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Author Topic: 1983 SX/4 Dull "Penny"  (Read 82411 times)

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Offline Prafeston

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1983 SX/4 Dull "Penny"
« on: December 31, 2013, 01:26:19 PM »
Many of you know me from back in the Nest days. I was a very active member for several years using the same username. I joined the forum because I have always loved the AMC Eagle and was looking into them and considering buying. I finally bit the bullet in Sept. 2011 when me and my GF drove to the Eagle meet in Cordova, IL where the AMC Nationals where being held. There I found a beauty woody wagon and I put a deposit down on it that weekend. I owned the car for almost a year, but I always felt it was too nice for me so I sold it in June of 2012. Here is a link to "Trailer Queen" or "TQ" as I called her! :) http://forums.amceaglesden.com/index.php?topic=36546.0

I was without an Eagle for almost another year until I found a pretty decent looking SX/4 locally. Mostly rust free. And several of the SX/4 goodies. Problem was the car had been sitting for almost 4 years so it wasn't running. I bought it anyway hoping it would just be an easy gas tank drain and carburetor clean out! Unfortunately after months of messing with it I could never get the dang thing running. The PO was nice enough to let me keep it on his property while I tried to mess with it. The car resided over 200 miles away from where I live so I was hoping to get it running and not have to pay someone to haul it to me. Finally after like 6 months of sitting on the POs property he had moved it off the gravel and I did not like it's new home. So that weekend I tried one more time to get it running, but to no avail. So I called up a local shop and had them come pick it up. After just a day at their shop they pulled the valve cover and saw it had a broken push rod and the inside of the engine was a rusty mess! So after several weeks of searching I finally pulled the trigger on a 4.0 engine and decided to just have the shop do the swap. For now it will be staying carburated, but eventually I'd like to upgrade to the 4.0 injectors and wiring harness. That's where the project sits now.

A bit more about the car. Non-sport, but is sporting a rear spoiler and louvres, sunroof, center console gauges, tach cluster, black interior, T5 transmission. The interior is in very nice shape. Drivers A pillar plastic needs replaced as well as both sunvisors. Headliner is drooping! Drivers seat has one small tear. Exterior is a dull copper penny color which is why I've named her Penny! The paint is dull, but the body appears to have little to no rust and just one small ding on the passenger door. Underside is the same way. Some surface rust here and there, but for the most part rust free and no spots of cancer...at least that I can see. I might have to take the skirts/flares off and give it a thorough look one of these days. Rear louvres are plastic and do have a few small cracks. Sunroof appears to not be leaking. I've already purchased sport mirrors and steering wheel and already has 215/75/15 tires mounted on a Cherokee Turbine wheels. I'd like to turn this into a weekend cruiser and show car. And I use the phrase show car generously. I don't mean I'll be prepping it and painting it to make it a show winner or anything. I just want a sweet classic I can take to shows when I get the chance so that I can spread the AMC love! :) The car would possibly see some offroad use, but only for fun and not for sport.

On to what you've all been waiting for...less text, more pics! :)

Here she was the day I bought her! Glasses found in the glove box and still worn today! :)


General pics to show exterior condition when bought. Driver front wheel wasn't holding air so PO had installed the spare.


















Hard to see the small dings, but their like 3 inches above the trim above the SX/4 Decal.


General pics to show the interior condition when bought.






The small tear on the drivers seat. Actually found more towards the center of the seat and not on the edge closest to the door.




Some vintage aftermarket wiper delay system. I tried it out when I got a fresh battery for it. It was non-operable.


Center Gauge Cluster. PO had installed a wooden shifter knob. Might like to have a stock one at some point.


The broken A pillar.


Sunroof!!!


Bad visors.




No AC :(




A work in progress


The tires I had mounted. Goodyear Wrangler AT/S 215/75/15 I bought them off a Wrangler owner who drove the car off the lot. And immediately changed to bigger wheels/tires when he got it home. Less than 50 miles on tires.


And here they are on the car.






And lastly for this post. Getting hauled to the shop! :( Also when I went to work on the car that weekend the drivers rear tire was completely flat. I sure hope the PO didn't put a hole in my new tires!
« Last Edit: December 31, 2013, 03:53:36 PM by Prafeston »
1983 AMC Eagle SX/4 - Penny

Offline Prafeston

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Re: 1983 SX/4 Dull "Penny"
« Reply #1 on: December 31, 2013, 01:30:48 PM »
Here are some of the things I purchased before I even started doing much to try and figure out what was wrong with the car.

Thanks to vangremlin for the sport stuff he pulled of an Eagle in the Junkyard in CO.


I found a bunch of wasp nests behind the mirrors!!


Mudflaps purchased from an EVO member I think. They actually hooked me up for the price of shipping I believe. One flap had a rip that is sewn back together or used staples or something. Still a good find!


Nice find on eBay. NOS set of Marchal fog lights with covers and wiring harness.
1983 AMC Eagle SX/4 - Penny

Offline Prafeston

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Re: 1983 SX/4 Dull "Penny"
« Reply #2 on: December 31, 2013, 01:35:32 PM »
Pics showing the condition of the old engine. Yikes!






And here is the 4.0 I purchased for $580. Sold the AW4 for $250 and I'm still looking to sell the NP231 TC.


And here is how she sits at the shop right now. Hopefully the 4.0 is being dropped in this week!




Little bit of rust starting to pop up on the drivers side frame rail in the engine bay.


Passenger side isn't quite as bad.
1983 AMC Eagle SX/4 - Penny

Offline rollguy

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Re: 1983 SX/4 Dull "Penny"
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2013, 03:00:30 PM »
It is nice to see your project finally get going in the right direction.  I am sure the car will be worth every Penny you put into it  ;D
1980 Eagle Turbodiesel Wagon (only 2 known to exist as of 2008)- 7-7-2011 Flight to it's new nest @ Rambler Ranch
1983 Eagle Wagon  Tan over Copper
1982 Eagle SX4 "ALTREGL"  (avatar photo)
1982 Eagle 4 Door Sedan  Copper over Satin Black
1985 Eagle Sport Wagon October 2007 ROTM (SOLD)
4 Biofuel powered Benzs ('98 E300, '82 300 CD, '82 300 TD (wagon), '80 240 D)
1983 GMC Van (6.2 Diesel)
1985 Mitsubishi pickup (2.3 Turbodiesel)

Offline Prafeston

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Re: 1983 SX/4 Dull "Penny"
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2013, 03:41:21 PM »
I am sure the car will be worth every Penny you put into it  ;D

Your username should be funnyguy! ;)
1983 AMC Eagle SX/4 - Penny

Offline 1985amceagle

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Re: 1983 SX/4 Dull "Penny"
« Reply #5 on: December 31, 2013, 04:11:59 PM »
hey rafe, I think you will have to follow the other members advice, I see you have birds pooping on penny, just like tq
Pooping on an Eagle is a serious offence, a crime punishable by firing squad....time to bust out the pellet guns  >:D
Those birds most be punished!
Get a cat!

But then they leave paw prints on your car.. hah.. I've come out multiple times to paw prints up my hood and windshield.
now besides the pelet your going to have to invest in real mean dog to chase the cats.
1985 Eagle Wagon

Offline IowaEagle

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Re: 1983 SX/4 Dull "Penny"
« Reply #6 on: December 31, 2013, 04:14:58 PM »
Thanks for the great update Rafe!
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

Offline Prafeston

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Re: 1983 SX/4 Dull "Penny"
« Reply #7 on: December 31, 2013, 04:23:24 PM »
hey rafe, I think you will have to follow the other members advice, I see you have birds pooping on penny, just like tq
Haha, that's funny you dug up those old quotes from my other thread. Those dang birds! They ought to know better. An Eagle could eat one of them! :)

[/quote]
Thanks for the great update Rafe!

I've been meaning to update everyone at the Den for some time. I've had a thread going since the beginning over on the other Eagle forum.
« Last Edit: January 02, 2014, 11:14:26 AM by Prafeston »
1983 AMC Eagle SX/4 - Penny

Offline Prafeston

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Re: 1983 SX/4 Dull "Penny"
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2014, 04:21:51 PM »
Spent last night Photoshopping Penny into a sport. What do you guys think?



1983 AMC Eagle SX/4 - Penny

Offline IowaEagle

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Re: 1983 SX/4 Dull "Penny"
« Reply #9 on: January 01, 2014, 04:24:25 PM »
You need to add red accents to where the chrome accents are on the flairs, and other Krayton parts to include the bumper ends and the hood trim strip.
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

Offline Prafeston

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Re: 1983 SX/4 Dull "Penny"
« Reply #10 on: January 01, 2014, 04:29:30 PM »
I'm not sure about the red stripe. Which is why I didn't do it on the Photoshop. Not sure it will match the copper very well.
1983 AMC Eagle SX/4 - Penny

Offline IowaEagle

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Re: 1983 SX/4 Dull "Penny"
« Reply #11 on: January 01, 2014, 04:31:31 PM »
We need to find a factory copper sport and see what it looks like.
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

Offline Prafeston

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Re: 1983 SX/4 Dull "Penny"
« Reply #12 on: January 01, 2014, 05:01:24 PM »
I think the sports were pretty rare in copper.
1983 AMC Eagle SX/4 - Penny

Offline IowaEagle

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Re: 1983 SX/4 Dull "Penny"
« Reply #13 on: January 01, 2014, 05:09:26 PM »
I think they were too.  Most of the copper cars seemed to have been Kammbacks and wagons.  My fender and hood started out life as a Copper Kammback.
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

Offline priya

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Re: 1983 SX/4 Dull "Penny"
« Reply #14 on: January 02, 2014, 11:57:21 AM »
So is the transmission you're putting in automatic or manual?

 

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