1980 AMC Spirit build thread

Finally after a few months I can get back to working on the Spirit. Too bad I have to fix all the things the woman who rear ended me first.

Most of the work is already done for me. Its an 80 AMC Spirit with Chevy small block, th350 trans and Ford 8.8 posi housing 410:1 rear gears.

It doesn't show in the picture but every piece of that trim is broken. Prices are crazy to replace and down right retarded for NOS. That emblem is $80 on ebay and the Buckets are close to $200 for one. SO those I will try to repair. Or make custom parts.

The first thing to fix was the dead battery. Replaced that and the car started right up. Relief but I have to run down a serious draw issue. Just not enough time in the day. After thats done I will install this:

It's everything I need to install the headers and side pipes. Tomorrow I take a sawzall to the mangled mess of exhaust that there now. And since what is there was a custom welded painted exhaust I will be replacing it with welded tubes. My HF welder crapped out so I got this:

It's an Eastwood 175 unit. Rather impressed with it so far. The gun for alum is very handy. It came with a helmet too that got some sticker treatment

With all the old exhaust gone and out of the way I will put a starter blanket on the starter and some heat sleeve on the wires leading to it. The headers will also be getting wrapped. The underhood temps are bad.

More to follow like extra elec fans, MSD w/rev limiter, spoiler ( awesome score. needs paint and a crack repaired but I have just the right chemicals to fix that), custom front lip, drop plates and lowering blocks, sway bars.... and more

It take a bit of work to transform someones old bracket racer into a good street machine.

Subscribed!

PM/Email me if you need AMC parts though, the family is sitting on bucket loads of that stuff. Might have what you need for cheap.

Will do.

Nice

Will keep tabs on this project

Side Pipes? I'm in.

I approve of this thread.

Nice

Ooo, I'm in!

Awesome!!

How do ya like that welder thus far?

The welder is great. I've only tested it on 16g aluminized steel in prep for the exhaust and .040 alum and it did really well for thin stuff. The adjustability is very nice.

So cool

My grandma had a '79 (I believe) in that exact shade of ... maroon?... except with a reddish velour interior. Did NOT have a large Chevy engine in it, but one of the first cars I ever drove. I always thought doing something like this would be fun.

I was always amused by the gas filler behind the license plate.

Watching this, especially if yours could be traced back to a little old lady in Michigan...

The colour is "sparkling poop brown". I believe the factory called it "dark brown metallic".

I may get another small AMC like a Concord coup and put a nice inline 6 with modern Jeep parts. I really like this platform.

So when are you going to pull out that Chevy for a real (AMC) motor?

awesome thread!

Javelin wrote: So when are you going to pull out that Chevy for a real (AMC) motor?

I bought it for the exact reason it didn't have an AMC motor. If something breaks I can walk to the speed shop and get a part instead of spending days sourcing stuff.

I would love to have an 68-70 AMX with AMC V8.

I love it

In reply to ThePhranc:

There isn't a single AMC V8 part that's NLA. You can pick everything up at NAPA, O'Reilly, etc. let alone Summit, RockAuto, etc. Seriously. It isn't 1992 anymore. New blocks, new heads, new pistons, rods, cranks, cams, bearings, all of it is available. Cheap, too (not SBC cheap, but getting down there, cheaper than Olds, Buick, BBC, BBF, B/RB ChryCo, etc).

In reply to Javelin:

I can't even walk into Summit and get a small block ford part most of the time. I seriously doubt they stock AMC parts. But they probably do drop ship from the manufacturer or distributor warehouse. That said, I'm for engine swaps when they make sense. This one may from purely a cost perspective, but in every other way that car needs and AMC mill.

My local speed shop isn't a Summit :(

Ebay has lots of AMC stuff too but none of it is within walking distance of the shop.

ThePhranc wrote: 1980 AMC Spirit build thread

That's a combination of words I thought I'd never see. I love build threads. Looks like a fun one. On with the show...

bravenrace wrote: That said, I'm for engine swaps when they make sense. This one may from purely a cost perspective, but in every other way that car needs a LSx!

Fixed that for you. I'm sure it was a mistype.

DoctorBlade wrote:

bravenrace wrote: That said, I'm for engine swaps when they make sense. This one may from purely a cost perspective, but in every other way that car needs a LSx!

Fixed that for you. I'm sure it was a mistype.

You couldn't be moar rong.

I'd rather a TT fuel injected small block over an LS.

There is plenty of room for it.

You couldn't be moar rong.

Of course I could, just not about how cool LS engines are.

I'll quit hijacking the build thread, even.