Eleventh Report of Work Done - San Antonio, Texas Stop

(Please read carefully...a lot of information has been added and/or updated.)

The update is quite late this week because I made a trip up to Chicago to help my sister move her stuff back down to San Antonio. I left on Wednesday morning and got back Friday night, so I've been playing 'catch-up' since then. We did get a lot done at the fifth 'Official Alamo AMC Charity AMX Thrash Night' on Tuesday, and there will be only one more 'Thrash Night' before the Southwest AMC Regional next Saturday.


LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• The highlight of Tuesday's 'Thrash Night' was the fact that I became the first person to actually DRIVE the Charity AMX on a public street! Yes, that's right, the Charity AMX is officially alive! On Tuesday night Brett and Brian Schneider aligned the front end and popped open the carburetor to see why the car wouldn't idle. Brian blew out all the passages and worked some of the linkages in order to free everything up, and that seemed to do the trick...the car started and idled perfectly once we reinstalled it.
  DRIVING IMPRESSIONS: I was the first to take the car out onto the street in the Industrial Park where we have our shop. I took an easy run down the block to make sure all the running gear was working well. Everything seems in order...the brakes are great, the power steering works very well, the clutch feels fine, and the transmission shifts smoothly. The front suspension felt great, although the rear was still quite jouncy (we did not get a chance to install the leaf springs yet). After checking everything out and making the turn onto a straight stretch, I decided to give it some gas and run it hard through the gears. Whoaaa!!!! I was totally amazed at how HOT this car is! The car builds horsepower VERY quickly, and feels very torquey through all four gears. After returning to the shop and raving about the power, the Schneider Bros. took turns driving the car as well. Brian's report was that I should "tell those Georgia guys that they really knew what they were doing!" Brian has been building AMC race motors for many years, and he was very impressed with the cam selection and power of the 360...quite a compliment!
• We did get the new rear leaf springs purchased by Ray Summit (nipper@ccrtc.com) delivered to the shop, but have not had a chance to install them. We may wait until after the Regional so that we can acquire some new 'U Bolts' for the rear axle. Ray also contributed a rear valence panel, which I have installed on the car.
• I am having some trouble getting the driver's side door glass to roll up and down smoothly, and have been consulting the TSMs for assistance. The passenger side glass gave me no trouble at all.
• We still have also not been able to get any of the dashboard lights/gauges to work electrically, but the 'Alt' light does come on when starting the car. I don't know if it's a switch or fuse or what.
• Frank Swygert has reimbursed me for the fuel pump and the side-window glue.
• I am in the process of compiling a complete 'Contributor's List' that will accompany the car (and hopefully be made into a plaque or something when it is finished.) I will post this at some point and allow the previous clubs to add on to it and/or make corrections.

NEW PARTS RECEIVED:

• Bob Antonelli (bobsamc@prodigy.net) has contributed a vintage 'Hurst' T-Shifter handle. The handle looks quite good, but the 'Hurst' logo is upside down for some unknown reason! This part was needed badly as the Hornet shift knob I had was too big (shaft size). Thanks, Bob!
• Steve Singer (amxpts@aol.com) has sent us a set of nuts and washers for the windshield wiper shafts. (We still need the chrome inserts for the cowl panel to replace the corroded originals.) Thanks, Steve!

PENDING PARTS:

• I've been talking with George Graham (george.graham@ps.ge.com) and Kevin Dalley (AMXAMC@aol.com) of AMC of Houston about the taillight housings and bumpers. Kevin reports that the bumpers are 'done' (straightened and rechromed) but I haven't heard about the bumper brackets, which needed to be straightened, sandblasted, and refinished. George and Kevin are also working to get the 'taillight' housing situation resolved. Obviously we are NOT going to get these on in time for the Southwest Regional unless we are able to install everything in the parking lot on Friday night!
• Walt Garson (Bigwaltsshop@aol.com) has reported back to me that the full set of grille brackets (originally contributed by Tom Benvie) were still in the bottom of the box that the grille was shipped in! I did not know the brackets were in there...I only discovered that Tom had already sent them to us by re-reading some of his old posts! Needless to say, I am relieved that we used the same box that Tom had used when we shipped the grille to Walt, and that Walt had not thrown the box away! Walt is going to refinish the brackets to match everything else, and we'll give everyone a full report on the grille and headlight door restoration once Walt has a chance to work his miracles.
• Tom Benvie (tbenvie@attbi.com) is going to send us yet another 'gift pack' of needed parts! In addition to the underhood decal kit, Tom is going to send a three-spoke steering wheel, driver's seat 'turtle back', a radio with faceplate, front seat tracks, and the 'woodgrain' armrest overlays. Tom has also contributed the $60 shipping costs the he incurred back to the project.
• Dave Meger (amxtasy@aol.com) is going to send us a set of clear turn signal lenses. One of the lenses is cracked, so if anyone can contribute just one...we need it! (These were also used on the '71 AMXs.)

PARTS STILL NEEDED (newest first):

• Rear axle hardware. I expect the 'U-bolts' to break when we try and change the leaf springs. Anyone have a source?
• Side mirror remote control 'ring'. A relatively small item, but I can't find the threaded retainer ring for the remote-controlled driver's side mirror 'joystick'. Anyone have one of these lying around?
• Windshield Wiper hardware. We need the little chrome collars that attach the windshield wiper mechanism to the cowl panel. Ours are very pitted and nasty.
• Jack 'hardware'. We need the bolt, wing nut, and any other brackets, etc. to bolt the jack, collapsible spare, and air bottle to the trunk.
• One '70 AMX 'simulated exhaust' rocker panel molding.
• Air Cleaner canister parts. At this point, I think we're going to settle for a '70 canister and top, and leave the 'heat riser' situation up to somebody else. If you have ANY '70 V8, we need a air cleaner canister! Tom Benvie has a complete '68-69 'Ram Air' canister that he has offered to trade with someone who could provide the '70 style setup. Help!!
  (4.015-1) 3191898 - DUCT, Carburetor Air ('68-70 V8 w/4-bbl)
  (4.015-3) 3192223 - DUCT, Exhaust Manifold Hot Air ('68-70 exc. 390)
  (4.088) 3198376 - CLEANER, Carburetor Air ('70 360 V8 w/'cold air induction')
  (12.001-16) 3198374 - DOOR, Hood Air Scoop Rear Duct ('70 w/'cold air induction')
  (12.001-17) 3198375 - RETAINER, Hood Air Scoop Rear Duct Door ('70 w/'cold air induction')
  (12.001-18) 3198370 - CONTROL, Hood Air Scoop Damper ('70 w/'cold air induction')
• Tires. Tom Benvie is currently collecting contributions in order to purchase a full set of ‘reproduction’ performance tires. The existing tires (two pairs of radials) are already mounted on the car and look quite good...they will suffice until someone is ready to address the wheel situation.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HOST CLUB UPDATE...
Frank and I have been working with Jock Jocewicz of NAMDRA (namdra@juno.com) to find a host for the car once it arrives in Kenosha. At Jock's recommendation, Frank has written a nice letter to Brian Ambrosini, a Kenosha-based AMCer who also owns a body shop! If anyone knows Brian personally and can help us persuade him to host the car, PLEASE HELP! Jock has really gone out of his way to help secure a sponsor for the project, but we need all the extra help we can get!

Dave Meger has also offered to help store the car in Schaumburg, Illinois (Chicago area) if necessary.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
The Charity AMX has it’s own Internet website hosted by Matt Haas:
http://www.mattsoldcars.com/charityamx/

The National Project Coordinator is Frank Swygert (farna@att.net).

The San Antonio contact for the car is me:

Alfred Koos
Alamo AMC
San Antonio, TX
akoos@juno.com