Amx-ls3

[justimagine]

Hey guys - I'm certainly not new to the site and I've had the pleasure of meeting many of you in person at the various shows and events we attend. This group has been great with assisting us with display cars at locations around the country and providing us enthusiastic volunteers for the events we produce.

I figure it's time to come out the closet and post my project up here for all to see. Yup, it's an AMC...but before you laugh too hard and pass judgment, let me say right up front, I'm not a fan of all AMC's - who could really love a Pacer or a Matador (no offense to hard core AMC fans)? No, I'm just a fan of the AMX - I fell in love when I was 15 years old, volunteering my services at a local body shop, where I worked sweeping floors and doing other dirty work in exchange for the opportunity to hand around some cool guys and cool cars. A customer brought in an AMX for some minor work and I was smitten. Growing up in central Illinois in the 80's, I'd never seen one before. Hell, most of them had rusted to the ground at least 10 years earlier, and with only 8100 69's produced, there were very few to begin with.

I've always been a fan of the long hood, short deck look like notchback Mustangs and Cougars, and I was really intrigued by the 2 seater configuration. A sports/muscle car all rolled into one. Well, it took me another 20+ years to finally find one - this one spent her whole life in sunny California and the body was original and unmolested when I bought it in 2002. Here's what's going on:



Paint and body: Turnkey Restorations - Oxford, MI
Suspension front: Global West, Hotchkis, Mustang Cobra
Suspension rear: AMC leaf springs and torque arms
Engine - 401 AMC - 325 HP
Trans - T10 4 speed
Rear - AMC M20 w/3:55 posi & Moser axles
Brakes front: Mustang Cobra/Brembo 13" disc
Brakes rear: SSBC 10" disc

Here's what's happening now:
Fabrication: D and Z Customs - Randy Johnson
Engine swap: 2010 LS3
Trans swap: Keisler 6 speed
Wheels: Rushforth Night Train - polished hoop, dark brushed centers
Tires: BGF KDW2's 255/35/18 and 295/35/18
Suspension rear: relocate leaf springs inboard 2", Global West spherical bearing leaf springs

Looking for completion later this year and then you'll see it everywhere we go on the event circuit. Hoping to debut it at LSfest in Bowling Green in September. Thanks to everyone here for motivation and inspiration!

[tazzz25906112]

That's one dam hot little closet you got there Jimi,,,,, bring on the season buddy we're all gonna have some fun this year LOL....

[1970 TT Rustang]

sweet that thing is going to fly looks good to

[Ron S]

Helping 2 buddies with 2 different AMX projects,70 we're just doing metal work on, and a 68 which we're setting up for rack and pinion steering. Love the car. Ron

[BA.]

Sharp looking car man!

I am fairly certain that there's an AMX in a local junkyard but it's in very bad shape and missing a ton of stuff. and of course it's rusty!

[CruizinKev]

sweet very nice!

[justimagine]

Thanks guys - I'm pretty excited to have my own project going now and not just spectating on the sidelines. I'm really looking forward to that first autocross and hot lap shakedown - or maybe not! They're never done, right?

Here's a couple more pics - on the way to the body shop...

[PT_79_TA_461]

my friend has a 74 Javelin SSt, hes looking into indy for the aftermarket blocks for a good build.....to keep it all AMC.

good build BTW

[justimagine]

I understand the all-AMC thing, I started down that path. I'm going to have a freshly rebuilt 401 and t10 four speed on the engine stand very shortly - it will need to go somewhere...

[monteboy84]

Very cool project, looking forward to seeing it progress.

[jackfrost]

nice X! i have a stock 74 AMX, but eventually I'd like to add a 2-seater to the collection.

what are you going to do w/ the 401?

[justimagine]

The 401 and t10 will be for sale pretty shortly. Although it was rebuilt in 2003, it only has about 500 miles on it.

[twosaturns]

looks great, but you'll get mangled by the hard core AMC guys over that engine swap. hell, I'm not even a resto nut and I wouldn't touch such a well kept 401, just sayin. (yeah, I know, it's yours you can do what you want...)

[Ron S]

I understand the all-AMC thing, I started down that path. I'm going to have a freshly rebuilt 401 and t10 four speed on the engine stand very shortly - it will need to go somewhere...

Wait until you open the hood at your first car show, and listen to all the wise cracks. After a while you just say things to aggrivate the pureists. My old Mustang is LS7 powered, Ford guys hate it. The AMC croud is a loyal one, I'm sure they will have alot to say.

I love all kind of cars, but there is nothing cooler then modern muscle in old muscle cars. And I havent seen an AMC muscle car engine since the early 70's. Ron

[justimagine]

Im not too worried about the AMC purists, the entire group could fit in a volkswagon! Just kidding, again no offense to the purists. Actually, the AMX was originally a 343 automatic car, the 401 wasn't even an option in the AMX until the 4 seat version. AMC's can't be numbers matched either and the car will be worth as much or more in pro-touring trim as it would be as a nut & bolt restoration.

[Motown 454]

Very nice set up. It should be a fun ride with that drive train.

[Ron S]

Im not too worried about the AMC purists, the entire group could fit in a volkswagon! Just kidding, again no offense to the purists. Actually, the AMX was originally a 343 automatic car, the 401 wasn't even an option in the AMX until the 4 seat version. AMC's can't be numbers matched either and the car will be worth as much or more in pro-touring trim as it would be as a nut & bolt restoration.

Purists in a Volkswagon,that gave me a mental image that made me laugh out loud. I think the short wheelbase on these cars will make it killer for Auto X.

The front suspensions on those cars could really use some improvement though, it would be an easy one to modify, alot like a Mopar with the bolt in K frame. We've looked into doing a strut conversion off of a newer Mustang because of the way the spring towers were made on an AMX. I do love these cars. Ron

[justimagine]

Yeah, we've already gotten rid of all the junk trunnion stuff on the front end and replaced it with Hotchkis coil spring mounts, strange coil overs, Mustang Cobra spindles and Global West lower control arms. Made a huge difference and the now with about 300 pounds less in the nose with the LS swap, it should get even better.

[cmraman]

Love it Jimi. I loved those cars too. Great to see something different.

[justimagine]

Had several requests for pics of the front suspension setup - here you go: