Resurrecting the Rambler
 

It's finally time. I'm gonna do this even though it will be a long and arduous task. Hope you're not expecting instant gratification, because with the few hours of free time I get to work on this car, this will take every bit of about two years.
I'm fairly new to this forum, but have watched it closely since July of 2015. I always had a part of me that thought I could be competitive in the Class car arena, and I guess it's time to find out. It was in September of '15 that I finally was pushed over the edge after talking with some local Stocker racers I knew from the past, and some others who were recently racing Stock at the St. Louis divisional and supported the dream of mine. Everyone tells me I'm crazy, but yet they tell me to go ahead and do it! What do they know that I don't???
So here we go...

This build will be a very systematic approach. Most of it will be along the lines of the Dime Rocket builds (which I absolutely love!), and its about the only way I can even do this project. My intention is to use the sideline money I get from repairing old pinballs for people and investing (some might call it wasting) the proceeds back into this race car. This keeps the family money separate. Meanwhile I have a real job at a NAPA store which keeps me tied up for 45 hours a week for 2.5 more years until I can retire. But---it also has the supreme benefit of buying all my parts at store cost. It's all a delicate balance but I'll handle it.

I must admit I've been working on the car since early October, but I'll start at the beginning. We'll eventually get caught up and current.
After a lot of thought, perusing the Classification guides site on here endlessly, (THANK YOU DWIGHT! ) and looking over what AMC cars I already had that were suitable, because everyone who knows me realizes that's the only brand I identify with, I decided on this one: a 1979 AMC AMX running a 258 6 cylinder. This car which is the Spirit model and will have to have the AMX package added to it, uses a 2 bbl carb, and I've got enough pieces here from my 30 years of driving, racing, and collecting these cars to do nearly anything I'd really need. There's a half acre of old AMC's out back...

Not much to look at now after sitting around forever bleaching the paint off it, but its complete and running, and I had a little ancient race history of racing it in Street class back in the early 2000's at Coles County Dragway to look back on. It was absolutely bone stock clear down to the emission stuff and air pump, had 110,000 miles on it, and it ran a best of 11.10 in the 8th mile with my 210 lb butt in the seat.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Having to resize the pictures, will add them soon.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

1980 Spirit, this is the selected "core" for T/SA .

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

...and when finished we should have something like this:

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Not necessary to run the car as an AMX. That package was cosmetics only and just adds weight and the spoilers will actually slow you down a bit The 258 got some HP taken off it last year also.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Cool !! Love builds like this with the lesser common cars.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Hi Ed,
My reasoning on making the car into the AMX model was to place it naturally in T at 19.38, which according to the specs allows for only 57 lbs to be removed. This of course gives me the chance to add or remove weight to place the car in R or U depending on where I'm running at, so I went for the middle ground after sizing up the type of car combos I'd be running against.
As with most things I do, ya always gotta have a Plan B! Maybe a C too...and in this league Plan D might not be a bad idea either.
Appreciate any and all tips on the AMC's, thanks!

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Thanks Dave,
And speaking of lesser known models not seen in Stock, I researched hard on the car on the left in this picture, but it looked like I just wasn't going to be able to wring enough power out of a 232 six.

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

Iam really interested in following your build. Years ago I worked at a
AMC dealer. Always liked the Spirit AMX. Loved the Rambler
Americans too

Re: Resurrecting the Rambler
 

I wish you'd kept some 79-80 AMX parts when you were working there! Those AMX option pieces are year specific and fairly rare. The flares and spoilers were made of a material that ages badly and guys are reporting they're rotting off their cars now. No plans for repro stuff yet as far as I can find out. I'll be fabricating mine if it comes to that unless good used originals turn up.