The old Pikes Peak AMC club use to have car shows here but not in the last couple of years. The last couple of shows this year were mostly low riders. I do think 1 of the radio stations does have a call in program. I will try and find out thanks John
Yea its a heavy car
You cannot pay someone to work on an old car these days and drive it for less than making payments on a new one. Intelligent people do not want to be car mechanics these days and those that do have all the pluchk and chuck work they can handle at $80-110 a shop hour so why should they work on your old car reasonable?
You must learn to do most all of your own work. That means patience frustration and barked knuckles, which no one wants. When the depression hits and we have millions of starving yuppies that will change, but for now....
Check with the U-Pull-it yard down on 87 just North of Academy - between Academy and I-25. Last time I was down there they had at least 15 6-cylinder XJs (Jeep Cherokee) all with the engine still in them and all the electronices to move the FI 4.0 liter engines straight into your body. Even if you don't want to go tha route they can probably point you to a decent mechanic who might work on yours for you. You might also check with Harry Wichman at #1 Garage on Willamette just west of Platte. He used to do a lot of that kind of stuff when he was running stockers in the Hill Climb but I don't know whether he's still into it or not. He's honest enough to tell you straight out as evidenced by the amount of business he does even in that hidden location. If he is out of that business, he can probably point you to someone elase.
Bret,
Please don't agree with me. It makes me look bad. ^)
Johnny,
You can certainly rebuild that 232 yourself, with the help from some old Motor's Manuals (best brand of repair manual in my opinion). A 304 swap is doable for an amateur, but for a first-time job, with the 304 as old a design as the 232, I just don't know whether it is a good idea.
Earle
*** Posted via a free Usenet account fromAn inline six cylinder from that era would be a pleasure to work on as there are no computers, only rudimentary pollution controls, and enough room to actually climb into the engine compartment.
That being said it would also require a tune-up once or twice a year unlike modern engines...
So true if they can't plug the car into a computer that tells them everything they don't want to touch it. I,m one of these strange people who like hardwork and getting dirty. The engine is very easy to get at like you said you can climb in with it. Thanks again
I know one U-pull yard out east that had quite a-few AMC was closed down by the EPA a few years back. I do have a couple of places keeping an eye out for me. The No 1 Garage is still around and not far from here I will give him a call. Thank you your info is a great help John
I know the 232 is a great engine and I know dropping an engine of the same age in may be just looking for more trouble but maybe it will give this old car a little kick in the a*@ like putting a pacemaker in a 75 year old.
I also found that more mechanic's are more willing to work on an older 8 then an old 6 most of the time. Don't know why the 6 is such an easy engine to work with. it does not fight back so hard. Looks like I am trying to talk myself into keeping the 6
Just FYI, Chrysler here in Canada offer 258 short blocks for about $1200.00 or they did a few years back when I checked. Then you would just need a valve job on the head. Maybe worth a phone call to check with them.
Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view! Jan/06
To be blunt, people that have any brains who get into working on cars for a living, generally get out after a few years because they are tired of going home sore, stinky, greasy, and having had to deal with d*****ad customers. Fleet mechanics stay longer because of union pension/benefits and only ONE d*****ad 'customer', the boss, who they learn to get around.
A lot of mechanics are just not very smart and they learn to do stuff by rote and anything that breaks that rote (like being a 6 instead of a V8) they have to think and it hurts their brain.
Either get a garage, tools, a good floor jack and stands, and commit to self-maintenance or buy a new car and trade it in when the warranty runs out. Anything in between will bankrupt you.
Johnny, keep in mind the Jeep 4.0 is an updated version of your 232 and ought to pretty much bolt right in.
I've long thought a fun project would be a Gremlin X with a Jeep 4.0, little bugger would MOVE!
Jeff DeWitt
Johnny U via CarKB.com wrote:
Jeff DeWitt did pass the time by typing:
That much horsepower and you probably couldn't keep it on the road. :)
Yea thats what I keep hearing and one of the reasons I am even thinking about the swap. A Gremlin with a 4.0 I would not want to be in front of you in the fast lane.
Back in the day, the RCMP had a V8 Gremlin and a V8 Camaro in full markings, lights, etc. as highway chase cars. I saw the two of them hit the start of the highway at full throttle. I was standing on an overpass watching. The Gremlin kicked the Camaro's ass.
Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail >Back-in-the-day the AMC 232 probably put out 120 'old' horsepower.
The small V-8s of that era put out about 200 'old' horsepower.(i.e.
289-190hp, 302-210hp)The 4 liter puts put 190 'new' horsepower which is probably equivalent to about .....225-230 'old' horsepower.
The autobox is probably a rebadged Dodge Torque-Flight which if I recall they called the Torque-Command and will easily take the increased power.
So basically you can get double the output with a direct bolt in application and as the 4 liter was in production for 20 years the engine and parts for it are readily available..
They had a 401 that hauled ass didn't they? That is the transplant I was thinking about. The Javelin or AMX had it too. If you are going to go V8, well.... The AMC V8's were all the same block I think. The 360 was a pretty common one for the old big Jeeps too I think.
Now that 401 would sure make a sleeper.....
Mike
billy ray wrote:
When I was taking auto-shop in high school we had a class project where Johnny Fischer stuffed a 396 into his Nova.
Then we went to the junkyard and got 307 badges for the nose.
A couple months of street racing in the valley paid for the engine.
Yes, all the AMC V-8s used the same block so you could easily transplant a wrecked police 390 or 401 into your Pacer and have fun at the drag strip...
The problem, of course, is that all the junkyards will have already been picked over in the almost twenty years since Chrysler took over AMC and broke all the parts moulds. I am afraid that a "wrecked police 390 or 401" is the Holy Grail or a pipe dream.
Earle
AMC/Rambler
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