Twelfth Report of Work Done - San Antonio, Texas Stop

June 13, 2002

(Please read carefully...a lot of information has been added and/or updated.)

Now that the Charity AMX is a fully-functional, running and driving car, Alamo AMC has finally fulfilled it's obligations to the project. The car made it's debut performance (under it's own power) at the Southwest AMC Regional held last Saturday. Most of the folks that saw the car in Houston last year cannot believe that the car they saw drive onto the show field Saturday is the same one! I have submitted some new pictures of the car at the show to Matt Haas' Charity AMX website.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

  • During the awards ceremony at the Southwest Regional, the good folks at AMC of Houston presented Alamo AMC with a check for $150 to be contributed to the project! These funds will help pay for the car's trip to Kenosha for the 100th Anniversary Celebration. Just before the show, I created a new, full-color placard that will be sent to Kenosha with the car. There was a lot of interest in the car and project throughout the day.
  • Kevin Dalley (AMXAMC@aol.com) and George Graham (george.graham@ps.ge.com) not only delivered the straightened and rechromed bumpers to San Antonio from Houston, they also donated a complete set of taillight housings and lenses! These parts, even though they are used originals, are in excellent condition and look fantastic on the car. The rechromed bumpers also look superb. Kevin is sending us a set of bead-blasted and straightened bumper brackets for the car, and the bumpers will be back in place before Kenosha. Kevin Dalley is also looking into some Ram-Air hood scoop chrome surrounds.
  • Now that we have been driving the car around, the front suspension and springs are settling down and the car doesn't look nearly as 'saggy' in the rear end. We have decided not to install the new rear leaf springs at this so that we can keep the car 'mobile'. The springs will be sent along with the car for installation during the body work stages.
  • We installed the door panels, both seats, and the door hardware for the show, using the seat tracks and 'turtle back' contributed by Tom Benvie (tbenvie@attbi.com). Some of these items will have to be removed for the painting stage somewhere down the road. In the process, I discovered that we received TWO passenger-side seats and no real 'drivers seat'. Whoever does the interior will want to swap at least one of the seats out!
  • We still have also not been able to get any of the dashboard lights/gauges to work electrically, but the 'Alt' light does come on when starting the car. The taillights do not work, either, so apparently we have some sort of body harness issue. John Elle (JohnElle@qwest.net) sent us some helpful information on ground wires, but from what we can tell that is not the problem.
  • I am in the process of compiling a complete 'Contributor's List' that will accompany the car (and hopefully be made into a plaque or something when it is finished.) I will post this at some point and allow the previous clubs to add on to it and/or make corrections.

NEW PARTS RECEIVED:

  • Rechromed bumpers and replacement taillight housings from George Graham and Kevin Dalley (see above.)
  • The 'Hurst' T-Handle that Bob Antonelli (bobsamc@prodigy.net) sent us is not 'upside down' after all. It is designed to be read while the stick is back and the logo facing up. However, the threads were not correct for our shifter. I have installed a shift knob from an '80s Spirit/Concord T4 for the time being. If the T-Handle is correct, the threads can be changed.
  • Another 'care package' from Tom Benvie arrived early last week, and included the decal kit and book from Larry Mitchell; a '71-model three-spoke steering wheel (now installed on the car); a driver's side bucket seat 'turtle back', a nice AM radio and faceplate, woodgrain armrest overlays, and the seat tracks for the driver's seat. Ewalt Schneider expertly hand-fashioned an adjuster rod to connect the two seat tracks, and I installed them in the car.
  • Randy Guynn (amx69@swbell.net) has contributed the radio knob, and the threaded side-view mirror remote control nut.
  • The horn button parts have arrived from Glen Hoag (hoag@ro.com).

PENDING PARTS:

  • Bumper brackets and Ram-Air surrounds from Kevin Dalley (see above.)
  • Restored grille and headlight doors from Walt Garson (Bigwaltsshop@aol.com).
  • Dave Meger (amxtasy@aol.com) is going to send us a set of clear turn signal lenses. One of the lenses is cracked, so if anyone can contribute just one...we need it!

PARTS STILL NEEDED (newest first):

  • Steve Singer (amxpts@aol.com) has sent us a set of nuts and washers for the windshield wiper shafts, but we still need the chrome inserts for the cowl panel to replace the corroded originals.
  • Rear axle hardware. To be used when replacing the rear leaf springs.
  • Windshield Wiper hardware. We need the little chrome collars that attach the windshield wiper mechanism to the cowl panel. Ours are very pitted and nasty.
  • Jack 'hardware'. We need the bolt, wing nut, and any other brackets, etc. to bolt the jack, collapsible spare, and air bottle to the trunk. Dave Shaver (DSHAVER1@ec.rr.com) might have some of these pieces.
  • One '70 AMX 'simulated exhaust' rocker panel molding.
  • Air Cleaner canister parts. At this point, I think we're going to settle for a '70 canister and top, and leave the 'heat riser' situation up to somebody else. If you have ANY '70 V8, we need a air cleaner canister! Tom Benvie has a complete '68-69 'Ram Air' canister that he has offered to trade with someone who could provide the '70 style setup. Help!!
    (4.015-1) 3191898 - DUCT, Carburetor Air ('68-70 V8 w/4-bbl)
    (4.015-3) 3192223 - DUCT, Exhaust Manifold Hot Air ('68-70 exc. 390)
    (4.088) 3198376 - CLEANER, Carburetor Air ('70 360 V8 w/'cold air induction')
    (12.001-16) 3198374 - DOOR, Hood Air Scoop Rear Duct ('70 w/'cold air induction')
    (12.001-17) 3198375 - RETAINER, Hood Air Scoop Rear Duct Door ('70 w/'cold air induction')
    (12.001-18) 3198370 - CONTROL, Hood Air Scoop Damper ('70 w/'cold air induction')
  • Tires. Tom Benvie is currently collecting contributions in order to purchase a full set of ‘reproduction’ performance tires. The existing tires (two pairs of radials) are already mounted on the car and look quite good...they will suffice until someone is ready to address the wheel situation.

HOST CLUB UPDATE...

Frank and I have been working with Jock Jocewicz of NAMDRA (namdra@juno.com) to find a host for the car once it arrives in Kenosha. At Jock's recommendation, Frank has written a nice letter to Brian Ambrosini, a Kenosha-based AMCer who also owns a body shop! We haven't yet heard back from Brian, so if anyone knows Brian personally and can help us persuade him to host the car, PLEASE HELP! Jock has really gone out of his way to help secure a sponsor for the project, but we need all the extra help we can get!

Dave Meger has also offered to help store the car in Schaumburg, Illinois (Chicago area) if necessary.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
The Charity AMX has it’s own Internet website hosted by Matt Haas:
http://www.mattsoldcars.com/charityamx/

The National Project Coordinator is Frank Swygert (farna@att.net).

The San Antonio contact for the car is me:

Alfred Koos
Alamo AMC
San Antonio, TX
akoos@juno.com

 

Last Updated: 09/06/2008