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Back Yard engineering , DIY (Read 13456 times)

amxlonnie

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Pumpkintown, SC

Back Yard engineering , DIY
09/16/09 at 03:06:40

Hey All,
Just thought of a new post in the last few days and was wanting to get it started to see where it goes.
Almost everyone has a story of how something was fixed with only duct tape and JB weld(or baling wire) Shocked

I was wanting to get some Ideas of how AMC'ers get around some of their obstacles with good ole backyard engineering.
Lord knows I have many homemade parts, and fabrications on my ole yeller car.
I'd like to know what parts were made and how, staying away from the high buck one off billet trick pieces. Just stuff that could be made by the average Joe with a little incentive and even less money!
Now lets see what ya got! Grin

This should be fun-------Lonnie

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amxlonnie

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Pumpkintown, SC

Re: Back Yard engineering , DIY
Reply #1 - 09/16/09 at 03:19:16

Thought I'd start it off with a partial list of homade parts that are on my car.
If anyone is interested in how anything was made just post a question..
here goes:
wooden carb spacer,
led third brake light,
brackets to mount a 120 amp nippondenso alternator from a 93 dodge caravan
power steering cooler from srt4 neon
factory delco distributor reworked with Mopar reluctor and pickup/mopar orange ECU
HD front window guides made from 3/8 thick plastic cutting board from the kitchen
home built modified crossmember and 8 qt oilpan with trap doors and windage screen ( only 1/2" lower than stock)
and yes the dreaded mopar converter with the ring gear removed
I guess it is a wonder it will even pull out of its own tracks with all of this jury rigging!
Have fun---Lonnie

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Airdrie AMX

AMCrazy

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Airdrie Alberta, Canada

Re: Back Yard engineering , DIY
Reply #2 - 09/16/09 at 03:50:13

I'll bite, I'd be interested in what you did to your crossmember and modified stock oil pan. Any pics?
As far as homemade goes on my amx I put together some weld in subframe connectors out of 2x3x3/16'' tubing. Also some lowering blocks out of solid aluminum(I know billet but easily cut with band saw and drill press. All made in the garage.
Ivan

Ivan C
72 amx 401 4speed (undergoing restoration)
74 base model javelin 401 4speed (original)

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amxlonnie

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Pumpkintown, SC

Re: Back Yard engineering , DIY
Reply #3 - 09/16/09 at 04:32:05

For the cross member I first raised the car up and measured to find out how far forward I could move the center of the Xmember and still clear the steering.
Then I took an old xmember and tack welded it to a steel plate on both ends and braceed it enough to hold it steady while I cut the center out. Then I capped the ends with 3/8 thick mild steel plate and added a 2x2 .250 wall square tube to reconnect the two ends.
Then I mounted the Xmember on and old 360 block with a cutout oil pan and built the pan to fit and miss the new crossmember!
I made a pattern for the pan out of cardboard and transferred it to sheet steel and just welded it all up.
Took a little time but the results were great! holds 8qts and the oil level is 1" lower than stock(farther from the crank)I had to cut the dipstick tube off 1" to get the level correct on the stick.

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RacerAMX AMCrazy American Motors Corporation Posts: 107 Gender: Campbell, CA. U.S.A.	Re: Back Yard engineering , DIY Reply #4 - 09/16/09 at 05:25:25 Very nice work.
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pipefitter Forum Junkie American Motors Corporation Posts: 1461 Gender: Adams, MA	Re: Back Yard engineering , DIY Reply #5 - 09/16/09 at 09:20:10 Quote from RacerAMX on 09/16/09 at 05:25:25: Very nice work. X2 This is all good stuff. Dave Z
Back to top	81 Spirit 232 T-10 3.54 model 20 72 Javelin AMX 360 T-10 (son's car) 73 Javelin AMX 401 727 (long term project) 88 Jeep J-10 360 727 73 Ambassador 2 door IP Logged

390spirit Forum Veteran Supercharged? Posts: 2253 Gender: N Dighton, MA	Re: Back Yard engineering , DIY Reply #6 - 09/16/09 at 11:23:19 i also see some cooling tubes welded into your trans pan lonnie, i take it you did that also? nice fab work, hope to see more posts with pics and discription from everyone
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rcrmonte3

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Re: Back Yard engineering , DIY
Reply #7 - 09/16/09 at 12:36:39

I added a lower radiator support made from aluminum channel. The support is heavy duty enough that it also acts as an additional front crossmember. Also made 2.5" lowering blocks from square steel tube. Used a long Allen bolt thru the block and center of the spring. The head of the Allen bolt also acts as the locater for the axle. Not being a welder kind of limits my creativity.

Dennis
71 SC/360 autocross/roadrace if it ever gets finished.....
89 Mercedes 420SEL ('Mercy Me')
1961 Besasie X3
1974 Mercedes 450SL

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amxlonnie Forum Junkie High Performance American Motors Corporation Posts: 537 Gender: Pumpkintown, SC	Re: Back Yard engineering , DIY Reply #8 - 09/16/09 at 17:49:39 390 spirit__ The trans pan is from Derale, it does have cooling tubes in it. they are readily available and are fairly cheap.Summit carries them. The one for a 727 is $81.95 part # DER-14110 when I bought mine it was about $60 but that has been a few years.. Airdrie amx I love those frame connectors ,wish I had a set......
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firecapt321

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Re: Back Yard engineering , DIY
Reply #9 - 09/16/09 at 18:55:02

Well, I was hurting for rear tail lenses with the chrome framing over it for the 72.. I wanted something that was as close to show quality as I could get and not pay the STUPID $1000 + price tags for new lenses and housing.... so I started searching the net and found some 1/8 chrome stripping for about 20 bucks... said what the hell I will give it a try, also went and purchased a plastic surface revitalizing kit for about 30 bucks.... and let the elbow grease fly!! Think it came out very good in my opinion... here are some pics at the start and finished product...

12.9 @ 111mph
Street Tires, Stock Stall Mopar Converter, 3.15's, Foot Lock System and Auto Zone's cheapest Shocks, Crossing the line at 4000 rpm's..... lmao

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IAM Ex Member	Re: Back Yard engineering , DIY Reply #10 - 09/17/09 at 00:25:20 Schweet! Now I know how how to resurrect some otherwise clean '72 lenses that are exactly like in the first pic you provided! Awesome! When I can borrow a camera with a zoom I'll post my "pcv bypass" modification. Steve
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Airdrie AMX AMCrazy American Motors Corporation Posts: 324 Gender: Airdrie Alberta, Canada	Re: Back Yard engineering , DIY Reply #11 - 09/17/09 at 03:19:41 Lonnie, nice work on the crossmember and oil pan I'm sure alot of thought went into that and it shows. JP, those lenses do look good, I lucked out with mine all the chrome is there and in good shape. Keep the ideas coming it's all good food for thought! Ivan
Back to top	Ivan C 72 amx 401 4speed (undergoing restoration) 74 base model javelin 401 4speed (original) IP Logged

Turbo Tom Forum Junkie High Performance Rustoleum Rambler Posts: 1583 Gender: Stephenson, VA	Re: Back Yard engineering , DIY Reply #12 - 09/17/09 at 04:28:37 No Billet......Bummer
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amxlonnie Forum Junkie High Performance American Motors Corporation Posts: 537 Gender: Pumpkintown, SC	Re: Back Yard engineering , DIY Reply #13 - 09/17/09 at 11:22:24 Aw come on Turbo Tom surely that awsome spirit has something not billit. The front suspension on your car is awsome and thought provoking... capt... and to think I spent about $100 a piece for driver quality 72 lenses
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343sharpstick

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Re: Back Yard engineering , DIY
Reply #14 - 09/17/09 at 14:04:02

This is my new favorite thread Wink

I work on computers for my day job and I enjoy nothing better than a good back yard engineering project.
I posted this before, but here it is again.
I am installing an adjustable panhard bar on my Javelin. I started with a kit for a mustang, so far I only have the axle portion complete.
I cut the front off a stock spring plate to get the shock mount. I mated that to the mustang spring plate that has the panhard mounting.

I also boxed in my lower control arms using the pictures from the old TA cars' lowers.

The next thing I want to do is make a back yard version of a cold air intake starting with a stock air cleaner assembly.
NEXT PERSON PLEASE! Cheesy

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