New Product: Modern serpentine accessory drive system for your AMC from Bulltear

Finally, a modern serpentine drive system for AMC V-8 engines.  This system, engineered and manufactured by Bulltear, eliminates the factory smog pump and is available with or without power steering, with or without York or Sanden A/C, and with or without ATI damper.  The Bulltear AMC serpentine accessory drive system fits factory and aftermarket high performance alternators and factory or HEI distributors.  After installation, tightening the drive belt requires only 1 person (unlike factory AMC systems requiring 2).  Each kit is precision CNC machined from billet aluminum and includes:  clutch (When purchased with AC support), water pump pulley, crankshaft pulley, alternator pulley, power steering pulley, idler bracket with HD double bearing wheel, alternator bracket with 2 HD double bearing wheels (when ordered with AC support) and mounting hardware.  To purchase or to learn more, check out their web site.

New Product: Give your AMC extra power with a high performance air box from Air Inlet Systems

One of the best ways to release power from your engine is to improve the efficiency of the air cleaner.  Most factory AMC air cleaner systems used restrictive diameter inlets with less than ideal filter diameter and height.  Now, you can remove air cleaner restrictions with a high performance air box from Air Inlet Systems.  Manufactured from molded fiberglass with a spun aluminum lid, there are a variety of configurations available.  You can even choose the filter diameter, filter height, choose from one or two inlets, choose from standard or a variety of drop bases and choose with or without ram air ducting.  Check out their web site for detailed information.  They offer high quality components that will unleash the extra power and performance your want from your AMC.

New Product: Know your AMC's coolant temperature with Thermocap Radiator Caps from Mr. Gasket

These Mr. Gasket Thermocap radiator caps combine a high-pressure radiator cap with a thermometer element; just check the integrated temperature gauge, and you will know when it is safe to remove the cap. They are manufactured from aluminum and are available in your choice of red, blue, or silver anodized finishes. The Mr. Gasket Thermocap radiator caps read temperature in both Fahrenheit and Celsius to suit any vehicle's needs. No tools or modifications are required; just remove your old stock cap and replace it with one of the new Thermocaps. No more guessing games about whether or not it is safe to remove the radiator cap--with one of these Mr. Gasket Thermocap radiator caps, you will be safe each and every time.  Buy now from Summit Racing.

New Product - En-Valve (Smart PCV Valve) Eliminates Blow By & Oil Leaks

 

When blowby is present in the crankcase, a lot of bad things happen...blowby is a mixture of unburned fuel, water, carbon, soot, and acids. Blowby dirties the splashing oil and dirty oil causes engine wear. For every gallon of gas that the engine burns, one gallon of water is produced. Most is expelled via the exhaust, but some enters the crank case with the blowby through leaking piston rings. Water in the oil causes sludge. Acids cause a coating of varnish to coat all internal parts, clogging oil channels and harming metal parts. Unburned fuel causes oil dilution and loss of lubrication. While carbon and soot help turn the oil into liquid sandpaper compounding engine wear.

The patented En-Valve, through its design, is able to remove much more blowby. It produces a preset vacuum in the crankcase. Blowby does not exist in a vacuum. The oil and engine stay cleaner and engine wear is greatly reduced. Oil changes are prolonged.

There is only one moving part in the device. There is no maintenance, the valve will not clog or wear. It will outlast your vehicle's life. Take it off and put it on your next car.
You can safely change oil at 9K mile intervals, save money as well as precious oil...pay-back is short term if you currently change oil every 3K miles. Every 9K miles you save 2 oil changes or at least $40.00, and the savings goes on.  To learn more or to purchase, click here.
 

New Product: Test Your Brake Fluid In 60 Seconds With Phoenix Brake Fluid Test Strips

Are you compromising the integrity and safety of your brakes? Don't guess-test with Phoenix Systems BrakeStrips. These simple-to-use strips are not moisture or petroleum tests.  BrakeStrip uses (or follows) MAP guidelines to identify bad brake fluid in 60 seconds. These innovative BrakeStrip testing strips identify the exact level of copper ions in your brake fluid--an early sign of corrosion and extremely damaging to your brake system. They're easy to use; simply dip them in fluid, shake them off, and a minute later, match the test strip color with the included chart to see the level of copper in your brake fluid. BrakeStrip brake fluid test strips from Phoenix Systems are inexpensive safeguards to preserve your stopping power--aren't you and your family worth it? 

Did you know Phoenix Systems leads the industry in brake testing tools?  They manufacture a patented reverse brake bleeder which is guaranteed to obliterate trapped air in seconds, immediately "firm up" any brake or clutch pedal, and get super fast and safe pedal response every time.

Check out Phoenix Systems' great DIYvbrake tool videos at www.brakebleeder.com
Purchase BrakeStrip now from Summit Racing.

New Product: Improve Mileage and Cooling Power For Your 1968-74 AMC Javelin with Dual Electric Cooling Fans & Shroud

This aluminum fan and shroud combo is made to fit the 1968-74 AMC Javelin and AMX with V-8. This setup fits right on your original radiator so you can elimate your mechanical fan, increasing horsepower and gas milage. This shroud/fan combo is only 2 1/2 " in depth and looks great! The shroud is made of 16 gauge aluminum and can be polished for a mirror look. The dual 11" electric SPAL fans pull 1000 cfm each, giving you 2000 cfm total! Don't miss out on this beauty.  NOTE:  Installation requires wiring modifications.  To purchase, follow this link.

New Product: Xenon Headlights for 1968-74 AMC Javelins

Now you can give your AMC Javelin modern Xenon headlights with this kit from Pro Street Lighting.  Each kit includes:

• 2 7"Round Diamond cut sealed beam conversion housings
• 2 H4 Xenon bulbs rated at 65/55 Watts, with an output of 90/100 Watts
• 2 rubber covers (to keep the housings dry)
• Plug and play no rewiring is necessary

This kit really lights up the road better than traditional halogen sealed beams. You'll notice a significant increase in lighting. Your Javelin will light up the road like it never has before with a clean bright white light with a bluish glow just like the newer luxury cars.  Purchase now from Pro Street Lighting.

New Product: 1974-1982 AMC Engine Paint

1974-1982 AMC engines had a different shade of blue than 1968-1973 AMC engines.  Until now, 1974-1982 AMC owners had to settle for the incorrect shade of blue.  This acrylic enamel paint is extremely durable.  Buy now from Aramark.

Ramblings: Driving Your AMC Daily...Yes, It Can Still Be Done!

When I got my 1974 AMC Javelin AMX, it had 36,511 original miles on her (in 2007).  Admittedly, I'm not a mechanic and though I'm a gear head to the core, I never really learned how to be mechanical.  So, I enlisted the gracious help and expertise of fellow NTAMC club members Marty, Matt, Gary and John to help me wrench on her.  The process took about a year but we got her so she could safely be driven anywhere.  Essentially, we went through the entire brake, suspension, steering, fuel, cooling, intake, exhaust, carburetor, charging and ignition system.  Eventually, I had the 727 Torque Command completely rebuilt.  After it broke, I had it replaced with a 700 R4 and I picked up about 5-6 MPG on the highway!  I had the car professionally re-wired with an American Auto Wire Highway Series 22 system (with modern blade style fuses and enough extra circuits to support EFI, dual electric cooling fans, an alarm and much more). 
Since August 2008, I've put 45,000 miles on her and have driven her daily (except for ice, snow or when it was down for maintenance / repairs).  I've tried to change the oil every 3,000 miles using Rotella T 15W40 (recommended to me by Kelly Tidwell of Pure Power). I use a Pure Power billet re-usable oil filter, a K&N 14"x3" air filter, a Proform HEI ignition system, lifetime spark plug wires, a stainless steel fuel line, a rust proof conversion on my gas tank using Gas Tank Re-New by Don Hart Radiator in Houston, TX, long life Porterfield R4S carbon kevlar brake pads & shoes, Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Z-rated tires (rotating them every 6,000 miles), and I keep up with regular maintenance per the owner's manual.  At Marty Bricker's recommendation, I signed up for Firestone's lifetime alignment (a good deal since you can basically go in as often as you want to have your alignment checked and re-done).  Even with all of this, I've had many issues crop up:  Electrical gremlins, poor quality / defective wheel bearings and ball joints, carburetor tuning issues, broken backup light / neutral safety switches & ignition switches, drive belts fraying, yearly block power flushing at Firestone, uneven tire wear, failed water pump, failed voltage regulator, fouled spark plugs, broken spark plug wire boots, battery run-down numerous times, erratic timing, and of course front / rear main seal and valve cover oil leaks, worn out axle seals & bearings causing broken axle shafts, A/C leaks, and the list goes on (though most of it was covered here). 
If you drive your AMC daily, you'll find that it will almost always be some maintenance or driveability issue cropping up.  So, I highly recommend learning to do the work yourself or have a buddy who knows about cars help you (the later has been the case with me...thank you Marty)!  If you must go to a shop, make sure they are willing to work on your AMC first and will stand behind their work.  Some national chains "CAN" be good and some can be terrible.  What you are looking for is someone who is old enough to remember these cars new and enjoys working on them (i.e., Doyle at Firestone Automotive in Lake Worth, TX - he's in his 50's and loves working on old cars like mine).  However, relying on a shop to do all your maintenance will get expensive in a hurry.  Why?  Because you are relying on aftermarket parts, many of which are made in Mexico or in China.  Their quality is not as good and just won't last as long.  Even though they'll stand behind their work, they'll charge $75-$100/hour plus a premium price for parts and miscellaneous shop fees. 

It's in your financial best interest to do your own maintenance.  Believe it or not, it can be fun and therapeutic to work on your own car. If you choose this route, buy your parts from NAPA, Summit Racing or O'reilly Auto Parts (the later even offers lifetime warranty on their premium line of parts).  Additionally, you need to a service shop manual, a vacuum gage, a timing light, a spark plug socket with a flexible extension, open end SAE wrenches, SAE 3/8" drive regular and deep sockets, Teflon tape, blue thread locker, anti-seize thread compound, a grease gun, an oil drain pain, 1/2 breaker bar, multimeter, carburetor cleaner, a shop light, fender covers, jack stands and a HD floor jack.  I even keep a bag of tools and my shop manual in my trunk.  I can't tell you how many times this (and AAA) have saved the day since repair shops are NOT open on nights and weekends.

Ramblings: Wrinkle Black Spray Paint Solves Front Spoiler Rock Chip Problems

When I added my fiberglass front spoiler to my 1974 AMC Javelin AMX, I decided I was going to do all the prep & paint work myself.  I sanded it down, cleaned it with POR 15 Marine Clean, spray two coats of high yield primer, Eastwood Flat Black spray paint and Eastwood Diamond Clear.  I followed all instructions to a T, letting everything cure and sanding between coats.  The results were great..for a while.  Then, after a few short weeks of daily highway driving, I noticed there were white spots all over my front spoiler.  Bugs and rocks were taking it's toll.  Hind site is 20/20...I should have taken it to a professional body shop and had it prepped, painted and cleared.  My budget didn't allow for that so I've had to occasionally go back and do touch ups.  However, it just doesn't look good or last. 

So, after a lot of research, I decided to try Harley Davidson wrinkle black spray paint.  It's extra heavy duty and is compatible with fiberglass (many other brands say that are not compatible with fiberglass on their instructions).  The Harley crowd says this is the most durable wrinkle black spray paint hands down...even though this stuff is really expensive, it's worth it to not have to keep doing touch ups or spend even more for professional finishing. 

Firs, I cleaned and sanded the front spoiler by hand.  Then, I applied 3-coats of wrinkle black spray paint over a 6-hour period (with no extra primer).  I let it cure between coats but didn't sand between them nor did I add any clear over the paint.   My preliminary results are excellent!  I've been driving everyday on the highway and down country roads with no chips yet.  Harley Davidson wrinkle black spray paint really works!

Feature Article: Jimi Day's 557HP LS3 AMX featured in the August issue of Popular Hot Rodding

Jimi Day, of FM3 Marketing, built this amazing 1969 AMX to set the world on fire.  The car features a 557HP built LS3 engine, Wilwood 4-wheel disc brakes, a Ride Tech suspension and a host of other modifications.  Believe it or not, THIS car was competitive against the best Pro Touring cars at the prestigious Optima Battery Challenge (which Jimi helped organize).  A full feature just came out in the August issue of Popuar Hot Rodding magazine (the ultimate Pro Touring magazine). 

Now I now that some of you purists may not like that the original AMC engine was replaced with an LS engine.  Let's not forget that hot rodding is all about thinking outside the box and doing what hasn't been done before.  To that end, Jimi's car is a testament to the hot rodding community.  Many Ford, GM and Dodge fans probably laughed when the first saw this vehicle...with the performance this car delivers, I'll bet they aren't laughing now!  I applaud his effort and say he did a remarkable job.  If doing conversions like this is what it takes to generate interest in AMC cars again, then I say...FULL SPEED AHEAD!  How about a LS7 powered Gremlin or a ZR-1 powered Javelin?

Ramblings: Marty Bricker Update...

Thank you to Scott for blogging 101!! I wanted to give everyone an update on Marty. He had surgery to reconnect the rotator cuff in hid right shoulder
He will be recovering for 3-4 months.  His Javelin AMX is down getting a Gear Vendors overdrive.  He's waiting on his driveshaft, speedometer cable and will need to modify his exhaust for clearance.  Marty may need some help wrenching...any NTAMC'rs wanna help if / when he needs the help?

Event Notice - American Southern Nationals - Ennis, TX

American Southern Nationals - Ennis, TX

Sun, June 10, 8:30am – 6:00pm

A repeated event cannot start and end in different time zonesWeekly on SundayEditThis event has a recurrence rule that cannot be edited in Google Calenda

Texas Motorplex, 7500 W. Hwy 287 Ennis, TX 75119 map Video chat The American Southern Nationals was created by the Dallas Area Pontiac Association to allow other makes of American cars to participate in our popular annual event, the Pontiac Southern Nationals. The PSN has been an all Pontiac 2 day event, car show on Saturday, drag race on Sunday for over 15 years. The American Southern Nationals will now be the second day of the event with 2 major changes, all makes of American cars are invited to race, plus we’ve added a second car show at the race track on Sunday for all American cars. Pontiac Owners just wanted to compete with other American makes. Drag Racing: Quarter Mile Track 5 Racing Classes Trophies And Cash Awarded Click here to print or save the ASN Race Classes and Rules Note – NHRA/Track Rules: All Drivers MUST WEAR LONG PANTS – NO EXCEPTIONS! Drivers with cars that run an ET of 13.99 or faster, will require an approved Helmet Car Show: Participant Judged 12 Show Classes Cars with the most votes win Awards Multiple Awards for each class plus Specialty Awards Click here to print or save the ASN Car Show Classes Click here to print or save the ASN Car Show Guidelines The American Southern Nationals event will benefit the American Cancer Society. The American Southern Nationals 2012 flyer can be printed or saved to your PC here: American Southern Nationals 2012 Flyer PDF