Re: AMC engine swap
 

"Johnny U via CarKB.com" wrote:
>
> Earle Horton wrote:
> >> > I will do all I can to keep this car out of the junk yard. I would not
> >> > trade it for ANY newer car. I was looking to do most of the work
> >[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> >> depression hits and we have millions of starving yuppies that will
> >> change, but for now....
> >
> >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
>
> 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.
>
> --

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 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Re: AMC engine swap
 

Johnny U via CarKB.com wrote:

> >
> >A car this old, if you don't have a mechanic who is downright enthusiastic
> >about working on it, or if you aren't prepared to do the work yourself, you
> >really have little chance of keeping it going for much longer. It gets more
> >and more expensive, to get less and less fixed. Finally, most people give
> >up, trade the car in for $200, and watch it being taken on a flatbed to the
> >scrap yard. That's what happened with my 1960 Rambler American
> >Station Wagon. C'est la vie.
> >
> >Earle
>
> 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


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
dickhead customers. Fleet mechanics stay longer because of union
pension/benefits and only ONE dickhead '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.

Re: AMC engine swap
 

Johnny U via CarKB.com wrote:

> >
> >A car this old, if you don't have a mechanic who is downright enthusiastic
> >about working on it, or if you aren't prepared to do the work yourself, you
> >really have little chance of keeping it going for much longer. It gets more
> >and more expensive, to get less and less fixed. Finally, most people give
> >up, trade the car in for $200, and watch it being taken on a flatbed to the
> >scrap yard. That's what happened with my 1960 Rambler American
> >Station Wagon. C'est la vie.
> >
> >Earle
>
> 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


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
dickhead customers. Fleet mechanics stay longer because of union
pension/benefits and only ONE dickhead '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.

Re: AMC engine swap
 

Johnny U via CarKB.com wrote:

> >
> >A car this old, if you don't have a mechanic who is downright enthusiastic
> >about working on it, or if you aren't prepared to do the work yourself, you
> >really have little chance of keeping it going for much longer. It gets more
> >and more expensive, to get less and less fixed. Finally, most people give
> >up, trade the car in for $200, and watch it being taken on a flatbed to the
> >scrap yard. That's what happened with my 1960 Rambler American
> >Station Wagon. C'est la vie.
> >
> >Earle
>
> 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


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
dickhead customers. Fleet mechanics stay longer because of union
pension/benefits and only ONE dickhead '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.

Re: AMC engine swap
 

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:
> Will Honea wrote:
>
>>>>Johnny, have you checked to see if there is an active AMC/Rambler club
>>>>in your area? Those are the folks you need to hook up with, they have
>>
>>[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>>
>>>our friends SUV's.You guys have been great here I have gotten more answers
>>>here Thank you John
>>
>>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.
>>
>
> 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
>

Re: AMC engine swap
 

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:
> Will Honea wrote:
>
>>>>Johnny, have you checked to see if there is an active AMC/Rambler club
>>>>in your area? Those are the folks you need to hook up with, they have
>>
>>[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>>
>>>our friends SUV's.You guys have been great here I have gotten more answers
>>>here Thank you John
>>
>>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.
>>
>
> 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
>

Re: AMC engine swap
 

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:
> Will Honea wrote:
>
>>>>Johnny, have you checked to see if there is an active AMC/Rambler club
>>>>in your area? Those are the folks you need to hook up with, they have
>>
>>[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>>
>>>our friends SUV's.You guys have been great here I have gotten more answers
>>>here Thank you John
>>
>>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.
>>
>
> 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
>

Re: AMC engine swap
 

Jeff DeWitt did pass the time by typing:
> 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!

That much horsepower and you probably couldn't keep it on the road. :)

--
DougW

Re: AMC engine swap
 

Jeff DeWitt did pass the time by typing:
> 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!

That much horsepower and you probably couldn't keep it on the road. :)

--
DougW

Re: AMC engine swap
 

Jeff DeWitt did pass the time by typing:
> 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!

That much horsepower and you probably couldn't keep it on the road. :)

--
DougW