AMX-Clamation!!!Volumevolume 17 Number 3 May-June 2008

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AMX-Clamation!!!VolumeVolume 17 Number 3 May-June 2008

American Motors Ramblings Getting the Word Out Dale Veverka

The picture above was featured in the Sunday, February 24th, 2008 edition of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The article (“Cleveland’s Classics at the Auto Show”) included information about club member Kevin Ferguson’s efforts restoring his 1970 AMX. At the Cleveland Auto Show we visited with Kevin’s dad (on duty with the AMX) and provided club web site cards for any interested viewers. This year’s auto show brought the vintage cars out of the basement and into a much more highly visible location. His car looked great and countless viewers had the opportunity to see his AMC along with an attractive Rambler American convertible at the other end of the historical vehicle display. Two weeks later Kevin’s car appeared again. This time the AMX was spotted by fellow club members getting its propers at the 2008 Autorama. The exposure of a club member’s car indicates to us the value of putting the cars out in the car community. It was suggested that maybe “someone” could coordinate a club display at the 2009 Autorama. Let the president know if you are up to the task. Kevin, you did the club proud. The June 8th, 2008 NCAMC car show will soon be upon us. Hopefully many members have taken the opportunity to “spread the word” about our show. Putting up a flyer at your favorite parts supplier goes a long way to supporting the club and increasing its exposure all over Northeast Ohio and into western Pennsylvania. Contact Information... President: Dale Veverka 6934 Brookside Rd., Independence, OH 44131, Phone: 216-524-5977, E-mail: [email protected] Past President/Club Historian: Scott Campbell 5340 Columbia Rd., Medina, OH 44256, Phone: 330-725-3824, E-mail: [email protected] VP/Membership roster: Shaune Zavertnik 1254 Catherine Dr., Brunswick, OH 44212, Phone: 330-220-7264, E-mail: [email protected] Treasurer: Debbie Steely 701 E. Schaaf Rd., Brooklyn Hts., OH 44131, E-mail: [email protected] Newsletter Editor: Javlynn Sue Leair 4904 Edsal Dr., Lyndhurst, OH 44124, Phone: 216-381-7859, E-mail: [email protected] Web Master/Events Coordinator: Ken Walker 8800 Tiffany Dr., N. Royalton, OH 44133, Phone: 216-392-5699, E-mail: [email protected] Deadlines... July/Aug. newsletter – June 15 June 15 for articles/May 21 for classifieds Sept./Oct. newsletter – Aug. 1 Aug. 1 for articles/July 21 for classifieds Highest Price Ever Fetched?

Shaune Zavertnik

Recently Mecum on line Ebay auctioned off an original paint, dealer info documented AMX this past week. It went for an astounding $49,000! I do believe that might be the highest priced AMX I have ever witnessed (although I know SS go for more, but you never see those sales results) Proving once again like I have always told Scott Campbell that the ‘70 is far superior (hee-hee). Check it out at Ebay #230238093483. Show Site 2008 Dale Veverka

A number of members have asked questions about the site of the June 8th, 2008 “School’s out AMC Car Show”. So here goes. The site is a farm that is adjacent to our summer cottage in Lexing- ton Township (Atwater 44201-9407). It is 5 miles north of Alliance Ohio. Route 225 is a quarter mile from the show site, and the road is blacktopped. Be aware that Route 225 is the only means of access to our section of German Church Road. Berlin Reservoir covers the section of the roadway one half mile east of the show field. Parking for 70+ cars is in a large grassy area adjacent to the cottage. On site is a large picnic pavilion and rest rooms. There is ample space along our dead end road if any cars happen to arrive on trailers. A quarter mile further down the road is a nature preserve for spouses to enjoy if they grow tired of admiring the cars. We can set up grills on the back porch of the cottage. A row of large maples will provide some nice shade for parts of the show field. Sure hope we can cover the site with AMCs. I hope to have some aerial shots taken of our car show. Oh, by the way, a mile south on Rt. 225 at the Barber Airport their will be a “fly-in” featuring airplanes powered by automobile engines. On Sunday, they serve an early bird pancake breakfast from 7 am on for early risers.

AMC Engine Paint

Shaune Zavertnik

If you are looking for some blue engine paint for your AMC, you can order from various AMC vendors or go straight to the source at www.seymourpaint.com. Cost is about $11 per can (went up $3 since last year!!!) or they can give you a number for a local vendor to purchase it from at 1800-345-4482. Keep in mind shipping charges on MSDS restrictions that come with paint shipping (ie; the cost increase this year) Our color is en-66 bright blue metallic for pre-1973 engines. Last month I saw that Kennedy’s web site had it for $7, but shipping was extra. We ordered some hood clips two years ago that cost $6 to buy, but shipping in the two ounce envelope from UPS was $7.50!!! The One That Just Got Away! Gary Steely

There it was, “The first post-war American powered sports car”. Only 506 were built in its four year production run. Is it a Chevy? NO! Ford? NO! Dodge? NO! AMC? Well, almost! How about a 1951 Nash- Healey? You know the story, chance meeting of George Mason and Donald Healey in the middle of the Atlan- tic Ocean, Summer of 1949. What a great story, like someone just made it up, only this one’s the truth. Before Corvettes or T-birds there was the Nash-Healey 2-seat roadster. It was powered by an Ambassador 6-cyl. with dual carbs, Nash transmission and torque-tube drive. Chassis and body were hand built by Donald Healey in England, where he installed the drivetrain and engine with its modified cylinder head and intake manifold. The first 104 were aluminum bodied with outboard headlights and a Rambler Grille. On Feb. 13th, 2008 I spot Ebay # 290205580908, and it’s the real thing. Debbie has put up with a lot of ‘stuff’, but she will never believe this one. What am I going to do? By Friday the 15th it’s only been bid up to $2650. Funny thing is, we were just discussing this model car at Dale’s house last Sunday. I like being differ- ent than the ‘status quo’ and with all the AMXs, Javelins, and other hi-performance low production cars owned by members of our club (like 1 of 2 or 1 of 2501 or 1 of 1512), I thought 1 of 104 or 1 of 506 would be just the ‘ticket’. Friday night, over dinner, I explained to Deb, all the reasons I could think of to justify putting a bid in on this car. To my surprise, she said OK, but $5K would be the maximum bid. We logged on to Ebay only to discover that the bidding had reached $5100. I told her to turn it off and moped around the house the rest of the night. Saturday morning arrived and once my little projects were done for the day, I stopped at my office and logged on to Ebay just to take a peek. Bidding had stalled at $5200. Home I went with a new appeal. I promised Deb I would sell my blue Subaru, the green Gremlin and make a list of parts to sell on Ebay if she would let me bid ONE MORE TIME! Again, she said OK and we bid $6K, damn, still not enough. Okay one more time, max bid $6400. BAM we are the high bidder @ $6100. Sunday morning arrived, and just before we left for church (about 9:30am), I logged on to discover (with only 4 hours to go) that we were STILL the high bidder. A family outing made it impossible to change my final bid. When we returned home at 3:30pm (2 hours after the close of bidding), we found out that we were outbid by $100. My personal opinion (not shared by my spouse) is that a bid of 10K would still be considered a ‘bargain’ 5 or 10 years from now. LOL Gauge Repair Parts Shaune Zavertnik

Recently I saw a set of silver faced ‘69 AMX gauges go for an astounding $810!! Gimme a break!! Mopar rally gauges got stupid money long ago too, but then came repo stickers and now complete kits. Well the folks at RT Engineering have also expanded their repair line to do AMX gauges. They offer a 1969-70 quartz clock repair kit for $75 and a digital 71-4 tic-toc-tach repair kit for $75 as well. If you are not capable of doing it yourself they offer repair services. The many various tools for doing any such repair are offered by them too. Take some time and look it up at www.rt-eng.com Membership Profile

Name: Shaune Zavertnik Current AMCs: 1) ‘70 AMX painted BBG/shadow mask 390 wide ratio 4 spd. 3.15 posi with added trendsetter side pipes. This car currently has a ‘71 corduroy interior as it is much more comfortable in the summer. This car is a Hialeah yellow/shadow mask car with a 360 automatic and leather interior that lived its entire life in the Willoughby/Eastlake area. It was in primer with only a steering column in it some 13 years ago as I purchased it. With the advice of fellow club member Mike Moneypenny, I completed the car to my satisfaction of options and colors, as if the car was to be made or ordered specifically for me. I have never regretted it ever since. The car is bright, loud, and fast. Who could ask for more from the top of the line AMC car? 2) ‘72 Javelin/AMX clone, 401 automatic 3.54 posi (‘70 rear end to fit on bigger meaty tires) with flow master turn down mufflers to hear the way-too-big cam I chose to install. Painted GM carousel red/hugger orange (GTO/Chevelle color) with ‘72 black corduroy interior (yup, my favorite style) Cowl induction with rare ‘71 dual snorkel air cleaner. I bought this car from North Carolina as a 304 SST automatic in Trans Am Red with tan corduroy interior as my 2nd AMC when I was 21 years old. I could not find a true ‘71 Javelin/AMX at that time (well before the internet, Ebay, limited trading times magazine). All the more reason to JOIN A CAR CLUB as I would have found many suitable cars. This has been my greatest project and my biggest failure as everything has been assembled or taken apart at least twice on this car. I could own a Shelby with all the stor- age fees, rebuilds, blown motors, chopped radiators, double paint jobs, and broken glass this car went through roughly in a 15 year assembly process. I don’t ever want to do that ever again. I love this car but it has hurt me so bad emotionally and financially that I still have areas to complete on it that I won’t finish in fear of the next problem. Still the car is my favorite body style in the color that I really love too see. 3) ‘71 Javelin /AMX 360 automatic mustard yellow with black corduroy black interior. Cowl induction, non- running numbers matching car I need to get working on. This looks like the poster ad for the ‘71 Javelin line up. Never really liked the color, but if you like Javelins you know from a mile away it is a ‘71 based that it is a one year color only. I’m not missing any parts but exhaust but it needs full resto and will save that for a future date. OTHER AMCs OWNED IN PAST: I had a ‘70 Sonic Silver ‘70 AMX 360 automatic car that the Tomsic family used to own that I had loved/drove/worked on dearly for years. I miss that car, such a good dependable 10 foot car. We had a ‘73 Jolly Green Gremlin X 6cyl car I used as an ALL YEAR driver (dumb move). It had plenty of spunk, sounded like a sewing machine, but was very dependable none the less. I parted out a ‘71 Javelin with a 455 Pontiac motor some Pontiac lover morphed. Got a bunch of parts off it that are giveaway prices now. I can’t tell you how many $400 cars I passed on since I did not have the space to keep them. It hurts to think about that stuff after seeing Ebay prices now! OTHER AMCs I HAVE LUSTED FOR: Well it would be the best to have an AMX/3, but how could you enjoy it? I love to drive my cars so don’t know how I could be an owner of a pretty paperweight. The SS/AMX is a close 2nd, but the older I get the more scared I get of crashing my cars. Again, a pretty paperweight. So with that being said, a R/W/B Machine would fit the answer best but I don’t have the funds for such a beast anymore. My BBG AMX is all the things that I wanted, so I believe I got what I need! HOW I GOT INTERESTED IN AMCs: I remember at 7 years old sitting in the passenger seat overlooking the wheel humps of a 68 Corvette that my father’s best friend owned (as my dad sold his Vette to pay for my “surprise” birth) After years of watching Speed Racer (notice the humpy fenders here) my friend pulled up in my driveway in a 73 Javelin/AMX and I looked over the humpy fenders and I was hooked. There was some- thing seductive about the curves of that body style. After seeing the movie “Road Warrior” I was convinced that it was a Javelin and for me that was the only car from then on. FAVORITE AMC HASSLE: “My buddy had one just like this as kids, but it was a Mopar/Ford engine....” NOT!! But with all honesty I have never heard anyone say a bad story of an AMC ride. Just in some guy’s house last week this Ford retiree said his best friend had a Machine he bought coming back from Vietnam and said the car was an absolute street terror. In closing: I would like to say that I get plenty of attention anywhere I go. There are plenty of belly button cars that get the magazine covers, but anything too popular gets old quick. My cars have led me to a variety of good friends that I otherwise would not have met elsewhere. We have gone on some pretty amazing and memorable drives to many various places and events. I go to the Woodward Cruise every year & Mopar Nats for the past 7 years (too bad no other club members want to leave the county to have fun), been to Kenosha 4 times, Canada twice, Daytona three times, and the Chilton Meet in PA. The recent Holly Hot Rod reunion and Blue Suede Cruise is also a must. I have driven one of my cars there to all of these but St. Louis, MO and Iowa national meets. Car shows are nice, but I want to drive them, not just polish in a parking lot. I have too may cars to have a perfect one so you are always going to find errors on my cars, just introduce yourself & try to keep up as Ricky Bobby said “I just wanna go fast!!” New Wiring Shaune Zavertnik

Does wiring on your old AMC have you frayed? (ha-ha, get it?) Well there is now reproduction complete wiring kits available for ‘68-’71 Javelin and AMX. There is also an engine harness made for ‘72-’74 AMCs. Many current AMC vendors list them. They are not cheap, but it takes all the guess work and trouble out of those old brittle crimped ends that can leave you stranded. Return to Daytona 2 Shaune Zavertnik

It’s hard to believe that 10 years have gone by since the last excursion to Daytona, but time seems to be speeding up for me more than ever. We had our largest posse ever with 3 cars this time. Mark Dantimo and Georgeann drove their ‘70 Rebel wagon (now 401 powered), Todd Jesme flew down from Minnesota to co-pilot with his buddy Don Moyer in Don’s ‘70 AMX (now with trendsetter exhaust), and I drove the trusty old ‘70 AMX (now with MSD ignition) with fellow club member Chris Yeager. The weather was very sunny and kind to us as we left cold Ohio on a Wednesday evening for our 13 hour drive. There is an unfortunate phenomenon associated with the fact that the more caffeinated beverages you ingest to safely keep awake, the more your bladder wants to release. The run through the Virginia tunnels is the place to let the side pipe cars we have try to out sound each other as we try not to collide while video tap- ing ourselves. It was time to wear shorts upon hitting Georgia, and the free orange juice at the Florida Welcome center was a tasty treat. Hard to imagine that 10 years ago that parking lot had over 24 AMCs basking in the sun. Our hotel was the Oceanside Inn and parking was a bit tight, but it is always fun to set off car alarms when starting up a side pipe equipped 390 in close quarters! We drove our cars on the beach, yup...sand...salt...and sun. Our only competition was a ‘55 Chevy convertible for the day, and numerous gawkers with cell phone & digital cameras stopped to click a shot of us. It was amazing to see how many Ohio registered cars there were on the beach, it’s as if no one wants to enjoy the March weather in our fine state! When the ocean swim was too cold we resided at our hotel pool to catch some more rays. We enjoyed our time at the car show and actually found some AMC parts at the swap meet. It is unreal how large that track looks when you are in it. Too bad we are not allowed to take a lap on it as we did 10 years ago, or even take the pit tunnels out under the track. Also it was a downer that you don’t get the “Winners’ Circle” photo on the checkered line anymore. We did however have center stage in a special wide open area dedicated to just us. The Banicheck AMX show car was present, as was a “tribute” playboy pink AMX (sorry Scott but now you are common!), the PPG Turbo Spirit and 3 AMC race cars. I never got an exact car count, but I got about 84 cars. It was really amazing to see that 80% of the muscle cars down there have A/C installed. Gotta be comfortable in the south. By now Todd was glowing bright red, as sun in Minnesota is not seen up there until June. We did not attend the banquet set up by the First Coast AMC club as we wanted to enjoy all the seafood at the local restaurants in Daytona and we also invaded a local car cruise-in as well. Gotta love seeing palm trees and wearing shorts at night at our first car show of the year. Mark replaced his alternator; Don retightened his exhaust hangers. I added two quarts of oil. On our trip home we thanked Mark for taking his advice to drive up the coastal water line to view some local parks and piers. We had lunch in St. Augustine (our nations’ oldest city) and walked around Castillo de San Marcos fort built in 1672, and saw the oldest school house in the USA as well as the many vendors in the cobble stone walk way that was the historic center of the city. Again we set off car alarms as we left the parking garage. We may be older and a bit more grey up top but still have the touch. I replaced my blocked fuel filter at one a.m. in a gas station parking lot on the way home (ya know, I was gonna do that someday...), and when we hit Ohio we were treated to a good rain shower to wash off the sand (or activate the beach salt, depending on you point of view). We spent about $590 in gas, and the hotel was $89 a night, but the memories and the suntan or burn was worth the memories. Some things only come around once; twice is even better. Don’s car got a bronze trophy and a very special award that is hand picked by the surviving family of a deceased Florida AMC club member for a “driver class choice” in memory of their brother, Doug Pittman who drove his ‘69 AMX every day. The Pittman family has three brothers that all own AMXs. The trophy even has a picture of Doug standing proudly by his white ‘69 AMX. I received the “furthest driven” award featuring a neat gas pump and a vintage Rambler gas mileage paper tripometer paper spin mileage gauge from the early 60s. I would like to thank Cliff Danley and all his club members at First Coast AMC for inviting us and all their efforts and energy at the show. We also need to give thanks to our spouses for holding down the fort and not getting mad at the fuel consumption fees. It was great walking on the beach in a bathing suit in March, feeling the waves and sand splash about. I can’t think of a better way to start off the spring than enjoying driving your 40 year old AMC pride 1800 miles the way it was meant to in the sun, green grass and palm trees of the south away from the cold grey Ohio weather. You have 10 years to prepare for the next one! New AMC Parts!!! Shaune Zavertnik

Look what I recently found at American Parts Depot’s web site, a complete NEW 4 speed shifter assemblies. At $550 it isn’t cheap, but it is 100% all new. They also make many of the arms & clutch pedal armatures to go with it.

Also available are reproduction Hornet, Gremlin, Ameri- can, Concord, Spirit V-8 motor mounts. These were stupid money on Ebay for years but are now being sold new for $100 per pair.

Neat little local Rambler advertising I found recently on line. I wonder how much of this stuff is still around? 6934 Brookside Rd. Independence, OH 44131