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  • March 28, 2024, 12:51:17 PM

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Author Topic: my 1983 spirit project  (Read 18215 times)

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biggsimmons

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my 1983 spirit project
« on: March 25, 2011, 06:06:02 PM »
just thought i'd post some pictures of my current spirit project. its a 1983, was originally a 4cyl but when i bought it a year ago it had a 304 v8 and a 904 automatic, with a ford 7.5 non posi rearend. i decided to change over to a standard trans, the only standard setup i could find was out of an old gremlin and that trans is a t150 3spd side shift(i don't know if it will take a 304 and i'm also deathly afraid of jamming in 2 gears and it ripping itself apart but we'll see how it goes)i pulled the engine and trans out to do the swap and it just kind of snowballed from there, found rust in the frame, floor and window frame so it all came apart, i'm in the process of making subframe connectors at the moment should be finished with that in a couple of weeks and then i'll move onto the floor. i'll post pics as soon as i figure out how

Offline ericarmstrong

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2011, 07:05:45 PM »
Look forward to seeing it.

Just in case this helps....
1.Open a photobucket account (free)
2. Upload a picture
3. When the pick shows up in your "album" hover over it.
4. When the box with different options appears click on the image thumb code (this copies it to your clipboard)
5. Come here and paste the code into your post.
1982 AMC Eagle SX/4

Offline IowaEagle

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2011, 08:52:31 PM »
Are you sure its a T-150?  As those are top-loaders, I think.  Maybe a T-96???
Click for Toledo, IA Forecast" border="0" height="100" width="150   


Not a Jeep.  Not a Car.  Its an AMC Eagle!

1982 Eagle SX/4 Sport;
1980 Concord DL;
1970 Ambassador 2 Dr HT, SST
2002 Hyundai Santa Fe;
2008 Jeep Patriot Sport - Freedom Drive II

biggsimmons

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2011, 09:01:27 PM »
thanks ericarmstrong i'm trying to open a photobucket right now, just give me some time the internet connection at work sucks. iowa eagle, the stamping on the trans comes up as a t150, i'll post a picture a picture of trans in the next day or two along with numbers, i could easily be wrong the information i've got is sketchy at best

Offline IowaEagle

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #4 on: March 25, 2011, 09:05:52 PM »
If its a T 150 then you should be OK in a mild V8, if its a t-96 then it would be marginal.  Here is a pretty good list of manual transmissions used by AMC.  I wish they had pictures:

http://www.amcyclopedia.org/node/41
Click for Toledo, IA Forecast" border="0" height="100" width="150   


Not a Jeep.  Not a Car.  Its an AMC Eagle!

1982 Eagle SX/4 Sport;
1980 Concord DL;
1970 Ambassador 2 Dr HT, SST
2002 Hyundai Santa Fe;
2008 Jeep Patriot Sport - Freedom Drive II

biggsimmons

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2011, 01:25:28 AM »







Offline 83Eagle!

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #6 on: March 26, 2011, 01:28:32 AM »
Very nice Spirit.  I have wanted one of those since college.  One of my professors had a baby blue Spirit.  It was awesome.
Click for La_Vista, Ne Forecast" border="0" height="100" width="150

"The trouble with quotes on the Internet is that you can never know if they
are genuine."

- Abraham Lincoln


1983 Eagle Wagon
2003 Saturn LW200
2007 Saturn Ion
1985 Mallard Class C motor home

After our fiasco with the Toyota Corolla I got for my wife I believe I am done with Japanese vehicles.

Dude you are preaching to a choir member that is close to becoming an AMC Minister if you know what I mean.


Offline IowaEagle

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #7 on: March 26, 2011, 04:20:28 PM »
That transmission sure looks similar to the one I had in my 1970 Gremlin, to include the shifter linkages.  Sometimes the pin from the shifter likes to slip past the notches in the rods and disable you until you get under the car to put everything back into place.
Click for Toledo, IA Forecast" border="0" height="100" width="150   


Not a Jeep.  Not a Car.  Its an AMC Eagle!

1982 Eagle SX/4 Sport;
1980 Concord DL;
1970 Ambassador 2 Dr HT, SST
2002 Hyundai Santa Fe;
2008 Jeep Patriot Sport - Freedom Drive II

biggsimmons

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #8 on: March 28, 2011, 08:56:25 PM »
iowaeagle, like i said my information is not the best, does it look like a t150 to you? anyway, got the right side frame connector welded in this weekend, started working on the left side should be done by next weekend and i can move onto the inner rockers next. anyone out there done subframe connectors in a spirit before? i'm just connecting frame to frame straight across and raising the rear floor pan up.

biggsimmons

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #9 on: March 29, 2011, 12:55:07 AM »
as soon as i get the left side in i'll post some pictures, never tried building frame connectors before so we'll see if they turn out. i've got to do the floors anyway so i'm going to box in the frame channels while i'm at it

Offline IowaEagle

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #10 on: March 29, 2011, 06:25:28 AM »
My '70 Gremlin had a T96 -- sure looks like it.
Click for Toledo, IA Forecast" border="0" height="100" width="150   


Not a Jeep.  Not a Car.  Its an AMC Eagle!

1982 Eagle SX/4 Sport;
1980 Concord DL;
1970 Ambassador 2 Dr HT, SST
2002 Hyundai Santa Fe;
2008 Jeep Patriot Sport - Freedom Drive II

biggsimmons

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #11 on: March 29, 2011, 10:45:44 AM »
the only stamping i can find on the trans is "ORION" 2603150, does that mean anything to anybody? i've got a 79 and 82 amc manual and neither shows anything for these numbers but the 79 manual shows a beakdown for a 150t that looks exactly like the one i have, anybody give me a better identification?

biggsimmons

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #12 on: March 30, 2011, 09:16:51 PM »
after a little more research i did mange to confirm that the transmission is a t150 thanks to both of you, the t150 has a 9 bolt top cover and starts with the number prefix 260xxx as mine does. so i think i'll make do with this trans until i can find a good cheap t4 or t5. got the left side frame connector tacked together today should be in place by this weekend

Offline SS eagle

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #13 on: March 31, 2011, 12:14:01 AM »
I've always wanted one of those but I've never be able to find one in the calgary area(that is affordable I've seen some race cars)but not a fixer upper
"our greatest glory is not in never failing,but in getting up every time we do."-Confucius

"the definition of insanity is to do something over and over and expect a different result."-Ben Franklin

biggsimmons

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #14 on: April 07, 2011, 09:11:45 PM »
fingers crossed, i may have discovered the holy grail of spirit parts. found a guy in southern ontario selling a complete 79 amx package(flares, air dam, grill, spoiler, centre console, turbocast rims, and i can't hardly believe it window louvers!!!!) he only wants $500??? wtf??pictures look legit, i've got a buddy of mine havin a look tomorrow. if its good i've just got to find a way to get the stuff the 7 hr trip back to my place.

Offline priya

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #15 on: April 08, 2011, 01:11:24 PM »
If you don't want the grill I'm interested in that.

Offline IowaEagle

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #16 on: April 10, 2011, 06:47:37 PM »
after a little more research i did mange to confirm that the transmission is a t150 thanks to both of you, the t150 has a 9 bolt top cover and starts with the number prefix 260xxx as mine does. so i think i'll make do with this trans until i can find a good cheap t4 or t5. got the left side frame connector tacked together today should be in place by this weekend


Good to hear its a T 150.  Yeah, those T96's were weak.  Used by many, but as said, in low HP applications.
Click for Toledo, IA Forecast" border="0" height="100" width="150   


Not a Jeep.  Not a Car.  Its an AMC Eagle!

1982 Eagle SX/4 Sport;
1980 Concord DL;
1970 Ambassador 2 Dr HT, SST
2002 Hyundai Santa Fe;
2008 Jeep Patriot Sport - Freedom Drive II

biggsimmons

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #17 on: April 11, 2011, 09:24:01 AM »
sorry for the fuss guys, the parts lot was sold by the time i got back to him

biggsimmons

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #18 on: April 14, 2011, 10:18:17 AM »
subframe connectors and new crossmember are in place and tacked, just have to do final weld and figure out driveshaft clearance to see if crossmember will need to be notched, but the driveline will need to be in first, guess i need to get the new clutch coming.

biggsimmons

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #19 on: April 17, 2011, 09:06:07 PM »
horrible news, i got bored this weekend and pulled the heads off my 304, found 2 bent pushrods :( valve contact evident in #7 the other bent was at #5. valves don't seem bent, still moving freely and sealing in the head. its not like the contact was huge but i can definetly see it in #7. pulled the oil pan and yanked all the rods out. main bearings all ok but 5 and 7 rod bearings are toast, totally chewed up crank which was already 20 under is totally pooched now. everything gotta come apart and be checked now, hope my spare crank is ok. oh yeah and found that the wrist pin on #1 is binding in the piston, wtf? no idea what happened, year and half since rebuild,

biggsimmons

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #20 on: April 19, 2011, 05:52:10 PM »
thanks for your condolences casper, after much inspection and soul searching i think i may have 2 seperate problems here. what ithought was valve contact at 7 looks to be a manufacturing mark, and the torn up bearings and crank look like foreign metal, thinking back i don't remember cleaning out the oil passages in the crank when i got it back from the machine shop, those bearings could have been damaged at first startup after the rebuild. anyway spare crank looks ok, clean it, new bearings and away i go again

biggsimmons

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #21 on: May 16, 2011, 09:28:16 AM »
just a couple of pics of the new subframe connectors installed.


Offline IowaEagle

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #22 on: May 16, 2011, 08:27:05 PM »
I like how you are doing that.  Was that much of the floor rotten or did you remove most of it to install the sub-frame connectors?
Click for Toledo, IA Forecast" border="0" height="100" width="150   


Not a Jeep.  Not a Car.  Its an AMC Eagle!

1982 Eagle SX/4 Sport;
1980 Concord DL;
1970 Ambassador 2 Dr HT, SST
2002 Hyundai Santa Fe;
2008 Jeep Patriot Sport - Freedom Drive II

biggsimmons

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #23 on: May 16, 2011, 08:54:27 PM »
yes the floor and inner rockers were toast, the floor didn't look that bad initially, but i made the rookie mistake of looking too hard, found that there 27 different patches on the floor alot of which were new patches over old patches, and 13 of the patches i pulled out were just tarred in place so at least they came up easy. 90% of the floor from the rear seat forward will be new metal when i'm finished, had i known it was this bad i may have passed on this car, funny how 1/4 inch of tar will cover up problem spots

Offline IowaEagle

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #24 on: May 16, 2011, 08:56:40 PM »
How much clearance between the drive shaft and the lateral brace?
Click for Toledo, IA Forecast" border="0" height="100" width="150   


Not a Jeep.  Not a Car.  Its an AMC Eagle!

1982 Eagle SX/4 Sport;
1980 Concord DL;
1970 Ambassador 2 Dr HT, SST
2002 Hyundai Santa Fe;
2008 Jeep Patriot Sport - Freedom Drive II

biggsimmons

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Re: my 1983 spirit project
« Reply #25 on: August 19, 2011, 08:46:22 PM »
well, one used pool and a failed septic bed later i'm finally back to the car. engine is rebuilt and drive line is back in car, and apparently the clearance between the driveshaft and cross brace i thought i had was all in my imagination, cross brace has to be knotched and then back to the floor pan

 

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