My taking entirely way too long Spirit

[amcinstaller]

well, i may as well start a project thread seeing as i voted for this board . so here goes:

the car is a 1980 AMC Spirit GT. born with a 258 sr4 4 spd manual, 2 bbl carb. when i got the car, it had a weber on it, but im thinking it was supposed to have a motorcraft. ran pretty good, very fun to drive. i used to have pictures of it pre teardown, but this car has survived three girlfriends and a few flings. the pictures on the other hand, have not. grey/black on the outside, black on the inside. originally sporting turbocast II wheels, but when i bought it had a set of Cragar series 32 keystones on it. well, being young and having a dangerous affair with the skinny pedal, i was out racing a friend of mine in his 89 comanche pickup 4.0 ho 5 spd 2wd and the unthinkable happened. i looked at my speedo, 140kmh, looked ahead, clear (or so i thought) looked in my rear view mirror and BANG! the whole car bounced. pull over, get out, he asks me what i hit, i have no clue. he says he thought it was a pumpkin for all the stuff that sprayed up the front of his little truck. im doing a walkaround and i see them. porcupine quills sticking out of my brand new 245 60r14 dunlop gt qualifiers. i nailed a pincusion at 140kmh. everything seemed ok, but i had this little drip that i didnt remember before. a few days later out racing (yes, i hadnt learned yet) and the seal on my oil filter failed, spraying my oil all over the road, and resulting in a spun bearing. the car was then parked and waited for a new heart. this is the best i have for a picture of it in the state it was when i got it:



i know, small, but thats all ive got anymore.

so a couple years go by and its still sitting in my moms garage (i dont have one in any of the places ive lived). but ive been slowly gathering all the parts i need to make this car ready for the road again

[amcinstaller]

so a quick recap and then some pictures.
was:
258 cid
sr4 4 speed manual
amc 15 rear (i believe its a 15 anyway)
no a/c
no power anything
two tone grey/black outside
black inside

the plan:

drive train

4.6 stroker, megasquirt FI
2.00 / 1.50 valves, ported and polished 7120 head
comp cams 232-4 cam
roller rockers
63mm throttlebody
99+ intake
exhaust header
T5 5 spd
electric rad fans
ford 8.8 rear

inside

full power everything (locks windows hatch release)
full audio system (of course, knowing me )
keeping the same black interior, but to be redone
losing heater assembly (car wont see winter, but i may just customize it)

body

lowered about 2 inches
similar wheels, but thats up for discussion (my current mags dont fit anymore)
same colours just freshened up with a metal flake added maybe
concord two square light grille conversion
losing the bumpers
keeping the louvers
possibly add a spoiler (factory style, no shopping cart handles for me )

[amcinstaller]

and pictures:

engine bay stock:



engine parts:
rods and pistons


head block and crank



intake


grille mockup:



i have pictures of all my other "electronic toys, but ill save those until someone asks about them

[wagoneerhauler]

i have pictures of all my other "electronic toys, but ill save those until someone asks about them

I'll bite. 

Nice write up and project.  How long before you think it'll be a driver?  Keep up the great work.

[IowaEagle]

Great project thread in the making here!

[amcinstaller]

I'll bite. 

only about 2700 watts of pure awesome!

well, heres the list:
planet audio vector d sub amp (i measured it putting out an ear shattering 1870 rms, about 2200 peak watts)
planet audio PA7005 700 watt 5 channel
pioneer cs130r component set (5.25" midrange and 3/4" tweeter
pioneer shallow 8" subwoofer
pioneer 6.5" coax set (matching series above)
pioneer champion pro series 12" woofer, handling about 3000 watts
pioneer deh-p600ub (usb input, also including xm sat radio, cd/mp3/am/fm)

the separates and 8s will be sitting nicely in each door, and the 6.5 mounted in the back quarter panels. i dont have the pods built yet for the doors, but if i have time over the winter i may start that. ill have to fiberglasss them and havent had the time. work has been busy so far this winter (keep positive)
rear battery reloaction

also i have a alarm system to keep it all safe. it will be in about the same time as all the power locks and window conversion.

ill get the pictures of all that stuff up tonight when im home from work

[milliard431]

I have always wanted a set of those Keystones for my 2 door eagle sedan but they don't offer different offsets to push the rears out to the fenders. Spacers would be the only answer. Sometimes I wish it was 2 wheel drive so I could go with the old school set up of bigger tires in the back.

[Mechanic]

Very nice........ I only wish I had that willingness to buy all your "electronic toys" as you know I had two twelvs in my car, but they don't fit in the SX/4  My parents are probibly happy, but I'm not.

[ramblinfsj]

Nice Work! I really like the factory paint scheme. I actually like the factory headlight and grille setup better than the two headlight setup but it still looks cool. You will diffinitely have a unique looking Spirit. That 4.6L is going to be fun. Keep us up to date on the parts you use. Maybe in a few months, I can buy the turbo cast wheels from you to help you fund your project . Keep up the good work.

[AMCKen]

'Before' photos have what looks like the stock Carter BBD carb, not a Weber. : )

[priya]

the plan:

losing heater assembly (car wont see winter, but i may just customize it)

Why don't you keep the heater, it won't really cost you anything in weight or space and even if you don't drive it in winter there will be lots of cool days in the spring and fall (even cool summer nights) where some warm air will be nice.

[Mavericke]

I like the headlight conversion... I've been looking for the parts to convert mine for about two years now, LOL!

I have the grill, but I need the headlight buckets and mounting brackets and stuff.

Nice write up man. Great project thread in the making. I like your choice in sound as well. I prefer Orion over anything, but Pioneer is a strong second (as long as you're not buying it from Wal-Mart, which obviously you're buying the good stuff).

[amcinstaller]

looks like im owing some pictures. as for the heater, i may put a small core, but i doubt it. although i will use the cowl opening and the squid openings for some airflow. the main box is gone and will probly hit the popular auction site, then im not sure .
@mav, yea, i like the orion too, now its made by directed electronics, and they have a very strong product. i used new orion stuff in my 86 daytona turbo z, but that cars another story. i only buy the Premier pioneer, much better than the walmart variety
@ken, thats engine number 2. the original one (the porcupine incident) was pulled and replaced at that point. looked almost the same though.
@milliard, the turbocasts are gone too, i never got them, just the cragars.

so, anyway, heres my toys:
PA7005 100Wx4 + 300Wx1


Vector D "rated" 1200Wx1


shallow 8" for door pods


5.25 set to accompany the door pods


12" competition series subwoofer


and my deck, currently installed in my honda

[Mavericke]

Yeah those premier decks are the shizzle... I remember I worked at an electronics store when they first came out with the premieres that had the blue video screens on them... for like $800 LOL! It had animated dolphins and skate boarders and my personal favorite... the race cars... man, those decks were sweet.

And the new ones puch out a full 4 volts now too don't they? I know thats where alot of these newer decks are screwing people out of their sound.... oh woo woo this deck has 75x4 watts, but the problem is the volts are so low you can't get any power to your amps. I use the old school volt booster/EQ's... I've got an Orion booster that'll boost any deck up to 8 volts... that's major overkill, but I'm tellin ya man,  4 volts makes a HUGE difference when hooking up subs... I run 1000W in two 12" subs.... guys have my exact setup without the booster and don't run half the sound I do. I love it. Those bootsers are getting harder to find though... I haven't even seen another Orion one like mine in years... not even on eBay. Capacitors also help alot.

But yeah man.... keep us updated on it. Not too many stereo guys on here that have taste like you and I, so I enjoy shooting the schtuff with the guys that do. Lots of pictures man... I'd really like to know what you're hitting when you get that sub installed... wow.

[Mechanic]

Yeah..... no kidding.....

That sub is going to pound out some serious base.

But keep us posted on what you do to the door panels to get those 8 inch's to fit I might want to do someting similar if it's tame enough. and is 5.25 the size of the speakers in the SX/4's/spirits?? I always wanted to know so I could buy some half decent speakers, but I didn't want to rip my door panel off to find out.

[Mavericke]

Actually I was thinking they were 6"..... can't remember now :/

[amcinstaller]

my doors are being treated to a fiberglass pod, mounted to the surface but molded to it. the pods will also cover where the window crank would have come out, but the power conversion will solve that issue  . i think the factory speakers are 6, but a 5.25 should work. im not 100% though, none of mine have had factory fronts. bought one with holes cut, and one with no door speakers, just the dash one with an am radio

@mav, im gonna bite my teeth on the cap. i have one im debating putting in, but only for looks and the fact it has a digital voltage display on it. other than that, i think that caps are the biggest joke and bandaid fix in the car audio industry. i have this debate with alot of my customers, and i always say, if you want to have huge power, get a big fat alternator and a good battery.

caps are awesome in that they deliver a quick jolt of energy very fast. like a battery, only smaller. this is awesome for metallica, slipknot, anything with a strong double kick. but once that cap is discharged, it needs to charge again, so if you listen to somethin like rap or hip hop, with long bass, theres just one more thing to draw until the note stops and the cap can charge. however, if you decide that hey, i work in a stereo shop, caps are cheap, what the hey? throw in 3 or 4, then they help for a little longer

[Mavericke]

I agree man. I use the caps to stop dimming lights. I agree 100% that a bigger alternator is the best choice. You're preaching to the choir there.

The biggest pain with them is when your battery is low... and your trying to start your vehicle... just popping in the remote unlocking mechanism trigger that cap to start charging and it's annoying as heck. However, a combo of all three.... alternator, good battery with high cranking amps and a digital cap... it makes a difference.

And if you make fiberglass door panels... save your modling and make me a set too and I'll cover the cost of materials, labor and shipping for sure. I intend on doing the same, but I have so many projects... you may get to it sooner than I, lol! Hey make me some panels, and I'll make you some louvers!

I was going to mold the Eagle head into the door panels too... the same ones on the window pillars.

[amcinstaller]

maybe you can trade me for some bumpers! i have louvers already. but ill document my procedure for sure.

[68AMXGOPAC]

the plan:

losing heater assembly (car wont see winter, but i may just customize it)

Why don't you keep the heater, it won't really cost you anything in weight or space and even if you don't drive it in winter there will be lots of cool days in the spring and fall (even cool summer nights) where some warm air will be nice.

Well said priya, I took the heater fan, heater box, and all that stuff out of my AMX and blanked the firewall hole where the blower was off with mirored stainlesss.Now I can't even take it out on a day where it will foggy on the windshield.It's going back in this summer when I switch out the engine.

[priya]

Right 68AMXGOPAC.  Its better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.  I'm curious as to what amcinstaller feels he would gain by taking the heater out - I can't see any conceivable advantage to doing that.

[68AMXGOPAC]

 I actually did it because the core had a leak, then left it out because it looked like a cleaner line along the bottom of the dash on the passenger side,and it was a quick fix.I never drive it in the winter,mainly because it has no traction in snow and it's a 4 spd. , I just tied the in and out lines to the core together.But it has been an issue on several occasions with warm days cold nights and fogging.

[shaggimo]

I actually did it because the core had a leak, then left it out because it looked like a cleaner line along the bottom of the dash on the passenger side,and it was a quick fix.I never drive it in the winter,mainly because it has no traction in snow and it's a 4 spd. , I just tied the in and out lines to the core together.But it has been an issue on several occasions with warm days cold nights and fogging.

  that's the same exact reason I took the heater asy out of my malibu,haha, but I now regret it, I can only drive my car on warm sunny days. It wouldn't be a problem except when I break my jeep, I have to rely on my car....Once I round up the parts (yes I threw the old stuff away ), I'll be reinstalling mine......Leave the heater in, the first time you get caught in a freak rain storm, you'll be glad you did.

[Mavericke]

maybe you can trade me for some bumpers! i have louvers already. but ill document my procedure for sure.

Deal. I have bumpers now.... they don't take alot to ship them either. Not very heavy. But I deff have some extras.

[amcinstaller]

not the steel ones. some of those sexy fiberglass units you had on your orange sx/4!

anyway, it seems my mind has been made for me, ill have to see if 90s cherokee controls will work. like the look of those better. custom box it is.

[amc78concord]

Just wondering if there is any updates on your Spirit...

[amcinstaller]

thanks for asking. for the last year, ive been helping a friend of mine start up his shop and we had a not so great summer (see: wife paid most bills and i was immasculated by it). so needless to say i havent been able to afford to do much with it. but over this past winter, i was able to save up some money and grabbed this 4.0 and auto tranny off of kijiji for a decent price:


so over this summer i hope to install the 4.0, use the sr4 and amc 15, and be able to complete the last few things to make it roadworthy and be driving it by fall or next spring latest. heres the short list (and im most likely forgetting a few things):
install 4.0 (also, sell trans(not aw4). any takers? dirt cheap! came from 98 grand cherokee)
install wiring and EFI for car, including all lights and sounds
finish grille conversion
figure out clutch
brakes and suspension tune up


on another side to the story, there has also been a bit of a lineup change on the stereo end of things, for those serious bassheads who hide themselves in this forum. that big giant subwoofer i have pictured from before has been sold off, and i found out that based on how he runs equipment compared to how i run it, it really would only have lasted about 45 minutes in my car    so when christmas arrived, i was blessed with this beast:

this is a digital designs 2500 series 12 inch sub. 1000watts rms, 3000 peak. should be fun 

lastly worth mentioning, i also found my old brochure from a showroom of the year my car was made: