I got a Station Wagon!

Engine, storage, and roof rack chrome. The 360 has amazing kick off the line. Very different compared to the 360 in the Polara. Actually comes across as more powerful from a dead stop.


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Looking good! The car reminds me of a 4 door Ambassador that friends had. It was a very nice car. (He taught me how to drive a stick, and slalom race when I was in high school. He also had a 69 AMX with a 390, Hurst linkaged 4 speed and headers. That was AMC’s most awesome car in my opinion.

Does the Polara have a 4 barrel carburetor? The 2 barrel may provide more off the line go.
 
Engine, storage, and roof rack chrome. The 360 has amazing kick off the line. Very different compared to the 360 in the Polara. Actually comes across as more powerful from a dead stop.
The AMC "dogleg" heads were a HUGE difference from other engines of the decade.

You can see them on the 401 we built. Were introduced in 1971; AMC saw the compression reductions coming and this was their solution, as well as increasing sizes. The 290 became the 304, 343 the 360, and the 390 the 401.

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I had a red one many decades ago. 360 also.

It worked way better than you might expect. Pretty sure it had some tow package axle ratio because it would git.

Kevin
 
Looking good! The car reminds me of a 4 door Ambassador that friends had. It was a very nice car. (He taught me how to drive a stick, and slalom race when I was in high school. He also had a 69 AMX with a 390, Hurst linkaged 4 speed and headers. That was AMC’s most awesome car in my opinion.

Does the Polara have a 4 barrel carburetor? The 2 barrel may provide more off the line go.

My Polara is the 360-2V.
 
This addition helped smooth out the engine when leaving from a dead stop. Also the tendency for the idle rpm to bounce around. Probably a small vacuum leak. At the same time replaced all the missing vacuum lines that had been eliminated.


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This addition helped smooth out the engine when leaving from a dead stop. Also the tendency for the idle rpm to bounce around. Probably a small vacuum leak. At the same time replaced all the missing vacuum lines that had been eliminated.


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That carb looks like the autolite 2bbl that powered many small block Fords. They were excellent and very reliable. Is it one or something similar?
 
That carb looks like the autolite 2bbl that powered many small block Fords. They were excellent and very reliable. Is it one or something similar?
AMC often used Autolite carbs. After all, AMC: All Makes of Cars. GM distributors, Ford electricals and starters, Mopar auto trans (after '71), GM steering columns. The only things truly AMC were the bodies and engine blocks.
 
Mechanical updates. replace all the shocks three weeks ago. The wheels were torqued to only 35 ft. lbs. Well, corrected that. Two weeks ago replaced the master and both front brake hoses that had surface cracks. Rear seems to have been replaced. Went down to ACE hardware and when I came out car wouldn't start. Absolute silence. However, all accessories had power. Have tow boxes in the back with all the parts I have collected so far for replacement. In one box is a NORS starter solenoid. Walk into ACE to get a cheap 6" crescent wrench and two fine thread nuts. Change out the solenoid in the parking lot, with two people coming up asking what I am doing and what car, and the car starts immediately.

Past Wednesday went ignition route. Pulled plugs which were literally hand tight. They looked good but replace with AC Delco. New wires on. Replaced voltage regulator with NORS. Cap was new and with brass contacts. Points looked Ok. Got out my dwell meter, first time in 33 years, and was at 32 degrees. Timing at 6 BTDC versus factory 5. Idle was high so brought it down and vacuum at 20 mm Hg. Drove up the road and the slight bog from stop was gone. Drove on the freeway Saturday, first time for me, down to USS Hornet and saw another volunteer with his 65 Catalina convertible. Parked next to him. The cars attracted attention all day as people walked past and some took pictures. I was way up in the Island so could see the entire pier. The car drove great even though every bushing in the suspension needs to be replaced.
 
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