Seventh Report of Work Done - San Antonio, Texas Stop

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

The Charity AMX project is currently experiencing a short 'lull' due to lack of parts. The good news, thanks to the generosity of you listers out there, is that all the necessary parts are in the process of being shipped or restored, and by late next week we should have just about everything we need to get the car 'finished' in time for the Southwest AMC Regional in June!

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• The fuel tank issue has been resolved, thanks to the efforts of Mark Price (mprice@westco.net) and Moyer Fuel Tank Renu! The people at Moyer were very interested in our Charity project, and readily agreed to perform their tank service on our existing gas tank at no charge! If anyone else needs a similar service, I encourage you to send your business to the fine people at Moyer. They are online at http://www.gas-tank.com. Andre Jacobs and I shipped the tank to Moyer last Saturday, April 6th.
• A.J. and I also shipped the grille and headlight doors to 'Big Walt' Garson (Bigwaltsshop@aol.com). Walt is a master of 'plastic restoration', and he is going to fix up the AMX grille and headlight doors like new! We'll give everyone a full report on the parts once Walt has a chance to work his miracles!
• I managed to find a trunk lock that 'sort of' works with the existing keys. The round key needs to be pulled back one 'click' and it will operate the lock cylinder I found. I will put this with the car; perhaps one of the subsequent clubs can find an even better one.
• The rear brake job has been completed. The backing plates and various brake components have been painted (to enhance their rust resistance!) and everything is back together. We are waiting on the new brake line kit to complete the brake work, at which time we can get the car to the exhaust and front-end alignment shops. Frank Swygert has reimbursed me for the brake parts, which cost $35.
• Brian Schneider and I have fixed up the hood bumpers. Both of the adjustable hood bumpers were rusted tight and broke off when we tried to remove them. I was able to get the broken piece out of one, but the other one broke out of the core support. Using the parts that Joe Roberts recently sent, Brian expertly welded the flare nut to the core support and I cleaned up the screw adjusters and rubber stops.
• Brett Schneider is having the wheel with the stripped lug nut holes replaced with one of the wheels sent by Tom Benvie. That wheel, and a hopelessly bent one that we recently received, will be discarded. We still don't have a matching set of four, but they will do until other wheels can be located. Brian Schneider also replaced all five lug bolts on one of the rear hubs because they were worn and unsafe.

NEW PARTS RECEIVED:

• Eddie Stakes of Planet Houston AMX (eddiestakes@planethoustonamx.com) has sent us a complete set of taillight lenses and a front spoiler for the car. The package arrived here on Wednesday. Thanks, Eddie!
• A second package arrived this week from Joe Roberts (neprocap@aol.com). Included was a new (reproduction) '70 AMX grille emblem (donated by Joe himself) and a 'Tire Inflator Canister Label' donated by Kennedy American! Thanks, Joe and Jeff!
• I have dug up a pair of front directional lenses from a Jeep Commando, and they appear to be the same as '70 AMX. I have donated them to the project.

PENDING PARTS:

• Jeff Reeves of Peach State AMO (jeffr@yearone.com) emailed me on Tuesday to let me know that the brake line kit from 'Fine Lines' (http://www.finelinesinc.com) was being shipped and should arrive here sometime next week. Fine Lines is also providing us with a new fuel line to work with the non-vacuum wiper fuel pump.
• Larry Mitchell of AMCWC is supposed to be sending us a complete '70 AMX decal kit including air cleaner sticker, emission sticker, tire pressure sticker, etc. This may have been sent to Tom Benvie first...waiting for information.
• Our 'San Antonio-to-Houston' courier, Brian Tolley, has absconded with the bumpers and chrome parts and was last seen crossing the border into Mexico! But seriously folks, we had a little communication problem in Houston that seems to be resolved, and Kevin Dalley AMXAMC@aol.com) is supposed to take possession of the chrome parts this weekend. Kevin is going to have the bumpers straightened and rechromed, and George Graham (george.graham@ps.ge.com) is going to see about replacing the taillight assemblies with something more presentable.
• Have not yet received the fuel tank sending unit, gasket and strainer from Matt Haas (mhaas@one.net) Hopefully we will get these parts by the time the gas tank arrives back from Moyer.
• Mike Hathaway (mhathaway@tacomaclick.net) has shipped the rear 'valence panel' that goes under the back bumper. This should also arrive sometime next week.
• Ron Akerman (AMX1970@aol.com) is still trying to arrange for a shop to install the rear quarter panel in San Antonio, but the economy seems to be working against us. Ron himself works in the Indianapolis area and may be able to do the work there.

PARTS STILL NEEDED:

• Horn contacts. I can't remember what small parts are required to make the horn button work on the '70 Javelin steering wheel. I think it's a small spring and a metal plunger. Anyone have this lying around? (This is the type that works by contacting a metal tab on the horn button, NOT a wire.)
• Horns. I just realized that they are missing! Anyone have a decent set lying around?
• Armrest overlays. Tom Benvie may be able to contribute these.
• Driver's Side Seat 'Turtleback' (black). Tom Benvie may donate this as well.
• Windows sweeps. The felts for the front doors, especially. I'd like to install the window glass but we need new sweeps. Can someone talk to a vendor about contributing these?
• Underhood pad. Do Ram-Air cars still use a pad?
• Metal radio pod. I recently noticed that the unit on the car has been 'cut' in order to accept a larger radio, and I have removed it from the car. Does anyone have a decent original '70 radio pod...and maybe even a correct AM radio to fit it?
• Air Cleaner canister parts. We may have to rethink this, because the car now has 'free flow' manifolds, and therefore the stock '70 heat riser stuff (the 'stovepipe') will not work. Should we use a '71-74 Ram-Air air cleaner housing (which uses a shorter air cleaner) and just put extra foam under the hood for the hood scoop? Should we still go with a '68-70 style air cleaner and 'rig' the heat riser stuff? John Elle (johnelle@qwest.net) has offered us some helpful insight on this, but no one has found any parts yet. For reference, the 'stock' parts we were looking for are:
  (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.
• Rear Leaf Springs. Just started looking at this the other night...the rear springs are rather tired and should be replaced. They are rusted to the point where I would not attempt to 're-arc' them. Anyone have a good used set? Can someone find a source and price for new?

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