Recent project
 

I have been saving a 1960 Rambler 6 Super. The Super is the middle level trim model for that year. A close friend bought it for his wife because she had one many years age and loved it. It was missing the engine and transmission but it is in fair shape otherwise. I looked around for a donor and found a very rusty complete running 1961 Rambler Classic. Push button automatic in both cars so we have a correct donor. The Classic replaced the 6 for 1961 so they are very close cars. The parts we need will all fit from one to the other. I completely disassembled the rusty 61 and boxed up the parts. I got the engine and trans in last weekend along with the rear end. This car has a torque tube instead of a conventional drive shaft. This is the first time that I have worked on this type of rear suspension. The engine and transmission provide the front mount for the complete rear suspension. Coil springs, shocks and a track bar is all there is, very simple. Ran the engine and refilled the transmission today, then started on the front suspension. The parts car will live on in the body of the 60. Another couple weekends and I can get back to my projects I hope... pictures later..
Andy

Man, I loved the old Ramblers. My wife said her first car was a Rambler. She said the motor mounts were broken and she had to baby crawl it across all railroad crossings. I don't understand why nobody would replace the motor mounts and she's never been able to answer that question for me. She said the engine was chained down to the frame. Oh well, enjoy that project Andy. I can't wait to see photos.

Swapping all the front suspension this weekend on the Rambler named Mabel. Then I get to figure out why the generator does not charge. At least I have two of most parts. Then there is the vacuum wipers and swapping the windshield. Did I mention that I am not a body guy so I will glue the old rubber mounted windshield in with urethane. Imagine 60 year old windshield rubber being brittle.... most of the electric works on this old thing. May have to go to work like yesterday thunderstorms raining money.

I'd suggest converting the wipers over to electric. The vacuum operated ones in my 48 Plymouth damn near got me killed back when I was 18. Of course, not being able to go fast that day probably saved my butt!

The Rambler runs, charges, wipes, drives and stops! Two short road tests so far and I have determined that the torque converter needs to go to the torque converter repair shop for some love. I had another torque converter act this way about 35 years ago and replacing it fixed the problem. Something has failed inside the converter causing very low stall speed, in fact it will idle in gear but you cannot rev the engine at all with the brake on. The engine will rev up as the car rolls out from a stop and drives down the road fine. Most automatic transmissions will have a stall speed of 1500 to 1800 rpm to launch the car. This lets the engine get up into its power band then accelerate the car.

The stall speed has to be lower than the cruise rpm at highway speeds, that is why the newer overdrive transmissions have lock up converters.

Way back when in my youth I put a Chevy Vega torque converter in my 72 Camaro. This was a cheap high stall converter and really woke that car up. It turned it into a great drag car but ruined it for highway use due to the 2500 stall speed. The car now had to turn 2500 rpm on the highway which killed the gas mileage and made it run hot. It ran hot because of the heat generated by the torque converter slipping all the time. It was fun for a few weeks but I had to choose what the plan was for the car. If it was for the track I would lower the rear end gears to get cruise above stall. But it was for street so I put the stock converter back in.

So I am still working on the Rambler but it is getting close to being done. I drive by that turbo Saab in the driveway every day, it seems to be calling me.

Andy....in his youth......

I'd argue a good bit of him is still there --- at the right times for the right reasons --- and I will always enjoy the stories this leads to.

Does that torque converter have a drain plug in it, Andy? If so, maybe you should drain it and get a can of the Trans-X transmission flush and try flushing the trans and converter. Maybe it's just got some crap in it that flushing will help or take care of. I don't know if it's worth it, but you are a mechanic and I'm not. Your call, buddy.

Already drained and refilled both the trans and converter, everything was clean already. What my transmission guy tells me is that it has probably rolled a sprag clutch the wrong way.

That sucks, but at least you know what you need to do.