"Project X" Pro Touring Hornet

[Hornet LSX]

Well it has been quite awhile since I posted anything about our Hornet LSX pro touring project and now it seem I'm having to rebuild this thread as all of the images are missing since I first started the thread quite a few years ago.
This is what we started with as a base for our project build. A low mileage 1973 Hornet X complete with a hurt 258 six cylinder motor and automatic transmission. The car only had 54K miles on the odometer and all the paperwork to prove it. I receive allot of flack about cutting up such a low mileage Hornet with all of the documents including the original build sheet but I'm on a mission to finally build a Pro Touring AMC Hornet my way. follow along if you will as I rebuild this thread and give a review of the history of creating our little project on a super strict budget.
1973 was the first production year of the Hatchback body style for the AMC Hornet. After some research we discovered this this Hornet X was a special order with lots of unique options added. Turns out our Hornet was pulled from the "test batch" lot of cars built for testing and evaluation and then were later to be destroyed and not for sale. This one survived and was sent back through the assembly line to have all the special options installed in it.
https://www.pro-touring.com/asset.php?fid=137027&uid=30649&d=1525504903
152198

[521stroker57]

Cool project. I like the look you have going on it.

[CruizinKev]

oh wow very nice!!! looks great with the 17" wheels :twothumbs

[Hornet LSX]

Thank you for the motivation. Most of the time you see Javelins and early AMX's out there with the "pro" stock / touring status. Have seen a few Hornets road cars that really impress but not all of them. Kind of overlooked body style until recently. Also excited to see the AMC Rebels and Matadors being looked a favorably for Pro-Touring builds.

[srh3trinity]

The 17's look nice, but I liked the 18's a little more. It is probably more functional with a little more sidewall though.

[Kenova]

Your Hornet looks better than my wife's did.
They are a nice light car so it won't take a lot of power to make it scoot. I'm sure the MOPAR fans will tell you to put a newer hemi in it.
For a smaller bumper you should look at some of the older model years. The '72s were a lot smaller, then grew a little in '73, and ballooned for '74. I don't think they made any extreme changes in the body to accommodate the porky bumpers.

Ken

[WS6]

Great project. I think you've got a lot of good ideas for the car too.


The car reminds me of late 70s Corollas.

[Hornet LSX]

Agreed, I'm still considering going back to 18's in the rear. Once we get the narrowed 8.8 installed and the mini tub completed will start calculating how big of a tire we can tuck up under the rear. Running the 17's for now for ease of driving at least twice a week. I'm having so much fun driving the car as is it's hard to pull it off the road and tear it all apart again.
Funny you should mention Corollas, That's not the first time I have heard that. Had one guy suggest I take a Corolla, mod it to look like a Hornet AMX and AMC power it.
When the Hornet was having the suspension fabricated Al at Control Freaks did offer a really good deal on installing a Viper motor and trans in it while they had the car in their shop. Was oh so tempting but really could not afford the swap at the time.
Looking for a place that makes fiberglass parts for the AMC's. There is someone up in Canada who claims to make the parts but has mixed reviews on communication and quality. Considering glass bumper for the front for ease of modification. Also they make glass doors, tremendous weight savings but then there is the safety issue driving on the street.
The other mod I want to do is create a Challenger type hood for the car. There is a really cool rendition of a rally car hornet that has allot of the mods I want to do with the car.

[Kenova]

Looking for a place that makes fiberglass parts for the AMC's. There is someone up in Canada who claims to make the parts but has mixed reviews on communication and quality.

If it's that outfit in the Toronto area (416 or 905 area code) STAY AWAY FROM THEM !!!
Even local guys have trouble dealing with the knuckle head.

Ken

[Sneke_Eyez]

That is a very sweet car. I will be tuning in for your continued build! I like the 17s on there, they're a good balance for what you mentioned are the relatively small wheelwells.
My father owned one of these cars in the late 70s and I've been casually trying to track down a hatch for a while now. I nearly pulled the trigger on a low mileage, good condition 74 Wagon a couple weeks ago, but was having trouble with one of the DDs and didn't want to spend the money... of course, by the time I was in a position to buy again it was lonnng gone.

[Hornet LSX]

Ken, I'm thinking we are talking about the same group up in Canada. To bad as they are the only group that lists anything like doors and the rear hatch in glass for the Hornets.

Sneke_Eyez, I sent you a PM with a like to a decent Hornet. There are "Hatches" out there for sale just have to travel a bit to get a decent starter project.I see one or two listed on e-bay every other month or so. I was lucky to purchase mine for $700.00 from a one owner and only 54K(documented) miles on the odometer.

[HELLCAMINO]

I found a Hornet the other week while heading to the beach that exact color yours was before the repaint. It is in near mint condition, thinking of going to look at it.

[Hornet LSX]

HELCAMINO, Do it you wont regret it. These are awesome cars to resto-mod. The aftermarket industry is expanding rapidly to include AMC's.

[BulldawgMusclecars]

Love the project! I may be doing an AMC in the shop soon; my son is really wanting to build a Gremlin! We found one in Arkansas that looked like a great candidate, but it was already sold. Keep us in mind of you run across one.

[Hornet LSX]

Joe, Will do on finding an AMC Gremlin. Since it sound like you will do a full on custom are you considering a clean "roller" Gremlin with good title? or prefer a complete "driver" to start with? will let you know if something shows up in our area. I know where two Gremlins for sale are in our area right now but they are complete running customs so the price is up there. You know how is goes. Wanting to recoup as much of their investment as possible. Any particular year model?

Wynn

[BulldawgMusclecars]

We got lucky, and found a running (but fairly rough) '72 Gremlin X, and it wasn't even that far from us...up near Lookout Mountain. We paid $1500 for it, and it still has the factory 304 V8. I'm planning on using the Control Freak front suspension, and maybe fabbing up a 3 link with an 8.8 Explorer axle. The purists are going to hate me, but we're thinking LS power and a T56 too.

[Thephranc]

I love the small AMCs, thats why I got a Spirit.

On power plant have you considered staying in the family with a newer i6 from a Jeep and a turbo on it? That combo can more power than you'll need.

[AMC Racer]

304s have thick walls so good for boost if you upgrade rods, pistons, etc. If you stay naturally aspirated with an AMC V8, 401s are getting hard to find but 360s are common, can be stroked to 400+ cuin, are a direct fit, and can make good power with mildly ported stock heads or fit Edelbrock or Indy SR heads to save some weight. AMC V8s aren't that heavy - especially if you fit aluminum intake, heads, water pump and headers. A Chevy LS T56 bolts to an AMC using a Quicktime RM8075-T56 bell or you can use an adapter plate with a Lakewood or Quicktime T10 style bell. I have a T56 Magnum behind a 401 in my Javelin.

[Glenn]

Very cool build, love it.

[Hornet LSX]

Thanks for the input guys!
Joe, congrats on the Gremlin find. You will really like the Control Freak Suspension. Al and the crew are really great people to deal with and will do what ever is needed to get the suspension dialed in.

Thephranc, Had considered a 4.0 with turbo but after talking allot with "Turbo Tom" who was running a 9 sec Spirit with 4.0 turbo they are very temper mental. He is now running an LS motor in the Spirit. I'm helping My Son build a Spirit GT. It will be an all out drag car.

AMC Racer, The only problem with a 304 is it's basically a "square" motor. plus the crank is cast. limited HP build. We have a 360 and considered custom forged rods and pistons, 390 factory forged crank. I don't know if you are familiar with the Melinnie Brothers but they built a really nasty 360 for a "Pinks all out challenge" and I have access to most of the information on their build. pricy build but worth every penny! My ultimate goal is a 6 speed tranny. Thanks for the info. is you Javelin posted on the forum?

Thanks Glenn! I'm glued to the Hornet Hatchbacks!

[AMC Racer]

My comment on the 304 is that it's already in his Gremlin and would work with boost and some upgrades, but for sure less cost and lighter to build a n/a 360, so better choice. 360 and 304 have same cast crank which is comparatively short stroke (3.44" stroke) and good for around 500 hp / 500 ft.lbs. 6500 rpm with light pistons and rods. There are lots of aftermarket options now for 360s (e.g. Wiseco piston & rod kit http://www.wiseco.com/PDFs/Wiseco-AMC-360-401-Piston-Rod-Kits.pdf). 450 hp is relatively easy to get with stock heads. For more than 6500 rpm, better to go with the stock forged 401 crank ... but not as easy to find. It's a direct fit in the 360 block, but may need to notch bottom of bores depending on stroke and rods. For more power, may need the beefier bottom end of the 401 block. A 360 service block would be ideal (360 bore, 401 casting), but tough to find.

The 360, 304 and 401 are all about same weight and approx. 540 lbs. which is only about 50lbs. more than the AMC 6 cyl. Aluminum heads, intake, water pump and headers saves close to 100 lbs. and mostly off top end. Don't see a huge weight advantage with a Chevy LS .... but if you were racing competitively and blowing up engines or wanting more than 500 hp reliably, the LS makes sense. Still would be nice to see an AMC engine in an AMC.

I've posted a few photos of my Javelin, but don't have a project build. I have the Control Freaks tubular arms 'cause I didn't see a big advantage with thier IFS over simply upgrading stock and I already had a 12:1 steering box. Also, their tubular cross member didn't fit with my Armando road race oil pan - only the lower capacity Milodon or Canton (maybe newer ones will work?). For rear, planning on a torque arm suspension, but will take me a couple years to get it done.

I had a '73 Hornet Hatch in my younger days and really miss the car, so like your build! Keep up the good work!

[Hornet LSX]

AMC Racer, We were recently looking into a twin turbo(twin for visual presence) 304 build. What I was hoping for was something in the 450 HP range and at least 24 mpg highway. Really not sure a turbo 304 would provide anywhere near that MPG. The best I could squeeze out of a 304(lots of head work, custom ground cam, hooker full length headers....) many years back was an average of 18 mpg in a Hornet AMX with auto trans and 2:87 rear gears. I know, like everyone "I want it ALL from a performance engine".
My Son is hinting about selling me his 360 AMC motor he has for his Spirit. It's a good running core to build off of. We have been really enjoying the Hot Rod Power Tours. Our plan is a part time road coarse car and mostly highway car.
I was very fortunate to have my Hornet as one of the test mules for Control Freaks to use to build and test their systems on. What you are running is perfect for what we are building the Hornet for. I was just fortunate that Al was developing and IFS system for the Hornets and Concords using my car as a test car. My son's Spirit will eventually be running the the coil over and tubular arm conversion. If CF develops a 3 link for AMC's we will look into running something like that on his Spirit.
So now you have me thinking again. With a turbo(or two) building the power needed on a 304 and a 6 speed transmission if I could at least hope to find 18-20 MPG from this combo I might be able to survive a "long haul" trip without investing $2000 in an oil company.
The LS option we were considering was an LQ9 truck motor with cam and intake swap running a 700 R4 auto behind the motor. In our recent searches we have located 3 LQ9 options locally for around $1500 for motor, wiring harness and computer. So for a budget swap we could possibly have 400 HP and 24 MPG for around $4500. We even have a line on (2) 2JZ turbo motor/6 speed(whole front clips) from Japan for $4500 each but that is totally another story....
Personally I want to keep it AMC powered. So I'm torn with the MPG issue.
Originally we had set a budget of a $10K build with unlimited time factor. The rules were to beg, barter, buy, sell and swap to get the parts needed to build the Hornet to a pro-tour level that will survive a run at Sebring or West Palm tracks. and complete enough for a BIG car show or two. So far we have about $4500 invested in the car. Not counting the countless hours working on it. Why? because so many said "it can't be done...!"
Thank you for you impute as it keeps me motivated.
Wynn
Knock on wood! we have never blown an AMC motor and I push them pretty hard.

[John Wright]

Man your Hornet is turning out really nice!... My Dad bought a 70 Hornet new and I really liked that car as a kid. The only thing that I really remember about it that I didn't like was the vaccum operated wipers in a hard down pour climbing a long steep grade in the mountains. The wipers just stopped moving about half-swipe and didn't move again until we started down the other side of the mountain....LOL

Keep posting up your progress, I want to keep up with it and see how it turns out, so far it's looking fantastic.

[Six_Shooter]

Wicked choice for build, just one request...

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not install an LSanything in the car, so many beautiful pro-touring builds are ruined in my opinion, by just stuffing yet another LSx under the hood. I don't mind different manufacturer engine swaps, just not the same swap in car after car. ;)

A TT AMC 304 would be a refreshing change. :D

[Hornet LSX]

Six Shooter, We have decided to just build a turbo 4.0(jeep) motor to put in the hornet for now. We were trying to take the car over to a car show in St. Augustine Florida and the factory rear started coming apart about half way there. Towed it home, patched the center section up with the hot wrench and limped to a couple of local car shows. Now it's back up on jacks and we yanked to the little model 15 rear and swapped in the Explorer 8.8 rear we prepped for the Hornet. Its a 99 Explorer 8.8 that we narrowed 3". 3:73 rear geared with limited slip rear and 11.25" disc brakes. All told a $375.00 investment(with new CF brackets).

Keeping everything on a tight budget I swapped the brake hose and lines end to end and looks like I will be able to utilize the factory lines for the 8.8. Another nice find was the 8.8 hose worked perfectly with the factory brake line on the Hornet.

Hoping that the heavy duty cover coming for the 8.8 will clear the gas tank.

Going to get everything mocked up and installed then pull everything back out and paint and detail the under side of the car. Spicer makes a universal joint to make the 8.8 flange work with the AMC/Jeep drive shaft for now. Going to pick up a F150 4" aluminum drive shaft and have it cut down to size later on.

Still need to figure out why the original chunk started wearing out so rapidly causing the center pin to walk out and smack into the pinion gear.

Also considering "mini tubing" the rear while everything is pulled out from under the car. I gained 1.5" inch clearance per side with the narrowed 8.8. The factory rear is 58.5" the 8.8 is only 56" flange to flange. I thinking 335/35/18 tires and 18 X 10 rims for the back. Really like the look of 17 / 18" combo on the Hornet.

more to come....

[RMMiller]

Love the Hornets, nice car! I have always wanted to hotrod a mail Jeep like the one in the background. Chop it, slam it and give it more power than it could ever dream of handling!

67707

[thunderzy]

It would look sweet with some fender flares just like that rendering.

[snopro]

Love the hornet, its lookin good. I have a 64' AMC rambler for my next project after I get my truck on the road.

[Hornet LSX]

Actually the rendering is factory correct. The Wheel wells flare out quite a bit. Just hard to tell for the dark color. We have AMC Sprit GT we are considering doing a "wide Body" kit on for a road race car.

For next project I'm building a "rat rod' NASH Metropolitan.

Speaking of Pontiac's, Do these wheel flares and front spoiler look familiar? I have a full set on the way for the Hornet.

[Hornet LSX]

Although not a "pro touring" car we are going to build this hot rod out of this rusted hulk pictured. will start a thread as the project gets started.

[Hornet LSX]

After attempting to widen the wheel tubs in the rear we are discovering allot of small rust areas that need attention so after some back and fourth bantering we are going to take the Hornet in a totally new direction. I 1977 AMC produced a "trans am" version of the Hornet. I have had the fortune to own 4 total of the 1977 "AMX" versions of the Hornet. So we are now taking this Hornet apart in order to address the rust issues once and for all and build it back like this example I put together in Photoshop.
Tell me what you all think of the new direction?

[Thephranc]

That gold accent across the top is neat.

[SRD art]

Do it!

Nice photochop too.

[no go nova]

Nice to see something different and indy makes aluminum block you can put in there with there heads and intake fuel injection with a magnum six speed she would be killer 600+ n/a pump gas.:)

[AMC Racer]

Maybe a Concord AMX front? Not a big fan of the 77 Hornet front.
http://img.favcars.com/amc/amx/amc_amx_1978_wallpapers_1.jpg

I like your Hornet without flares better ... just seems cleaner than with the later tacked-on parts. Maybe just body-colour the chromed bumpers?

[gtnrb71]

what rims did you use on the rendering

[Hornet LSX]

We plan to build a "Saturday night special" Hornet as well. No frills just shell with big power. I'm wanting a daily driver form this car to enjoy going to work in. Also going to work with what I have. Did consider the 79 front clip though. We are also building a pro touring 83 Spirit for my son to drive.

[Iamtheonlyreal1]

Wicked choice for build, just one request...

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not install an LSanything in the car, so many beautiful pro-touring builds are ruined in my opinion, by just stuffing yet another LSx under the hood. I don't mind different manufacturer engine swaps, just not the same swap in car after car. ;)

A TT AMC 304 would be a refreshing change. :D

Man.. I would have agreed with you at about anytime before I started my Volvo builds, but the LS is really the best options for transplants, and that is why it is done.. I tried several motor option Toyota, Nissan, ect, and the LS made the most sense in packaging, along with product support.. Hell, I shaved over 30 pounds of front end weight off of my 4cyl Volvo, and that is was accessoriezed, along with the 14in brakes and bigger radiator.

Great build by the way, and I love seeing the outside the box builds.. You never know, Your AMC and my Amazon may be grouped together as oddballs at some event.. LOL

[AMC Racer]

The issue with an LS or pretty much any engine transplant into an AMC is no one makes parts, so everything ends up custom - engine mounting, cooling, wiring, fuel, exhaust. Unless you've got a full donor car and good fabricating skills, custom can end up expensive.

A 360 will bolt in-place of the 304 and make 400 hp with simple cam, intake & carb. A 401 will bolt in-place and get 450hp. For over 500 hp, need worked stock heads, Edelbrock or Indy and more cam ... but starts to get more expensive. Road-race style oil pans are available from Milodon, Canton, Aramando and Aviaid if track time is in the plans.

You can also stroke a 401 to 420+ for more power (stock crank is forged with 3.68" stroke and has 2.248" rod journals, offset grind to use Chevy-style rods and custom pistons). The 401 crank also fits the more common (lower cost) 360, so can stroke the 360. There are also aftermarket forged 4" stroke cranks, blower mounting kits (Vortech), EFI kits, etc. if you want more. Maybe when you get to this level an LS is worth a look, but if the budget is less and lower hp is ok, stock is typically cheaper.

For manual transmission options, a T5 will work as a low-cost 5 speed for lower hp range (AMC first used the T5) and any of the GM-style transmissions (incl. T56 Magnum) work with a Lakewood or Quicktime bell ... or stock short bell (if T10 pattern or T5 pattern or with adapter plate (T56) w/ pilot bearing to suit).

A Hornet hatchback is also around 3000 lbs, so not as heavy as many pro-touring cars so ok with a bit less power.

Don't see a huge advantage with an LS unless you are running competitive track time and blowing up engines and need a ready supply of replacements, have limited fuel capacity where LS efficiency is an advantage or are pushing the NA hp envelope where building up stock gets more expensive.

Edit: Here's a link to a 401 build using stock forged crank & rods, 10.2:1 TRWs, ported Edelbrock heads, Crane hydraulic roller (232/[email protected]",0.563"/0.584" lift), Torker intake, 750cfm carb, 1 7/8" headers where dyno results were 541 hp @ 5800 RPM / 516 lbf.ft @ 5000 RPM. Pretty decent ... heads are most expensive part of the build (but saves 50 lbs.)
http://theamcforum.com/forum/guess-the-hp-and-torque_topic45723_page7.html

[Tig]

Wicked choice for build, just one request...

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not install an LSanything in the car, so many beautiful pro-touring builds are ruined in my opinion, by just stuffing yet another LSx under the hood. I don't mind different manufacturer engine swaps, just not the same swap in car after car. ;)

A TT AMC 304 would be a refreshing change. :D


Just because you drop an LS based motor into it, that doesn't necessarily mean you have to make it look like every other LSX. That's the greatest thing about LS motors, the aftermarket support is far and beyond any other.
But, seeing that he's going with a 4.0 Jeep motor, it doesn't matter, hah.


OP,
It looks amazing, my neighbor has one all original and he daily drives it. Awesome car.
Great job, keep up the good work.

[Hornet LSX]

AMCRacer, trust me I have no issues with AMC power, well maybe just one. MPG. AMC motors can be built to give incredible power but at a loss of fuel economy. The Thought of using and LS power plant are two fold, one weight saving if I actually use an all aluminum motor. The second thing is even at 400 HP build and tune level the LS can potentially provide 24 to 26 MPG.

The last time My Hornet X was on the scales it weighed in at 2,850 lbs. I lost allot of weight eliminating the stock suspension for complete Control Freaks IFS and 4 link set up installed. We have been shaving off weight every where we can. Will be putting some weight back in with the addition of sub frame connectors and possibly a 10 point roll cage. With the CF suspension I have plenty of room for what ever I want to stuff into the front of the Hornet. http://www.freakride.com/2013_amc.pdf
I have built 2 304's in the past as well as a 360 motor for my last Hornet AMX. Awesome torque from each. The 304 averaged 16 MPG highway cruising. the 360 did a little better at 17 MPG average. All of them were basic performance mods, bowl clean up & port matching. very mild cam profiles and smaller 600 CFM carbs, Headers, ect.....

GTnrb71, the wheels are XXR brand wheels. 531's http://www.xxrwheels.com

The problem with the 304's is they are all cast parts. Unlike the 390 and 401 motors which have forged cranks and rods. and the healthy price tag for a good 390 or 401 motor. The 4.0 turbo motor is out. to problematic and hard to keep tuned for boost.

The idea behind Hornet LSX is I had planned to to us an LS emblem with the Hornet "X" emblem on the back panel. Now I'm just going with the AMX trim and not advertise what pushing the car around.

Tig, tell your neighbor to send me a shout out about His AMX!!

[Thephranc]

Freakride is my next big buy for the Spirit. Is it really as easy as it looks to bolt in?

[Hornet LSX]

Thephranc, Yes the "front" suspension systems are designed to "bolt in". CF used all of the factory mounting points and bolt holes for mounting the the CF suspension to. The Rear 4 link setups require their control arm mounting brackets and coil over mounts to be welded onto the frame of the car. Not a difficult task though as they designed the brackets to fit perfectly to the frame.
Another cool note is if you decide to remove the CF suspension parts from your car and re-install the factory suspension parts you can with exception of the rear CF brackets since they are welded in. You can install the rear leaf spring set up through as the CF brackets DO NOT interfere with the factory mounting points.
The only modification to factory parts to my knowledge is the steering column. The end of the steering shaft, where the "rag Joint coupler" is located looks like it will need to cut off so you can install the supplied CF universal joint coupler. Again, not a difficult modification.
My suggestion is if you decide to go with the IFS front suspension kit spend the extra $$ and purchase the Power rack from them. I have the manual rack from Flaming River and although it works well it's a bit of effort in tight turn situations. We plan to upgrade to the Power rack in the future and will use the manual rack in our Rat Rod project.
Also notice they make sub frame connectors for your Spirit. If you plan to put any kind HP in your Spirit I strongly recommend adding the sub frame connectors. The quality of material is excellent and a perfect fit from CF.
We have owned four V8 Spirit's so far and are currently working on an 83 GT Spirit for my Son. If you do purchase of make an inquiry about their items please let Al at CF Know "Wynn" sent you! Cheers!

[AMC Racer]

Cast 304 or 360 parts (same crank and rods) are good for 450 hp/6000+ rpm. Go with lighter aftermarket forged rods and pistons at higher hp/higher rpm. An iron AMC block w/ main caps is around 177 lbs, so you may save 60 lbs. or so with an aluminum LS over an AMC with aluminum heads. Expect an iron block LS will be heavier. An aluminum Indy AMC block w/caps & sleeves is 115 lbs. (4.375" bore good for 500ci .. but expensive).

If you have a donor car with good running aluminum block LSx and T56 and you're handy at fabricating, worth a go ... once it's in there, future upgrades will be cheaper and more options than staying with AMC power. Cost wise, depends on what you've got for an AMC engine & transmission option (need overdrive to get reasonable mileage).

I stayed with a 401 and fit Indy heads, solid roller cam and T56 Magnum. Haven't got it on the road yet to know the mileage, but should pick up a few points over the old slushbox.

On the CF suspension, did you weigh the complete assembly less brakes, shocks, springs & rack vs. the stock parts? Curious if the weight savings is just in the springs, shocks, brakes and rack? Their engine cradle and control arm support frame looks heavier than the simple stock engine support. I have a set of the CF control arms and they are heavier than stock stamped arms.

Thanks.

[Hornet LSX]

AMC Racer, What we did was when we first got the car home from delivery is went down to the local metal scrap yard to get a fairly accurate weight on the Hornet. Just over 2900 lbs.

After the suspension make over Control Freaks had performed extensive test, measurements and weight test on the car. They, CF had to take the Hornet through allot of test and evaluations in order to get the parts certified for sale on the market. Al stated that with the new suspension they removed 155 lbs of weight of the car.

I wish I had weighed each part that was removed in order to get an exact weight savings. As far as the center carrier vs the factory crossmember there is some weight savings there as I'm no longer dealing with the bulky engine mounts and plates. The Flaming River steering rack is still a weight savings over the original gear box, power steering pump and brackets and center link and associated parts combined. The control arms with rod ends is probably comparable in weight to the factory control arms. Even the coil over shock & springs are lighter together over the coil springs, perches and shocks. concerning the rear 4 link set up. With only 4 bars and end links, brackets and coil over shocks vs the total weight of the leaf springs, shackles and shocks we gained in weight loss there as well. All in all you're most likely right in it's a just trade off on weight being transfered around for a better performing suspension. My Sons Spirit GT will only be getting the Coil over shocks and tubular control arms for his front suspension. We will be running an 8.8 rear axle with Cal Tracs for suspension control out back.

Once we get the car back together I'm taking it back to the scales and see where we are in weight. Allot of other changes have taken place as well. Aluminum radiator, electric fans, Narrowed 8.8 Explorer rear end Factory A/C replaced with Vintage Air A/C system. all this obviously will change the total weight in the end but not sure in a positive or negative way at this time.

Interesting note: This particular Hornet was one of the original factory test mules(based on research of the ODD vin number the car has) from the batch AMC had set aside to test and evaluate the "hatch back" design which would be new for the Hornet line coming out in 1973! as it turned out I dropped it off at Control Freaks Suspension facility and left it there as a "test mule" to design, build, fit and ultimately test there suspensions parts on.

Even at 3000 lbs 400 ft/lbs or TQ should be enough to get the beast moving. Our best ET time in a full trim 1977 AMX running a 304 with (motor home low geared 727 parts in a 727 case auto trans) and 3:15 rear gears was 14.04's 114 MPH 1/4 mile. down in Bradenton Florida YEARS ago. The cam was a custom grind already installed in the motor before we purchased the car. I had the heads milled .010 and we cleaned up the bowls around the valves and port matched the Intake ports on the manifold to the heads. We use a cast iron 401 intake and ran a 650 Holly Carb. Hooker Headers with 3" pipes to mufflers and turn downs at mufflers. Never really had any means of HP/TQ measurements back then. That was a car to remember for us. running 14's in a daily driver back then was a big deal. LOL
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/07/Hornet11977AMXV8autoFirecrackerRedonBlac-1.jpg (http://s424.photobucket.com/user/ScrapsPics/media/Hornet%20AMX/Hornet11977AMXV8autoFirecrackerRedonBlackInterior0 03.jpg.html)

[Hornet LSX]

just a few teaser shots of the new wheels from XXR. the front are 17 X 8" and the backs are 18 X 11" and will be running 335-30/18 BFG's

[Auto Rod Technologies]

Very cool project, I really like that rendering brian did.. Wonder if that car ever got built.

[Hornet LSX]

Not sure on Brian's project. Considered doing just that but there are a few mods I'm not really into. BUT... at least the lowly little Hornet Hatch got some love and appreciation.

[Hornet LSX]

95826Just a quick update of the transformation taking place on our AMC Hornet X finally got the 345/30-18 tires in and mounted. believe it our not we still have a little room for more tire. 95825

[Nothingface5384]

Bump

[driveit]

Nice.

[rixtrix1]

I always liked this body style and one of my high school classmate's dad owned an AMC dealership, so we got to see a lot of the stuff right out of the factory. They did a lot of performance stuff ,too. Your build has turned out very nicely and I love the garage build vibe. Keep sharing, please. I'd consider a TKO 500/600 instead of a T56 unless you actually plan to do a lot of highway driving and absolutely have to try for mileage. One seldom uses 6th gear and a lot of butchery is required to fit that big heavy 6-speed instead of a 5 speed. JMO

[dangina]

very cool project! I love AMC's, this is the first hornet I've seen on here, car looks banging! Curious are you sticking with the oem front bumper? I've seen guys on here with those style of bumpers and cut them up, flush them, or scrap them altogether and make their own for more of a smooth finish.

[Hornet LSX]

Suspension finally back under the car. We pulled everything out in order to fill allot of factory holes in the engine compartment as well as clean up and paint allot of the parts that have not been touched for 41 years. Hoping to install the LS1/6 speed in later today. want to have the car running and test driven before the 2015 Hot Rod Power Tour comes around. We may not be doing the long haul but plan to catch at least the last 4 stops on the tour with the Hornet and My Son's 83 Spirit GT. His is almost back together as well with a fresh overhaul of his 360 motor.

[Nothingface5384]

If you had a chance to redo your suspension
Would ypu still do the bolt on freakride kit?
Or would you of done a weldin front and rear AME kit?

Jist picked up a 75 hornet for my dad for christmas gift

[JayinMI]

Any pics of the Spirit GT?

[Nothingface5384]

Bump

[Hornet LSX]

Nothingface5384,
I prefer the Control Freaks suspension do to they build each system specifically for each body style AMC offered. They also allow removal of their systems if a concourse restoration is desired for the future of your project. Nothing against other systems available as there are some really great quality systems out there that would work equally as well as the CF system. Control Freaks went to allot of time and expense to develop their systems to improve the AMC line specifically.

jayinMI,
My son has sold the Spirit GT to a family member for a Father/Son project. at least it's still in the family so to speak.

Dangina, We are eventually going to put the front bumper on a diet and section and channel it to not take over the front end of the car. Going to keep a "bumper" on the car so as to keep the Hornet look but at least tuck the ends into the fenders for a flush look and cleaner lines.
Sorry it has takin so long to up-date this build. We did re-install the motor and transmission into the X and are now fabrication the motor mounts to secure the engine and trans. One thing I did was cut down the CF engine stand 1.5" in order to be able to lower the motor into the the frame for a better C of G.

[Hornet LSX]

Lowering the engine mounts helped get the motor down in the frame better but at the expense of protection of the oil pan.

Will need to purchase a Holley conversion pan that is 2" shorter than the Hummer pan we are using.
I'm using the Dirty Dingo conversion mounts to use an LS motor in a late model Mustang. They do help with being able to move the motor forward and back but will need to either mod the brackets or the GM clam shell mounts to get the final desired height for the motor.

[Hornet LSX]

Another nice discovery was all I need to do is drill two mounting holes in the factory AMC trans crossmember in order to use the Camaro/Firebird transmission mount. We used a heavy duty polyurethane mount for the transmission.

[Hornet LSX]

After getting the motor set in we started trying different exhaust we had on hand to see what might work that was already available on the market. The first set was a shorty style header for early camaro anad S-10. The headers fit but the exhaust dump on the drivers side sits right in line with the steering column post.

So my Son swapped the headers around for a turbo set up and they work really well with exception of having to move the Alternator location.

[Hornet LSX]

I did allot of searching trying to discover a set of headers that might fit with little modification and came across a set for a 240 SX Nissan LS1 swap. Just so happens one of my sons friends is building a professional drift car out of a 240 and had a set on hand. We borrowed them and did a test fit on the Hornet. My patience and perseverance paid off as we were actually able to get them to "fit" and will be able to make them work with some minor mods to a couple of exhaust runners for each side. On the passenger side one runner will need to be tucked in tighter.

On the Driver side one runner will need to be turned out a little in order for the steering rod to run through the header pipes. other than that the fit like they were made for this car.


The headers run about $500.00 but either use these wth some mods or build custom made headers for much more $$$$. I managed to get them for $400.00. Now to sell off some excess LS1 parts to offset the cost.

[Hornet LSX]

a few more pictures of the header fit.

[Hornet LSX]

Next I moved onto solving the F Body clutch and master cylinder issues. At first I tried a prefabbed plate designed to use the F-body master cylinder on a 67-69 Camaro. I had to alter the holes as the AMC booster mount is a different pattern and the hole for the brake pedal rod is offset differently. I managed to get the mater cylinder mounted the firewall but the angle was wrong and put the clutch rod at the top of the pedal. not enough travel for the master cylinder to work properly.

So since I already made changes to the bracket I decided to be resourceful and use the bracket parts to custom make a mount pitched a the correct angles for the master cylinder to work with the factory clutch pedal. It would have been easier to just use a Wilwood master cylinder than trying to make the F Body parts work but the advantage of the F body MC is it has the correct travel stop built in and I could use the factory hydraulic line to the slave cylinder. My advice, get yourself a Wilwood kit.

[Hornet LSX]

Picked this 73 up for a parts car but now my Son wants me to make a sleeper out of it by dropping a LQ9 with auto transmission in it on big spray. We have an 8.8 to go in it soooo.... who knows. I could not let it go to the crusher. its a running driving car. It will most likely become the White photoshop AMX clone in my signature line.

[Nothingface5384]

Looks good man
and let me know if you come across a 74 to 77 rear bumper..or if a front bumper can be mounted to rear like they say..

[Racerdamon]

Wow, Very cool!

[Hornet LSX]

Will do on the bumpers if I run across any parts of information. May just take the front bumper from My project car and try it on the other 73 we have here and see if it will in fact at least "fit" will snap some pics and let you decide on how it looks.

I secured the 240 SX swap headers and did some experimenting with socket extensions and swivels to see just how convoluted it would be to make a steering rod work by running between the header pipes.
I was hoping to have a straight run from the steering column to the steering rack but without major mods to the headers will not be able to make it a straight run. I think we can make it work with three swivel joints and the center bar supported with a hime joints. Basically reversing the set up that was installed by Control Freaks. I'm using the 3/4" DD shafts and I may step up the 1" for strength and stability. The steering column shaft will need to be shortened to just past the fire wall. Looking into a street rod short column(32" length) to make this work or I may just take the factory column apart and see if it can be modded to work.
***My biggest concern is the use of 3 swivel joints to make the connection between the column and steering rack. If anyone has any experience in this area please chime in and express impute and advice.

[Hornet LSX]

Well at least this end is almost complete. LOL

[Kenova]

Nice! :twothumbs
How big are they?:naughty:

Ken

[no go nova]

Keep up the good work almost there.

[Hornet LSX]

Kenova, 345/30/18! but have a little room for more. LOL

No go nova, I'm trying to press on. the Steering has me perplexed as I need to shorten the steering column due to the way the steering linkage will need to be routed to the steering rack. I'm considering just purchasing a 28" flaming River steering rack and get it done but that adds another $600 to $700 dollars to make these headers work. I had considered just modding the factory sterring column and that would be pretty easy to do but it's the safty issue that concerns me with shortening the shaft. Once I get the steering sorted out it's all down hill from there putting the car back together. Finish the wheel tubs and transmission tunnel. get the drive shaft built and finish the motor mounts. install exhaust, wiring harness and fuel pump. will be a driver again. the rest is cosmetics. Almost there. My wife remined me that I have been working on this car for 10 years now! how does this happen? seems like I just took delivery of the Hornet maybe a year or two ago.

[Gil]

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/01/IMG_0890_zpsb308f0cd-1.jpg (http://s424.photobucket.com/user/ScrapsPics/media/73hornetX/IMG_0890_zpsb308f0cd.jpg.html)
Epic Booty !
Very nice
Gil

[Hornet LSX]

Spent a little time trying to figure out how to re-install the steering column with the least amount for cutting and welding to make the connection to the steering rack. finally after countless attempts with swivels I discovered I could just run the steering shaft right over the the headers with the engine lowered back down 1" and back towards the fire wall 1 1/4". This will not only help in not having to mod the drivers side header but will move the weight of the motor back behind the front suspension. only 1 1/4" but every little bit counts. Will need to run the Holley Conversion oil pan in the end before serious track time but to get the car back up and running the Hummer style pan will have to do.
the steering column will be tilted down a little on the angle but it actually sat at a really high angle anyway. Plus it's a tilt column so no issues there.

Now to work out the passenger side header. ordered a stainless u pipe with the same material and size of the header pipes. Hopefully it wont be to difficult to mod the one runner to clear the shock tower.

[revhead]

Awesome project. I always thought a spirit AMX would be a cool pro-touring car to build.

[Hornet LSX]

Thanks Revhead, funny you should mention a Spirit AMX. My son has one that is a drag car and is considering going more on a ProTouring build with it. I will show Him your post to encourage him in that direction.

[Hornet LSX]

just a quick update on progress. Decided to go ahead and fabricate motor mounts to get the motor installed into the car. I used 1/4" plate steel, a sawsall and grinder with cutoff blades.
I just made some cardboard templates and transferred it to the steel plate and went to town so to speak with the arsenal of cutting tools I had available. What I wound up doing was welding the plates to the lower portion of the Dirty Dingo LS motor mounts. I think I may have voided any warranty on the mounts LOL

This help clear the rear header pipe. Did not want to cook the bearing. Hopefully after wrapping the headers the bearing will survive.
It's a tight fit but the steering shafts and swivels clear the headers by going over the top rather than through the header pipes. Will need to add an additional heim joint to support the upper shaft just to keep everything tight and true. Got the heim joint on order and should be here by end of week.

[Hornet LSX]

Next I moved onto the passenger header and decided to just tackle the passenger header pipe mod myself. armed with the same general tools and a pre bent piece of stainless pipe and dove in with my handy little CambleHansfield mig and did the best I could. The welds are not pretty but they will hold and will be covered with header wrap anyway.

I went ahead and installed the "angry stick" and decided to clean up the timing cover with wrinkle finish black. I found getting the texture to work was to spray a couple of layers of the paint and then slowly accelerate the drying process with a heat gun. Slowly bring the temp of the cover up the paint will start wrinkling and then I would lead the process with the heat across the cover. other nice thing about doing it this way was I could start adding the parts back on the motor quicker. Would probably be better to let the parts cure overnight before messing with them but I was able to put them back on within 15 mins. Also did the valve covers as well to match. I like the old school look. Will most like likely follow another forum members lead and do the water pump as well.

Next onto the rear mini tubs while I wait for more parts to come in.....

[Ant]

Nice progress

[Hornet LSX]

Thanks Ant, I'm moving on to the mini tubes in the rear. I had planned to custom make full tubs but decided to just expand the factory wells to fit the tires up in. Trying to save time as the HRPTour is coming up fast and I really want to take the Hornet this year!

[TheAce]

Great thread!! I was reading through it and either didn't see if you had mentioned the color for the engine block. I love the orange and was wondering what the paint code and manufacturer is?

[Hornet LSX]

The Ace,

The color is VHT Matallic Burnt Copper engine paint I piced up at aa local Auto parts store(Advanced auto parts) I saw the color on a friends Mustang oil pan and had to have it. Wanted something different and old school looking.

[Hornet LSX]

made a little more progress the past couple of days. we worked out the alt. only with a couple of aftermarket pulleys from e-bay. also worked out how to use the donor Firebird radiator, A/C condenser and dual fans. had to trim the factory radiator support opening a bit for more air flow but this looks to be an easy swap into the Hornet. will post results once I fab up the radiator mounts and get everything installed properly.

[Hornet LSX]

decided to fire the 5.7 up for the first time in the Hornet to help get some motivation going again on the car. With a little help from my neighbor Dave we got the radiator and fans installed, The clutch properly bled and working and a temporary drive shaft installed. Wound up using the factory AMC driveshaft just to get the car running again with the aid of a Spicer custom u-joint that allow me to use the Firebird yoke with the AMC drive shaft. We needed to move the motor forward so the drive shaft has some room to move around. The Dirty Dingo motor mounts made it really easy to shift the motor and trans forward 3/4". still need to plum the fuel system but we are getting close to driving again.


http://vid424.photobucket.com/albums/pp327/ScrapsPics/Mobile%20Uploads/trim.86BC53C0-34C5-4558-B940-CE19442178DA_zpsef6bjyes.mp4

[Amchornet74]

Did you have to mod the front end for the 15's. Also going 350 in mine. Had the 258 I6. Will the motors interchange with 350 motor mounts or another mod. My first AMC. Have only done. 67 Cuda before. I have a set of V8 spring to go on the front already.

[Hornet LSX]

Amchornet74, I'm not sure by what you men by "15s" If you are referring to running 15" rims on the car I had no issues running 15 X 7" with 5" back spacing wheels up front on the car.
Concering motor mounts I'm not running a factory suspension anymore so it's hard to speculate weather GM 350 motor mount will "bolt in" or not but have heard and read that with basic mods it can be done. The 350 motor does lend itself to a relatively easy swap in the small body AMC's like the Hornet, Spirit, Concords and Gremlins. The only major issue is the distributor interfering with the windshield wiper motor. I have seen some people just cut out the the area on the firewall and others mod the oil pan and move the motor forward enough to for the distributor to clear the wiper motor and housing.
Now if you are talking about swapping a 5.7 LS series motor I may be to be of more assistance on some of the pit falls with this swap. We have another 73 Hornet in the wings waiting for something bigger than the 258 6 cylinder in it now. We are going to "test Fit" a 5.7 LS motor in the factory frame and see what it will take to get it in there with little mods as necessary. That will be a different project name though.
You may not need the V8 springs if you go with the 5.7LS motor as its actually lighter than the 258 currently in your car. if my information is correct a gen one 350 motor is only about 65 lbs heavier than the full dressed 258. The 350 transmission is only about 45 lbs heavier than the 904(amc) transmission. Another good up-grade is an Explorer 8.8 rear. Plenty strong enough for a 350/350 engine /trans swap. A late mustang or ford ranger is another good source for the 8.8 rear end assembly but does not lend itself to narrowing the rear end as easily as the Explorer rear. There are Mopar rear ends that work well for a stronger rear end swap but I mentioned the 8.8 as they are more prevalent and less expensive for a budget swap. I think the 8 3/4 Mopar rear from an A Body is supposed to be a good rear for an easy conversion. I want to ultimately swap a modern HEMI motor and 6 speed into my OTHER Hornet X. But the HEMI carries a pretty Hefty price tag so we will just have to wait and see.
Let me know if i can be of any help in your Project Hornet.

[Hornet LSX]

After taking it out for a quick run down the road the clutch pedal hit the floor and stayed there so I had to pull the transmission an replace the slave cylinder. It was so much easier with the tunnel out of the way so I'm going to make the new tunnel with access covers to aid in removing the transmission next time around.

Finally tackled the A/C box removal and discovered the remainder of the "Old car smell" behind it. Cleaned it all out and prepped the fire wall for a more appropriate heat shield / sound deadener. Should have do this long before now but at least I'm at the point to install the new wiring harness. And the interior is completely cleaned from the 41 years of old dirt and rat furniture material. Lol

[Hornet LSX]

Finally finished the mini tubs this weekend as well. My welds leaves little to be desired but the welds are solid and the tubs are done. Now have enough room for the 345/30/18 tires to sit in the wheel wells without issue.


Finally sitting back on all fours and being put back together.

[Hornet LSX]

found a little time last night to start on the transmission tunnel. Really was not looking forward to this task but decided to just get it done next on the list. I welded hoops or support braces to weld the patch panels to when I get to that point. Fortunately with using the hoops the patch panels are going to be pretty easy to make and hopefully weld in. The templates are rough drafts but at least I can see a little light at the end of the tunnel (no pun intended) on getting the floor closed up again. Planning on creating an access cover once welded in for getting to the shifter base bolts and the upper transmission bolts. Hope to complete this project this weekend and will post so progress pictures as I progress.

[Hornet LSX]

took about 5 hours to cut the panels from sheet stock and weld them in but i finally have that big hole in the floor filled in. now i can finally install the new wiring harness. due to the firebird shifter boot having a soft metal mounting flange I was able to shape it to the new tunnel and use it to cover the hole cut for the shifter flange bolts.
very productive day as we mocked up an exhaust system as well using parts we had on hand from another LS project. running 3" exhaust pipe and plan on building a cross pipe on the exhaust tomorrow. thank God the little miller mig welder held up for all the abuse we put it through today.

[rixtrix1]

Coming together nicely. Thanks for the pics.

[Hornet LSX]

Thanks Ric, We have a LS1 powered 98 Sonoma waiting in line for some more performance build up once the Hornet X is up and running again. The Sonoma runs and performs great like it is but thinking about turbo for the Sonoma. A Magna charger would be the easiest to add power but the $3000 price tag is not very appealing.
Ultimately the Hornet will get turbo boost but for now just getting all the mechanical worked out.

[Hornet LSX]

We decided the exhaust needed an X pipe but there was no way a 3" X pipe was going to fit under the car so I opted for a crossover pipe to balance the exhaust a little more. I just used some leftover exhaust pipe and scrap to cobble together an exhaust system for the car. Really was not sure 3" exhaust was an option due to limited space under the Hornet but so far it looks like it should work out. Now that I have the "prototype" exhaust worked out we will build a new system when the car come back apart for paint. Once again the welds are not pretty but using a budget tig welder with no gas just flux core wire. the welds are good and strong though. just not pretty. I wish we could run the pipes all the way out the back but just no place to run them over the axle with the triangulated rear set up. So considering side exhaust out each side of the fender panels. modifying the floor panels for the exhaust to run up and over the frame and out the side. Will build boxes to cover the exhaust pipe and keep the heat out of the interior. Not planning on a rear seat anyway so the rear floors being modded wont be an issue.

[Kenova]

You could always step down to 2 1/2" after the muffler if you have the room. It would
most likely have a negligible effect on power but may produce a quieter exhaust note.

Ken

[Hornet LSX]

ken, my neighbor said the same thing. I want the exhaust to exit from under the car due to the droning the turn downs will make. I think 2.5" can be worked around with just enough clearance for everything. will get some pre bent piping and see what I can come up with. it's crazy to thing that .5" would be so difficult to work around but that will be the only clearance available from what I can tell at this point.
Snuck out and have been working on the car a little tonight. decided to see if the pre formed carpet is going to work with the new tunnel and so far it will work but will need to get a steamer to shape some of the corners to fit nicely. will post pics when finished.

[Hornet LSX]

quick video of the motor running with 3" exhaust, 2.5" cross pipe and 2.5" dual chamber welded Thrush mufflers. It's relatively quite and the sound is not to raspy as I thought that was going to be the case with these mufflers. I have a pair of Flow Master 40's to try but so far I'm good with this system. Planning on running the exhaust to the rear bumper.
Quick video of the motor running with new exhaust.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/05/th_IMG_2194_zpskqgkx2mh-1.mp4 (http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp327/ScrapsPics/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_2194_zpskqgkx2mh.mp4)

[Hornet LSX]

Just a few pictures of some of the progress with the Hornet X. My Son and I took it out for a first test drive with the new motor,Transmission and wiring harness installed and it runs out pretty decent. We are working feverishly to toss it back together for an All AMC show up in Ohio at the end of the month. Should be fun driving to meet the transport vehicle the sponsor is going to use to take the car up to the show. Control Freak Suspension(freakride.com) is the sponsor of the show and want's to feature the products on the Hornet. Looking forward to driving it again. It's been a long time since it was flogged.

[Hornet LSX]

Decided to install the fuse box and MSD in the glove box space for ease of tuning and access to the fuses if necessary. originally the fuse box was way up under the dash on the drivers side making it almost impossible to reach and check the fuses. Having some issues with fuel pumps. trying to decide the best brand to purchase for a carbed LS1 motor. We are estimated to be making 425 HP on motor at this point. Need to dyno the car once everything is dial in. only 375 HP shy of whats needed to join the 200 MPH club. LOL that's the ultimate goal for the Hornet truth be known though.

[rixtrix1]

Car is looking great. The stance is perfect and I like the way the tires fill the wheelwells. The wheels go well with the paint, too.

[Hornet LSX]

rixtrix1, Holley makes a shallow low profile pan just for this type of swap. but it's close to $400. budget constraints are in effect right now but do plan on fixing the oil pan clearance issues asap. the oil pan is for a LS powered Hummer. will just have to behave and not drive to agressively for now. considering adding a skid plate for temporary protection.

[rixtrix1]

Sorry about the oil pan clearance question. I re-read the whole thread again and saw your mention of that on page 3, I believe.

[Hornet LSX]

no problem on the oil pan. We are scrambling to get the car up and running for the Ohio AMC show coming up. Will address the oil pan when we get back home. The Sonoma is going on the Auction block soon. I should do a thread on the truck as well.

[Hornet LSX]

Just an update on the "X" project. We did not make it to the big AMC Ohio show as planned. We thrashed to put the Hornet back together for the show and after completing a full LS1/6 speed swap in about two month time and a last minute emergency sidelined the trip. We decided to at least take it to a couple of local Cars and Coffee cruise in's and both the the hornet and the LS! powered Sonoma were well received with exception of one AMC purist who voiced his rejecting about having a chevy motor the Hornet to the point of being asked to leave the event and not come back ever again! Wow what a morning that was. In other news I made a rookie mistake while setting the float levels on a newer carb for the Hornet and wound up Hydo locking the motor. I thought for sure the motor was toast after getting it started again once we drained out all the gas from 4 of the cylinders and letting the motor air out. It was the most God awful clattering sound once we got the motor running again. We pulled the motor and transmission out and started tearing down the motor only to discover that the starter snout had broken off and was lodged in the clutch pressure plate housing a banging around against the bell housing. What's amazing was the starter still turn the motor over and we managed to start the car again even with the severely damage starter. So we are pressing on and cleaning up the water passages, checking a few inner parts and installing a much more aggressive camshaft. A BTR Stage 4 cam and porting the cylinder heads for good measure. The Hornet was very quick off the line and handles really well even with the added weight on the front end.

[Hornet LSX]

Bump

[marzo91]

Could you post a few pictures so we can see what you've been working on? Thanks

[Hornet LSX]

The Hornet has been in storage for a couple of years while we sorce a replacement shell. The car was rear-ended hard and needs to get on a frame machine. Local body shops around here won't touch it due to being an older car. 1973

[ryeguy2006a]

That's terrible... Sorry to hear that.

[Vogelsong]

That thing needs an SC/360 hood. :)