mike343sharpstick's 69 Javelin project

[milner351]

skip the driving around - if you know what you need or can find it from mcmaster, grainger, etc, order it and make better use of your time.

[mike343sharpstick]

That's a very good point!
I usually try and find basics like this locally first, but maybe it's just best to address these tidbits like any high performance part.
I live in a rural area, so I order often! I'll try the ONE old-school auto parts store in the area, then order if they don't have what I need.

[Bob Holmes]

They make this thing called a phone...

[69bbamx]

Hi Mike,
Bob here with the Black Traco AMX. A friend alerted me to this thread so I signed up!
I'm hoping to add any needed moral support and maybe even some tech support. You have a pretty tight deadline you're up against but I'm confident you will make it!
The new engine looks good and I'm sure it will add to the competitiveness of your Javelin. The Optima event will awake many to the abilities of a trunnion suspended AMC.
Best Wishes!!

[mike343sharpstick]

Hey Bob! thanks.
I'll take any support I can get, moral or immoral, LOL.
Did what felt like 100 little things this weekend, including stuff like adjusting the valve lash, install of intake manifold, Installed some nice ARP valve cover studs, moved some brackets over from the old motor and got the alternator bolted up, etc. etc... I ordered some fittings, for various fluid connections. I also found I need to find some different pulleys, the older 343 water pump pulley is a bit different than the newer 401 as far belt placement, and hits the newer, larger dia. crank pulley. ugh!

Once I get over this small stuff, it should go fast, I got the entire drive train out in a day, by my self, getting it back in should be about the same.

[69bbamx]

Do you have a local source for the water pump pulley? If not, I'll see if I have one in the shop.

You are using a good water pump, I've had good service life with mine. Be sure to verify the impeller doesn't touch the front cover. You may have to adjust or shim the pulley hub for dead on alignment with the CS pulley. You don't want to throw a belt when you're redlining that thing!

[mike343sharpstick]

Thanks Bob, I may take you up on that offer! First let me make some calls to some local Junk yards to try and find a 2-groove water pump pulley from a newer AMC v8. I would love to get a set of those nice aluminum ones, but my wallet is bleeding cash at an already alarming rate.

I did need to "adjust" the water pump impeller with a finely tuned tap with a hammer. I also cleaned up some casting flash on the hose connections.

Yeah, I will shim the pulleys as close as possible. So far it looks like the ’69 alternator brackets lines up real good with the newer 4-bolt crank pulley.

[mike343sharpstick]

Whilst I wait for the fittings to arrive, I've started to clearance the header flange around the spark plug. Not sure if the Edelbrock heads are slightly different on spark plug angle or what. I’ve been spending some quality time making sparks, also ordered a 3” X-pipe and a couple J-bends to connect the headers to the mufflers.

[69bbamx]

Hi Mike,
The headers sound like everything else available for AMC's........"May need modifying" It seems that it has become the norm. Glad to see you are utilizing a 3 inch system. Performance and sound are the way to go.
The only late model water pump pulley I have is a 3 groove. It's from a 78 360 Jeep with air conditioning. The extra groove would probably look pretty crappy, but let me know if you want it.
When you want to spend some money on a pulley system, I can send you info on the complete HTD cog belt system I put together on the AMX. They are really clean and open up the engine compartment somewhat.
Keep those sparks flying!

[mike343sharpstick]

I'll keep looking for a 2-groove, but it's good to know you have something!
Done fitting the headers to the heads!
I also had to clearance the flanges on the bottom edge as they interfeered with the outer 3 head bolts. What a pain, I also needed to 'port match' the headers between the two center ports. On 1 cylinder I had to remove 1/16 inch of material, less on the other 3 ports so not a huge deal. I also ground some weld inside a couple ports to smooth the flow. All-in-all I like the Dougs headers so far, but I've yet to fit them actually in the car, fingers crossed! If I were using stock heads I suspect it would be a direct fit.

I need to state however that I am seriously impressed with the Edelbrock parts fitment!
I used Edelbrock intake, head gaskets, heads, and exhaust gaskets. All those parts fit together VERY nicely!
The gaskets that came with the dougs headers would have needed some serious trimming.

On to the next!

[mike343sharpstick]

The two NPT fittings for the fuel pump... wrong size. New order placed. UGH!
Doesn't really delay anything, but annoying. Also forgot about the thermostat & gasket, ordered that too.
I THINK the last thing I need to order is the aluminum radiator.
HUGE cost range on this. The cheapest is the Champion brand with welded tanks on ebay for $187.95, the Aluminum stamped tank version from "American Parts Depot" for $450, and the high end is the Be Cool radiator at Summit racing for $719.96.

That's one heck of a cost spread!

[mike343sharpstick]

It's in!
Ground clearance looks great, headers fit well and hang about an inch under the pan and cross-member.
I hoist the trans in tomorrow, fortunately it's light.
Once the trans and its corss-member are in, I can start to rebuild the central portion of the exhaust including the new 3 inch X-pipe.
New NPT fittings arrived today, and the fuel pump is all set.

[mike343sharpstick]

Driveline is in, lines to the new oil pressure and coolant temp gauges are done, exhaust is about 1/3 done.
Bad news... I need a new mini starter, crap! One of the tubes just slightly touches the starter.
I can get both headers in and out easily, even with the full size starter in place!
I think I can get it ready to fire this weekend?!

[DanStokes]

Cool to see it where it goes!

Carry on!

Dan

[mike343sharpstick]

So I get the exhaust all together, pull it out and start finish welding and .... run out of welding gas. Geez, if it isn't one thing it's another. Here it is sitting on the floor. 3 inch tubes are big.

What I did was place the X tube under the highest center point in the car, which was just under the front U-Joint. Then connected the new headers which hang slightly under the cross member, to the X pipe and basically connect the dots. I needed to 'dimple', the tubes to clear the cross member. I think that's just as efficient as throwing all sorts of complex tight bends in the system to get it to run through the stock cross member as it did when stock. The mufflers sit in the exact same spot as they did before.
All-in-all I think it turned out OK for a garage hack.
I'll get some welding gas and get it up into the car tomorrow. I can tell you I am sick of laying under the car, times like this a lift would be nice.