://amccf.com/tech/amc_auto_trannies.html
I own a 1960 Rambler. I know that my transmission is expose to be a 3 speed. I do know that anything later then 1971 that the transmission bolt pattern was changed. If that 64 transmission is bolted to a 6 it should bolt up. I hate torque tubes though. When you do pull your trans you should replace the trunnion seal at that point. Also replace the u joints as well as once you get that torque tube reinstalled you can't grease them.
Sorry I havn't responded yet...I have been pretty busy with school, work, and trying to figure out what I am doing with this car. I have finally decided to ditch the stock driveline completely and start over. Starting from the back, it will get a Ford 8.8" axle out of a Ranger (hopefully I can find a limited slip one), then an AMC pattern 904, probably out of a Pacer or something, then the engine... I thought about building a mildish 401 (low 400 HP), but decided that was to boring and "normal", so now I am buildinng a 4.5L stroker with an Eaton M90 Supercharger out of a Thunderbird. I am sure some of you know this, but for those who don't, you basically put the crank and rods out of an old 4.2 AMC and combine that with the block and pistons of a newer 4.0 engine. I am going to do a pull through carb, probably pipe it into the stock Jeep intake, run the SC off of the serpentine system, add Clifford headers, and I will probably run about 6 lbs of boost on the street, but then be able to swap pulley's for 8-10 psi (and race gas) for racing. It should make about 375-420 HP or so. If I can get the car to hook (should not be too hard considering it's a wagon) it should be good for 12's or so. For the rear suspension I am thinking about doing a 3-link setup with a panhard bar. It will have two lower arms that go pretty much straight forward, a center link that will go above the driveshaft, and use the stock panhard bar mount with a new panhard bar to keep it straight side to side. Like I said before, I have not really gotten to look at the car to closely, so I am not sure if putting a single link above the driveshaft will work or not. Or it could end up being a trialngulated 4 link. Do any of you with wagons have some pictures of the underside around the rear axle so I can get some ideas going? How about any thoughts or concerns with this? I would add pictures of my car, but I don't have any on this computer, so it will have to wait until I get home.
Its been a while, but how far have you come over the summer with your project? I've got a '64 Cl***ic 770 sedan with the 287 and V8. I don;t have a solid plan of attack yet.(It keeps changing) Hopfully you had the summer to look things over. Here's a site you may have all ready found about the Jeep stroker: http://www.ajeepthing.com/stroker-motor.html It has some helpful stuff. Also if you want a beefier ****** try the 727 TF out of a '79 and up fullsize Jeep. It will have the bolt pattern needed for the I-6 block, and you can use the tailshaft from a more common 2wd mopar version. Or you can do the same with a TH400 out of a '71?-'78 Jeep and switch tailshafts with a 2wd Chevy. I have the parts for the Chevy swap, but haven't done it... yet. Jeff
The ****** is an air-cooled Borg Warner T-35 or T37. It is a 3 speed with "L" being only first gear, D1 being all three gears, and D2 starting in 2nd gear with an upshift to 3rd. These trannies have sort of a reputation for unreliability depending on who you ask. I belong to the unreliability school of thought in that I've had mine rebuilt twice in less than 40k miles. To be fair the second guy that rebuilt it said the first guy cut a lot of corners. These trannies were used in Rovers behind the aluminum V8 I think as well with different bell housing and maybe an open driveline if memory serves. The Closed driveline and the suspension issues that came along with it was the only thing keeping me from making mine (gasp) a SBC/TH350 combo last go-around. I've had mine since I was thirteen (18 years) and that's the only reason I don't get rid of the aggravating *******.
I had a 66 cl***ic 770 wagon and swaped the 232 6 for the 287 v-8. The 6 cyl. trans is shorter than the v-8 trans because of extra clutch packs for the v-8. they were both borg-warner trans. and had a low-drive1 and drive2 which made it a 3 speed. To swap from 6 to 8 I had to change front crossmember,trans., and rearend but all bolted in place easily.
you can get all the parts to rebuild the BW trans, I have one sitting in my gargae from my wifes 64 rambler. Changing from the torque tube to open drive shift is a pain and for that station wagon if ur not going all out just leave it. heres a link to rebuild parts. new everything including bands and sprage is under $150 http://www.transmissionpartsusa.com/T35_Transmission_Rebuild_Kits_s/2051.htm
I've got a Jaguar IRS in my 63 Cl***ic. It's basically the same as the 66 -- just slightly different outer sheetmetal. The link above the axle should work, may have to put an "S" bend in it for clearance. A torque arm as used in 80s F bodies might work better. It's not real hard to change the rear suspension if you can fabricate some. If not, it can be costly. I ran ladder bars the first time I did it. They were okay, or would have been had I not made them too short. It was still good on smooth roads, but a rough one gave it a choppy ride. The bars were only 22" long though, it was my fault! Should have been 30-36", but I wanted to tuck them in under the car where they couldn't be seen and 22" was all they could be. If I'd known the ride would have been so choppy I'd have made them longer anyway. At least you can keep the original springs and seats, just drill and tap two holes in the new axle tubes and bolt the original seats on. Panhard rod mount comes off the rear axle after drilling a couple big rivets out too. I'm running a 4.6L stroker with the Jeep EFI. Good power, but the stock 4.0L had plenty power for cruising and got better gas mileage. Sometimes I wish I'd left it as a stock motor, but I do like the feel of the extra 60-70 ponies! You've already been informed that you do indeed have a three speed trans. On those the 1-2 shift is real soft and short -- 1st just gets the car moving -- so you just might not feel it. There were several models of the Borg Warner trans, the M-35 was the lightest duty and only used behind the 196 and 199 sixes. The 232 got an M-37 or M-40. V-8s used the cast iron cased M-8, M-11, M-11b, or M-12. All the others were aluminum case ******s. Oh yeah, the 290 and 304 V-8s used an aluminum M-44, the 287 and all bigger V-8s used the iron cased ones (and the hi-po 290/4V).
Well, I got distracted with life this summer and completely forgot I had this up here. This summer I did the paint and body work on the car, tore the engine and ****** apart strictly to replace seals and put it back together. After it was back together it never ran right and got miserable mileage (easily under 15mpg). After a week or 2 it started to develop intermittent low oil pressure and a knock...so something must have gone back together wrong or something. We probably should have just rebuilt it when we had it out, but by that time I was out of time and money and needed the thing to get done. I had changed my mind originally about the whole swap and was going to leave it original...but with the engine needing a rebuild things have changed. If I were to do a complete rebuild of the engine I figure it will cost me somewhere around $800, ***uming there are no surprises. But for that money I could go out and buy a (good working) junkyard 4.0 Jeep engine and 2wd AW4 ******, get a Ford 8.8" to use with the limited slip i have for one, plus buy all of the 4-link parts I need. I can do all of the work myself, and the only real challenge would be the 4-link, but with the stuff I have designed and built in the past I would be pretty comfortable doing this. I would probably run the factory (Rambler) intake and rebuild the Carter WCD that is on there. I figure with the right gearing (mid 3's probably), and the lockup converter I should be able to get 25-27 mpg out of it on a good tune. I would swap the 4.0 over to all of the accessories (or lack therof) off of the original engine. Eventually if I wated to I could build a supercharged stroker for it, probably with Megqasquirt EFI, but for now I could definitely be happy with the stock Jeep drivetrain. I really need to learn to have one relatively stock, reliable car, and to let the toys be toys since I dont have to worry about reliability. Anyways, do any of you have any thougths or concerns about this setup? How about the possibility of keeping the torque tube and stock axle with the AW4. I know the rear end is a weak, oddball setup, but then I would be able to force myself to not go crazy on the engine. And I could probably fool most people into thinking it was a stock setup. The other option is an engine swap using a different bellhousing on the stock ******. The one that comes to mind is using the 1962 Ford 221" v8 that a friend has, and using the bellhousing off of the Ford-O-Matic mated to my current ******. I am not sure if they bolt up the same, but it is such a wierd engine it is a shame to not be using it in something. Does anyone know if the bellhousings all bolt up the same? Thanks.
Why not keep the Jeep EFI? As long as you get one from 96 or earlier it's pretty easy to hook up. I can send you an article on hooking it all up from a 87-90 (Renix system). That's slightly different from a 91-96 (what you want!), but the basics are the same. You just don't have to cut a big hole in the firewall to mount the computer inside, it mounts under the hood. I got around 24 mpg tops with the stock 4.0L in my wagon, get a best of about 22 mpg with the 4.6L stroker (4.0L w/258 crank and rods). You will need 3.55 gears with the AW4 or you won't turn enough rpm at highway speeds. You need to keep up at least 2000 rpm at your expected low cruise speed or the six won't be turning enough to put out it's best torque. You can fine tune with tire size (diameter). My big six will pull the car all day at 50 mph and 1600-1700 rpm in OD, but it is working harder and will drink more fuel. It's not straining at all, just doing more work. Mileage drops 2-3 mpg! I tried running 3.08 gears at first, and that's what it did. Put in the 3.55s (which is what a stock XJ Cherokee w/4.0L and AW4 runs) and mileage went UP 2-3 mpg -- the opposite of what you'd expect. With the AW4 you need the trans controller from under the glove box and the TPS off the throttle body for automatic control. If you want to build a switch box you can have a semi-auto trans without the trans controller. If you're running a console and arm rest the switch box actually works real good, put it where your hand naturally lays like I do. The box is simple -- just a four position rotary switch for the gears and a toggle or rocker for the lock-up converter. In practice you just leave the lock-up switch on, the trans doesn't allow the converter to lock in first gear, and there is engine braking only in the top two gears (when in OD 3rd & 4th, when in D 2nd & 3rd, never in first). So down-shifting is safe and easy. When you come up to a complete stop rotate the switch all the way to first. You can do that from 60 mph safely, just quickly twist the switch and it goes straight from 4th to 1st. No damage because no hold back in first. I've been driving mine like that for the past six years. The rear axle isn't weak. It's a 7-9/16" ring gear, same internals as the Jeep Dana 35 (gears even swap), a bit stronger than a Ford 7.5". The weak link is the nut that holds the hubs on. They need to be loosened then torqued back to 250-300 ft/lbs like some front wheel drive axle nuts (factory spec is 250 ft/lbs). The ends of the axle will stretch slightly over a 40+ year period. It might take 600 ft/lbs to loosen the nut, but STUCK isn't the same as properly torqued! Once that's done you're not likely to spin a hub -- not with street tires anyway. I wouldn't try slicks though.... it's more likely then. Three problems with trying to retain the torque tube. Yes, it could be done. Problem one is getting the flange from the old trans on the new one. Figure out where it should be in relation to the center of the new universal joint then cut and weld the aluminum housings. It can be a little off and still work fine. Second problem is tube length. The tube itself is easy enough to cut and weld, the center shaft is a different story. On the sixes the center shaft is made like an axle shaft, only splined on both ends. It would need to be resplined if shortened, though you could probably cut a section out in front of the center bearing then turn it down and weld a sleeve over it. Third is the u-joint size. The Rambler used a small joint, and the yoke needs to fit the new ****** too. NAPA has a few special swap joints with different size cups on each cross, not sure if they have one that would fit in this case though. You could possibly make a mount bolted/welded to the crossmember/body for the front of the tube instead of welding to the new trans, but you still have the other two problems. Spent a lot of time trying to figure this stuff out -- it ends up being as much or more work and money as sticking another axle under it and building a rear suspension!
I suppose keeping the Jeep EFI would be an option...it would certainly make those MN and SD winter starts alot better. I actually have access to a Cherokee (91-95) that I already have the 712o head off of. It is sitting in the impound lot of the place where I work at during the summers. Probably for $100 I could get the rest of the engine, the bellhousing, torque converter, computer, wiring, and pretty much whatever else I want off of it. I could even pull the Dana 35 rear end out (or if I am lucky it is a 8 1/4" Chrysler) and use that in the Rambler. It had about 150k on it, and the bores looked good, so if I get it I will probably pull it apart, look it over, and if everything checks out run it as is for now. Minimally it will be good for the block to eventually do a stroker. Or else I also have a good 4.2 that I bought for the crank and rods that I could use for now in the car. For the ****** I have been looking for a 2wd AW4, but have been coming up short on good ones in my price range. I did some research yesterday and found out that the a340e ****** used commonly in MkIII Toyota Supras are the same as AW4's except for the bellhousing and tail shaft. The Toyota tail shaft will work just fine for me, and I can simply swap the bellhousing with the one from the Jeep and I am in business. They are even controlled the same way, in fact alot of Supra guys use the Jeep ****** computer to run the ****** after they do 2JZ engine swaps. It just so happens that I have a friend with a junk (body wise) MkIII Supra that has already been torn all apart that I could get for $100. Plus then I have a 7MGE 3.0L straight 6 to swap into my '84 4Runner based truggy. Anyways, this puts me at having pretty complete drivetrain for cheap, the only thing extra I will need is a Ford Ranger or Explorer 8.8" axle, which I have a limited slip for. As far as EFI, farna could you send me that article? What did you do as far as a Fuel system? I really would not mind getting rid of the old, patched together tank that sits in the p***enger side rear fender well and replacing it with a proper cell that could go in the rear cargo tray. As far as shifting I had planned on doing full manual shifting, but depending on how hard it is to wire up the computer properly I may just do that. Suspension wise I am leaning towards triangulated 4 links or radius arms with a panhard bar. Or maybe even truck arms depending on weather or not I can mount them. I actually am getting the back half of a 67-72 Chevy for the box so I can use it on my '68, but it also has the coil suspension that I could steal the arms off of. Anybody have any other ideas or suggestions?
The only concern about the Toyota Supra trans is the only one I've seen had some kind of computer controlled gizmo on it to control internal pressure instead of a TV cable like the Jeeps use. The Toyota engine computer also controls the ******, and that pressure gizmo. I don't know if the Jeep cable will stick in place of the electronic thingy or not, but it looked like it would. Toyota used that trans in 4Runners and their other V-6 SUVs too, so if you find a 2WD model that would be good. But finding a 2WD Jeep or Toy SUV in your neck of the woods will be tough! So ask your buds about that cable. The Jeep computer has to have it, so maybe some Supra models do use it. Then you'd just need the Jeep bell housing. Oh, Volvo 960s use that trans also, so that might be another source (had a 97 960...). The D34 from the Jeep will work, but you'll need deep wheels. You can use Jeep wheels or front wheel drive type wheels, but the Rambler wheels and most aftermarket wheels won't work. I used 7" wide x 3-3/4" backset American Racing steel wheels on mine and they would still scrub a little on the outside when the car was loaded. Normal backset for a 7" wheel is 3-1/2", 3-3/4" is the "custom" backset for AR. You could use something like Weld Draglite wheels, which you can get in almost any backset in 1/4" increments. I had to use those to mount the Jag rear axle without narrowing -- 7" wheels with 5-1/2" backset is the deepest they come in! A pre 93 Ranger axle is what you really need. The 93+ Ranger and all Explorer axles are the same width. I forget the exact width, but it's about the same as the Cherokee D35. The pre 93 Ranger axle is 2" narrower. Only the 91-92 4.0L models came with the 8.8" though, and they are a bit rare. For anything but a racer the standard 7.5" Ranger axle should be fine. It will take SOME abuse, just not a constant pounding. If you have a 66 without the 3rd seat it should have a tank under the rear floor. Only the 3rd seat models had the gas tank in the fenderwell. So yours either does or did have the 3rd seat. I ended up building a tank for mine. Not hard if you can weld sheet metal. Just get a local duct/sheetmetal/body shop to cut and bend the panels for you. Send me your e-mail in a PM and I'll send some pics if you want. If you're putting it in the floor get the measurements of an early Mustang tank. I'm not sure it will fit between the rear rails, but it might. You don't have to cut the floor out and mount it there, you can suspend it under the floor with straps, but if you have the 3rd seat model the floor is going to be too low, so cutting it out and dropping the tank through might be an option. You will have to weld in a new inlet, but that's not a problem on a brand new tank. I really like the truck arms. If you were close enough to SC I'd do the work for materials only just to get the correct measurements (I'm not pulling my Jag axle out!). You would need a crossmember up front, or modify the trans CM. The trans CM would take some work as it is rubber mounted, but then the torque tube pushed on it anyway, so really you'd just need to make sure the mounts are good (replace the old things!! Galvins -- www.ramblerparts.com -- has new ones!!). If you want a kit the GM G-body kit from "Hot Rods to Hell" (http://www.hotrodstohell.net/truckarm/truckarm_gbody/truckarm_gbody.htm) would be easy enough to modify. You'd really just need to make some mods to the front CM so it would bolt up.
Well I managed to pick up the donor Supra this weekend, along with another one that my little brother is going to fix up (at least it's not a Honda lol). I really did not have time to look at the Rambler much (it is 5 hours away from me when I am at school) over the weekend, but I have decided to go with truck arm rear suspension, use the A340E manually shifted, and drop in a junkyard 4.0 or 4.2 with a 4.0 head. For the sake of time and money I am just going to use stuff as is for now, and put the Ramblers stock carb and intake on the engine I put in. As much as I love freezing my **** off in a non heated garage inn MN in the middle of winter, I think I will just go the simplest route for now. In the spring when the weather is good, and I have the time and money (hopefully) I will build a 4.6L stroker for it and put EFI on it. So for now, does anyone have any good pictures of the underside of one of these so I can start planning out the rear suspension? I am hoping I can make a new ****** crossmember in the stock lacation and simply mount the arms off of that. Farna, what did you use for a ****** crossmember. If you had pictures you could post that would be great. I also need to minimally re-do the front seat, fix the drivers side rear fender (again), buff, and put trim back on the car during Christmas break, so I should have my plate full. Does anyone know of a good resource to get trim clips for these cars?
You can't use the stock intake on the 4.0L head. You will need a 1981-89 4.2L intake and a 4.0L exhaust manifold. The exhaust ports are different in the center of the 4.0L head and a 258 exhaust manifold would block at least 1/3 of each of the two center exhaust ports. The aluminum 2V intake can be found starting in mid 80, but all 81-89 models have it. All prior intakes are cast iron and bolt to the exhaust manifold. Well, you COULD use the older intake, but you'd have to grind the flange that bolted to the exhaust manifold off on the inside (toward the head) to clear the 4.0L exhaust tubes. I'm doing that on an older aluminum Offy intake now. Will be a lot easier to cut and grind (actually file) the thick aluminum than it would be on the cast iron intake. IIRC the bell comes off the A340E/AW-4, so you will need a Jeep bell to run the EFI. Cherokee or Wrangler will work. If I'm wrong, you will need to mod the A340E bell to take a 94 or so Wrangler CPS. Just a hole right above the tone ring on the flexplate. The Wrangler CPS is easier to mod for than the Cherokee CPS due to the way it mounts in the bell. The CPS itself is the same -- a simple Hall-Effect switch. Of course you'll need a Jeep flexplate. Remember -- the 87-90 Renix flexplate and CPS is different than 91-06 parts and won't interchange!!
Yeah, I found out the hard way a few months ago about the intake manifold fitment issue when I put the 7120 4.0 HO head on the stock 232. I took a grinder to the flange and made it clear, although by the time you figure that the intake now mounts about an inch higher in relation to the exaust manifold, you actually do not have to cut off that much. I also already have the exaust manifold in the car and the rest of the exust system modified to fit it...although I may go ahead and redo the whole system with a good single pipe instead of the small duals that are on there. I am already planning on pulling a 4.0 and getting the torque converter and bellhousing in a few weeks when I am home on break for school. As far as the never intake, do you have a picture of one? I am ***uming it is still semi-jimmy rigged as far as mounting (centering pin below the manifold and such) goes? Also, what carb did those have stock on them. I really would like to be able to mount a good old-fashioned Holley 2 arrel on there because they are cheap, parts are cheap, and I can tune them decently. I know you have said on other posts that people have used EFI intakes with carbs, did you ever figure out how exactly that is done? Just looking at the newest style of EFI intake, they actually look like they could provide a significant performance gain over the stock intake, since their runners are much more equal in length.
The newer intake is similar looking to the old iron one, but it's all aluminum. It uses a Carter BBD 2V carb, I think it's the same mounting base as the Carter WCD 2V on the earlier models. To mount the newer intake file about a 1/8" deep grove or semi-circle in the BOTTOM of the "ear" that normally goes over the dowel pins in the head. The groove will be just below the dowel pin hole. The intake will sit on TOP of the dowel pins in the groove. You will need some large thick washers or metal plate (3/4" wide 1/8" thick bar stock works) to make pieces to clamp the manifolds on in place of the original washers. On mine the flanges were different thicknesses so I tack welded a short piece of 3/16" bar stock on one end to make up the difference. Haven't had a problem in about a year of running. I never looked into using one of the EFI intakes with a carb, only heard that some Jeep racers were doing it. I would ***ume they were using big 1V carbs. I agree, that 99-06 intake looks a lot better than the old carb log intake. I think it's big enough to hog the hole out and epoxy/screw an adapter/spacer to. It's not thick enough to bolt the car to, but you could make an aluminum plate for studs then screw and epoxy it to the intake. JB Weld will work great, and use four small screws to hold the adapter in place while the epoxy sets. You might be able to use a 2V to 4V adapter and epoxy that down, with bolts stuck up through it from the bottom for carb studs. Epoxy the bolts in the adapter too.
Here is the '64 Rambler Cl***ic that I am building for my wife. It started out with a 196 6 cylinder with a 3 speed, manual steering and manual drum brakes. It now has an AMC 258 with 904 automatic. Had to modify the firewall slightly and build the motor mounts but the original transmission crossmember worked by using a 1969 Dodge Dart trans mount.The disc brakes, booster and power steering box from a 1979 AMC Concorde basically bolted in. I used the Concorde rear axle and replaced the torque tube with a custom built 3 link using the original Rambler coils and trac bar. The axle was the perfect width and the driveline was even the correct length. Took more thinking and drinking than actual building.
Well it looks like I will probably be somewhat short on money over Christmas break, so I will hopefully be able to get the rear suspension set up and everything mocked up for fit. I figure I will make the trailing arms and mounts with the current axle in the car and the new brackets tacked to it. This way i know everything will be positioned right and I can then swap out the axle really quickly when in comes to that. I have a neighbor with a AMC Concorde which I have thought about buying for the front spindles, master cylinder, and a few other things. Would it also have the aluminum intake that you were talking about? I could also use the rear axle and then just sell the limited slip that I have for the 8.8" Ford. This purchase may have to wait until spring when I actually have the money and I get rid of a few cars around here. Speaking of Ford's does anyone know if I can bolt my T-35/37 (whatever it is) up to the bellhousing off of a Ford-O-Matic from a '62 Fairlane? I have a budget RPU in the works and I am planning on using a Ford 221 v8, bolted to the Ramblers drivetrain with a shortened torque tube if it is possible to do that. I can get the engine and bellhousing for free, so if this would work that would be pretty nice. As far as shortening the inner shaft in the torque tube, can I simply chop it down, bevel it, clamp it down in a big peice of angle iron to true it up and weld it up? Or would I be better off machining new splines into it. Thanks for all the help so far!
If it's a 1981 or newer the Concord would have the aluminum intake. Just pop the hood and look! Without even checking what metal it's made of (the aluminum one is painted from the factory, I think) look right under the carb. If the intake has a flange under the carb that bolts to the exhaust manifold it's the old cast iron intake. The deal with the auto trans is that Borg-Warner, Studebaker, and later Ford teamed up to co-develop an auto trans to compete with the Hydramatic in the late 40s. They introduced an auto trans in the early 50s. Stude dropped out of the development team shortly after the first ones came out due to financial problems. Don't know when Ford dropped out, but BW stopped making auto ******s in the US around 1972 (AMC was the last US company to use them, used through 71). BW had divisions in Europe and Asia (Aisin-Warner... AW) who continued to make auto ******s for Volvo and other Euro makes, and of course Japanese companies. In a twist of irony AMC/Jeep chose an AW auto for the 4.0L EFI six which came out in 87... possibly due to influence from Renault, who used some European BW ******s. Anyway, I don't have specifics on the deal between BW and Ford. What I do know is that internal hard parts interchange, but Ford made their own case and valve body, which WILL NOT interchange with BW models. I don't know if the front pump is different or not. I have heard rumors that the FMX (the last Ford trans to be built using the BW design) will bolt up to an AMC bell, but have never seen it. Could be that people just thought they had an FMX because most trans parts companies package late model (63+) BW and FMX rebuild gasket sets together, they just put 2-3 sets of valve body gaskets and two different pan gaskets in (or sell the pan gaskets separately -- I've seen them both ways). Same with the earlier ******s -- BW (Rambler/Stude) and Fords version gasket kits interchange with the exception of valve bodies. The T-35/37 will have a tag on the left side near the shift lever with a number screen printed on. The number will read something like "ASx-3x". The 3x is the model number. The number is usually in the lower left corner of the tag.
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