News: Putting FUN and FRIENDLINESS, FIRST into owning and learning about AMC small bodied cars, primarily Eagles, Spirits and Concords as well as vehicles built in AMC's Mexican subsidiary, VAM.

The AMC Eaglepedia can now be accessed using the buttons found below  This is a comprehensive ever growing archive of information, tips, diagrams, manuals, etc. for the AMC Eagle and other small bodied AMC cars. 

Also a button is now available for our Face Book Group page.


Welcome to the AMC Eagles Nest.  A new site under "old" management -- so welcome to your new home for everything related to AMC Eagles, Spirits and Concords along with opportunities to interact with other AMC'ers.  This site will soon be evolving to look different than it has and we will be incorporating new features we hope you will find useful, entertaining and expand your AMC horizons.

You can now promote your topics at your favorite social media site by clicking on the appropriate icon (top upper right of the page) while viewing the topic you wish to promote.


  • March 28, 2024, 12:47:45 PM

Login with username, password and session length

Author Topic: the spirit of the eagle build  (Read 28899 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline max98059

  • Eagle
  • **
  • Posts: 94
  • Thumbs Up 4
the spirit of the eagle build
« on: May 01, 2012, 04:23:22 AM »
hey everyone. so i got carnuck's spirit that he had for sale, and i am going to build a sx4 clone out of it. so i started the tear down last week. i found very lil rust in the whole car. i am taking out the rear plastic side parts and going to sell them. i am also stripping all the tar and carpet. i know i will be putting in lizardskin and roll on bed liner. i have also pulled the rear dif out and i have an 8.25 diff going in, also i will be pulling the trans out tomorrow for the new aw4. after that will be the 242 tcase. i am up in the air abt the front end i want good gas mileage so i am thinking i will go with a vacuum front dif but i would use a cable on the dif. our i will use the none vacuum front dif i have. i am also thinking abt a two inch spacer lift in the front with custom upercontrol arms. i have pics so far but i dont know how to post them on here

Offline Jurjen

  • AMC Eagles Den Addicted
  • ********
  • Posts: 3132
  • Thumbs Up 168
  • Dutch Eagle Preservation Front
Re: the spirit of the eagle build
« Reply #1 on: May 01, 2012, 06:17:58 AM »
I don't think that a vacuum front diff will bring you much in MPG's.
The vacuum system is a bit complicated too.
I would stay with a vacuum operated T/C, just two lines from the vacuum switch and has the advantage of being "Switch on the Fly" too.
"sparrows fly in flocks, eagles fly alone"

Eagle Wagon Limited 1983, Citroen C-Crosser 2010, Triumph Bonneville 1969, Yamaha XJR1300 1999, Yamaha TX750 1973

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf0jpiW6tRI

Click for Leeuwarden, Netherlands Forecast" height="90" width="160

Offline carnuck

  • Having a 727 means never re-doing the trans again
  • AMC Eagles Den Addicted
  • ********
  • Posts: 3451
  • Thumbs Up 89
  • Near Seattle
    • Virtual Jeep
Re: the spirit of the eagle build
« Reply #2 on: May 01, 2012, 01:37:53 PM »
Vacuum axle switched to cable shift is the way to go.
AMC/Jeep gauges are for amusement only. Any correlation between them and reality is purely coincidental!

Offline max98059

  • Eagle
  • **
  • Posts: 94
  • Thumbs Up 4
Re: the spirit of the eagle build
« Reply #3 on: May 01, 2012, 02:00:14 PM »
yea i am thinking the vacuum axle with a nice strong cable would be the best think for mpg and would be less work on the tcase when not in 4wheeel drive

Offline max98059

  • Eagle
  • **
  • Posts: 94
  • Thumbs Up 4
Re: the spirit of the eagle build
« Reply #4 on: May 01, 2012, 02:22:11 PM »

the back of the car after a good scraping.


the little bit of rust i found.


the rust after wire wheel and treat meant. with this great stuff i found at my napa


the rust treatment.


my old axle and the new 8.25


the dash. anyone want the old am radio and bezel. i am going to be putting in a double din screen in its place for the rear view camera and for the soon to be new member of the family.


Offline Pat

  • Eagle Turbo Diesel
  • *******
  • Posts: 1365
  • Thumbs Up 56
Re: the spirit of the eagle build
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2012, 10:16:35 PM »
Looks pretty solid, Just surface rust.
1995 Jeep Cherokee "Bleep"



No pic here - BlackBird - My '86 AMC Eagle wagon

R.I.P Old Rusty - My '91 F150

Offline max98059

  • Eagle
  • **
  • Posts: 94
  • Thumbs Up 4
Re: the spirit of the eagle build
« Reply #6 on: May 01, 2012, 11:35:05 PM »
umm its a lil more than surface rust in the back. there is a few lil pin holes back there. but other than that its in great shape. the rust treatment works great thou. i have used it on my 79 mustang and was able to save a lot of puts that i thought where scrap metal.

rohnk

  • Guest
Re: the spirit of the eagle build
« Reply #7 on: May 01, 2012, 11:44:39 PM »
The new axle seems a bit beefier. What have you got planned up front? Adding some horspower?

Offline max98059

  • Eagle
  • **
  • Posts: 94
  • Thumbs Up 4
Re: the spirit of the eagle build
« Reply #8 on: May 01, 2012, 11:47:44 PM »
i am thinking about a 4.6 stroker. but that axle is out of my jeep cherokee

Online vangremlin

  • Administrator
  • AMC Eagles Den Addicted
  • ******
  • Posts: 4413
  • Thumbs Up 212
Re: the spirit of the eagle build
« Reply #9 on: May 02, 2012, 12:45:19 AM »
Didn't I read on the Nest somewhere that a Spirit to SX/4 conversion is very difficult because of the size difference in the transmission tunnels, and that the Spirit tunnel isn't large enough to accomodate the transfer case? 
1981 Kammback 258 - "Pepe"
1980 Coupe 258 - "Ginger
1972 Gremlin X 304
1978 Gremlin 4 cyl 121 - sold
1964 TBird 390 - sold

Offline max98059

  • Eagle
  • **
  • Posts: 94
  • Thumbs Up 4
Re: the spirit of the eagle build
« Reply #10 on: May 02, 2012, 12:52:25 AM »
you are right vangremlin but i have an eagle wagon parts car for the new dog house i also think u could make a jeep cherokee dog house work but that would be more work

Offline captspillane

  • The Perkiomen Eagle Sanctuary
  • Eagle Sundaancer
  • ******
  • Posts: 1097
  • Thumbs Up 137
Re: the spirit of the eagle build
« Reply #11 on: May 02, 2012, 02:41:44 AM »
You likely read it in my project thread, "Perkiomen Project Pics" on page 2 and 3. I'm also converting a Spirit into an Eagle. Another member here on the nest has already completed a conversion. It's actually pretty easy because its just a matter of cutting a donor Eagle floor pan in the right spot to line up perfectly with the old Spirit floor. There is several pictures posted, including a picture of his floor already welded in. You don't need to disturb the subframe.

http://forums.amceaglesden.com/index.php?topic=36839.0

modified to fix link
« Last Edit: September 06, 2021, 10:24:01 AM by mudkicker715 »
Currently Inspected and Insured as of Jan 2013:
-1985 Eagle Station Wagon 258 T5 Stickshift
-1980 Eagle Station Wagon 258 Auto Fuel-injected with GM TBI

Minor Repairs Underway:
-1982 Eagle SX4 258 T5
-1981 Kammback 2.5L Iron Duke T5

Restoration Efforts Near Completion:
-1982 SX4- 401 NV3550
-1983 SX4- 4.5 MPI NSG370 (6 Speed)

Restoration Efforts Underway:
-1985 SW- 4.0 MPI AX15
-1982 SX4- 4.0 AW4
-1981 SX4- SD33T NV4500 (Turbodiesel 5 speed)

Future Rescue Efforts- '85 Maroon SW, '87 Limited SW, '84 Limited SW, '87 4 door Sedan, '81 2 door Sedan, '88 White SW, '77 4 door Hornet, '74 2 door Hornet, '79 Spirit AMX, '81 Kammback.

RIP- Red '81 SX4, '84 4dr Sedan, '84 SW, '81 SW, '80 Spirit, '83 SW, '83 4dr Sedan

Offline max98059

  • Eagle
  • **
  • Posts: 94
  • Thumbs Up 4
Re: the spirit of the eagle build
« Reply #12 on: May 02, 2012, 11:12:13 AM »
the man thing that different is the cross brace also i want the tunnel to unbolt so i can work on the trans easy. but i do have an 82 Donner wagon for parts. also i was thinking abt the jeep cherokee seat tracks cuz they r off set for the tunnel

Offline carnuck

  • Having a 727 means never re-doing the trans again
  • AMC Eagles Den Addicted
  • ********
  • Posts: 3451
  • Thumbs Up 89
  • Near Seattle
    • Virtual Jeep
Re: the spirit of the eagle build
« Reply #13 on: May 02, 2012, 07:32:32 PM »
Probably need to make a channel that goes where the tunnel sits for strength so the floor doesn't spread apart.
AMC/Jeep gauges are for amusement only. Any correlation between them and reality is purely coincidental!

Offline max98059

  • Eagle
  • **
  • Posts: 94
  • Thumbs Up 4
Re: the spirit of the eagle build
« Reply #14 on: May 02, 2012, 08:06:55 PM »
hey stop stealing my thoughts man i am going to make a grove along with a set of bars that go across. by the way that pesky lil trans is out and laying on the ground.

 

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk