Should prob call it project spare parts, lol. Pulled the AMC/Chrysler 904 trans, prob pull the 258 6 banger tomorrow-both are in good shape, just did a run to the beach, ran good. Hopefully sell the stuff.
The build is kind of fluid, once the block is in, I will have a better feel for how much room, and where. Prob will have to cut the floor for the 4L80E trans.
The engine is a 5.3, budget 3.80 Summit forged flat tops, Gen 4 rods, stock crank, all cleaned, engine balanced.
799 heads, machined, springs, stock 5.3 gaskets, new stock head bolts, LS6 intake, stock TB.
Holley X Max engine control, Holley fuel rails, still working on Injs. It will be boosted, just not sure if Procharged or turbo-If turbo, prob. use the VS Gen 2. The cam is a GT2-3, because I got a deal on it, lol.
Trans will be an 80E, using the one I built for Drag Week last year, but it kept locking up, hopefully find out why, or just build another. Either way, I need to strip one so I have a case to mock up-to dam heavy.
Rear is a 9" cut down to 57" drum to drum-stock rear was 58 1/4"-planningon split monos, and Cal traks, although a 4 link would give me 14" of wheel well. Once the brackets are welded on, ends get checked and welded.
MY goal on this is more on comfort, drivability, quite, prob in the 500 HP range, or where ever it ends up. I may or may not add AC, seldom use it anyway. The car is pretty light, so wont take much to run, prob a nice 6.2 NA would get it there, but I like visuals, lol, and boost.
At 74, most likely my last overall project, of course said that the last 10 years, lol. I sold the square body, I liked it, but wasn't what I really wanted (kind of hard to explain the Hornet Sportabout though, lol)

 

Picked up these universal mounts I will try, cut to fit-have a couple other sets to try also.
Scored this Holley clone?? 302-2 pan, $199 vs one that says Holley on it for $350-bought it off
Amazon, under the name Super Shops, funny it was dropped shipped from Holley, now Holley
sells them for $299. Hell, if it works, it works, lol.

 

Great build!!! I just seen a semi trailer full of amc pacers down by my parents place.
Can you post a p/n of the oil pan?

Thanks.

 

its super shops part number ss11002, the black one is xxxxxx3 and the 302-3 copy is xxxxxx4

 

When I orig ordered the pan, the nat. were $199, black was 219, but they sent the black one for 199. It came with the pan gasket, yet the Holley one doesnt-wierd deal, lol.

 

I've been waiting for this project! Love the oddball stuff. I'll be watching...

P.S. Got the Cavalier figured out. Runs 6.12-6.13 at Mason. Hope to see the Hornet there in the spring!

 

Decided to drop everything in and see where I was at, the old 6 banger decided to give me a last parting shot and pee all over the floor, lol-you never seem to get all the fluids out.
I tried making an engine retainment system, sort of half azz worked, prob need another board on the side. Right now its sitting on the drag link, board just bends when I crank on it-will fix that. Looks like the engine mounts will work out, I'll cut and bolt a plate to the K frame, then cut and weld the legs to that, done.
Good news is the 80 fits great. plenty of room, kind of spot checked driveline angle, should be good.
Going to test fit some manifolds, just looking at it kind of leaning towards the Procharger system for an early vette,
had that on my chevelle and it worked great. If I went turbo, fitting a down pipe would be tight. Some thinking to do over some brews tonight, lol.

 

Doing some trial fitting on borrowed parts, Holley DS manifold fits perfect, the mock up log manifold has a couple areas of interference, will correct that when its built, and lean the turbo mount toward the engine, and that will all clear. Have a VS next gen coming Thurs., it has a smaller turbine than this, but will still relocate it. Looks like I might be able to duct an air filter outside for cooler air. Will be using Camaro WP spacing, adds a little room, wasnt going to use an IC'er, but might lean toward an air to water, small rad., pump, tank.

 

All the mounts are in and welded, was a little worried about the steering box being a problem-ordered the GM front accessory setup, hoping the PS pulley would clear, it does by 1/4", good enough, lol. Got my split monos from Cal Traks, installed them today, wanted them in when I stick the 9" in and set the pinion angle. Even. order the Cal Traks. Still debating on whether to paint the car now, or just get it running and worry about that later. I will paint the engine bay when I pull the motor.
Got my VS 78/75 next gen, surprised how small it is compared to the 83/75, but it works, lol.

 

No way I'd paint that car, looks too cool now.

 

Been working on the outside of the house, getting ready for winter, plenty of leaves to clear, lol-but I moved the car off the lift so I can setup the new rear, got the Cal Traks and split mono's. Also pulled the old gas tank, waiting on the pump kit for the new tank. I was trying to figure out the best way to solder the tank neck into the new tank, but surprise, it sep and uses a rubber grommet, so one less worry, lol. Since I had a vette AV comp and bracket laying around, and the acc brackets use vette spacing, thru it on to see and there is room. Maybe AC one day, lol. Going to pull the mock up engine and trans, send the block out for prep in case I need a spare. A lot of parts painting to do. Working on power brakes for it, not much for AMC's, was bidding on a Spirit PB'er, is sup. to fit, but I guess its rare, sold for over $300-I'll make something fit.
8 pt buck has been coming around, chasing the girls-my wife likes to feed them.

 

Nice buck! And good to see the car coming along!

 

Still working on the Hornet, I wanted power brakes, w/o power this thing was hard to stop, but finding a power booster for a Hornet is like finding a virgin in a ***** house, lol. Someone told me an 80's Spirit might work, so I searched and found one, had it sent to me, and it fits, even the hole in the pedal is right, and the weird brake light switch fits.
Need to vac. test the booster, if it needs it, I will rebuild it, get a new MC.
Didnt like the seats in it, were not correct anyway, so got the Scat seats. They actually made a seat adapter for a Hornet, but long out of production, sl used the universal ones and welded them up. Really comfortable, used them in 2 other cars. Scored a used B & M Stealth shifter, made a mount and its done. Painted the new fuel tank, installed a Tanks 440 LPH pump, got it installed. Scored an OEM fuel sender off Ebay. Painted the rear, brakes came, still waiting on axles, but couldn't install it until the tank was in-sits pretty close to the larger rear. Prob next i'll paint the engine comp., then drop the engine in, wait for the log manifold, then start plumbing.

 

Not a lot of visual stuff going on, but painted the engine comp. Didnt have the car where I normally paint, and didnt want over spray all over the place, so got the Eastwood 2K primer in a rattle can w/bladder, same with semi gloss 2K can with bladder hardener. Got 3 cans of each, but only used 1 can of each, so I'll use the rest on susp, etc. Got my axles, so test fitted everything. Never owned an axle puller, borrowed one, so I hit Harbor freight with a 25% disc. and bought one-works great. Waiting on front end rebuild stuff, need to install the upper control arm before the engine, app. AMC stuff doesn't grow on trees, lol. Hopefully have the engine in this week, got an email from Fahler that my log manifold is on the way. I had him make up one of the welded ones, since I might have to tweak it a little. Tore my right rotor cuff, so everything is a chore, just have to work thru it since I have a car to build, lol. Putting the engine together, found they make 2 diff rear covers, one is cutout where the bolts go, one isnt-had to pick up shorter bolts (ex manifold bolts from Advance Auto).

 

I got my log manifold from Fahler Perf., so it made me install the engine so I could make some progress, lol. Putting the engine in was easy, but laying under the car installing the 4L80E (even thought it was a gutted case) required inventing some new words, lol. With the bad shoulder working one armed isn't fun, getting MRI next Thursday. Anyway, fitted up the turbo, I had them leave unwelded the last section on the manifold so I could cut, grind, move it to where I wanted. One more little tweak and pretty much whereI want it. I was kind of hoping I could leave the battery up front, still might be room for a smaller SX bat., but in the back where the spare tire well was is a great batter location. Still working on the power brakes, cut the mtg. brackets off a junk AMC booster, made them fit a universal booster, and ordered an early Mustang pushrod, which uses the same brake light switch. Getting parts thru the mail has been getting tough, more so the USPS, they have lost some stuff.

 

A little closer each day, for some reason since January when I download pics to the computer, they go to some unknow area, lol. Anyway, after over a month the last bushing came for the front suspension, so all rebuilt, painted and installed. Since the front spring sits on top of the upper control arm, its a PITA installing the spring, also hard to find the one I want-after looking at it, I decided to try a QA1 coil over setup for a G body. I rem the lower shaft off the shock, had the orig shaft on the orig spring rocker machined to the same dia, and installed it-that allowed me to now mount it on the control arm. Worked out great, I can adjust the height right where I want.
All the fuel lines, brake lines are done, was able to make the brake pedal linkage work. I now have the 3" down pipe made up all the way back to the muffler location. Thinking about using the Dynomax super turbo with the 20" case if it fits. Pulled the trans apart again, think I have an idea what's wrong now.
Had my MRI, rotator cuff torn, taking some phy ther., pains reduced some, manageable for now, lol.
Should have all exhaust done next week, Feb. will be cooling system and wiring, still on schd. to fire it up end of Feb.

 

Very cool!

 

Cool build. What year Hornet is it?

 

I know the feeling!

As an AMC guy myself been through a lot of that.

When I turned 16 I drove my dads 1970 Hornet a 232 automatic. Worked part time saving up for my first car... a 1969 Javelin SST 390 4spd in the rare "Big Bad Blue" color. Wish I would have kept that car.

In 1985 I bought a 1968 AMX 390 auto, it was nice but the 4spd Javelin was much faster. Called every parts store in Charlotte looking for front disk brake pads. Hell 90% of the parts guys would ask "an am... what?" and of course they didn't have the pads. About to give up I called a parts place just down the road... "yeah I got umm" without even looking them up.

Hurried down and of course the counter guy couldn't find them. "who did you talk to?" "not sure" "anyone know anything about AMX pads" the guy yells out! I hear some muffled answer in the back... then this guy walks up front with a box that had an inch of dust on top. I knew right then and there those were exactly what I needed

 

Its a 76-yep, parts don't grow on trees for them, lol.