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Crimey! Elephant ears

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304-dude View Drop Down
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    Posted: Oct/17/2018 at 2:07pm
OK, I am trying to sort out removal of both side radiator support and elephant ear combo. Can it be done like the lower front fender support and nose extension on the Javelin?

Can't find the seem between them as there is curved areas along the lower radiator support. It's possible about questionable lighting, as I am in the darkest section in my garage. I am figuring out AMC spot weld techniques or should I say patterns. Doubling up and a random odd placement here and there. So I guess it's possible a few of them are out of view without getting under the car or impossible to access without removing one from the other.

Once I figure out the Javelin front nose peices layout, I figure them troughs and suspension humps will be a cake walk.

At least I know my car was built at the end of the work week, so no slouch work done by this body man. Not one of the 70 spot welds on this front section was a dud, but I am only 50% of getting one side done.

71 Javelin SST body
390 69 crank, 70 block & heads
NASCAR SB2 rods & pistons
78 Jeep TH400 w/ 2.76 Low
50/50 Ford-AMC Suspension
79 F150 rear & 8.8 axles
Ford Racing 3.25 gears & 9" /w Detroit locker
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mopar_guy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/17/2018 at 7:06pm
LOL. Yeah there's no real pattern to them welding. One side of the car is completely different than the other. Sounds like a set of these would be worth the investment. http://theamcforum.com/forum/diy-lift-work-light_topic84961.html
They came in handy doing all the work that I did to mine and I even have a nicely lit shop.

"Hemilina" My 1973, 5.7 Hemi swapped Javelin
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 304-dude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/17/2018 at 7:42pm
Ha! Perhaps, I may end up with a set once I get going with assembly. As the rest of the work is not so much of an Easter egg hunting experience.

Mopar_guy, I just about gave up on the elephant ears.. reason being, they are not bad off, and most of my issues is because of the under body coating and all well coated just about everywhere.

The only rust was at the drip hole and a wee further down.

So they will be repaired on the body, but I did remove the fender nose support and lower brace as one piece.

A bit of Swiss cheese, so to speak.

So, I will have to cut my radiator mounting supports to open them up for my new radiator setup. Since my radiator and shroud both are the same width of 26.25" so I imagine cutting 1.25" off each side will do the trick. Basically cutting off just behind the welded square nut fo mounting a stock radiator. My plans were to undo the welds and shift each side to open up wider.

So I am now cutting off the troughs about an inch from the top (mounting surface for the fender). The only problem is the driver side trough is nice.

Once I get the troughs off by cutting I will remove the remaining trough as fender retaining strip to be fastened to the fender once I replace my suspension humps with my custom modded ones.

Any who... I don't see any issues to make need for removal of elephant ears and other components to the body at the front.

Talk about willy nilly spot welding. MY GAWD! they put way too much welding into the nose pieces to the fenders on humpsters. Like it's just to keep the lower nose set in place. Once valence is installed, most of its rigidity.

Even the tough has twice as many needed. Though I was expecting some weak ones.



71 Javelin SST body
390 69 crank, 70 block & heads
NASCAR SB2 rods & pistons
78 Jeep TH400 w/ 2.76 Low
50/50 Ford-AMC Suspension
79 F150 rear & 8.8 axles
Ford Racing 3.25 gears & 9" /w Detroit locker
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mopar_guy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/20/2018 at 7:18pm
I left the ears on mine but cut the troughs off just below the fender mounting flange. I replaced the troughs with 2 x 3" tubing. I also added 1" square tubing from the upper radiator support to the lower radiator support which was upgraded to 1 x 3" tubing. Made the whole front end stiffer. I can post some pictures when I get home Tuesday if you're interested.

"Hemilina" My 1973, 5.7 Hemi swapped Javelin
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 304-dude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/20/2018 at 7:57pm
Originally posted by Mopar_guy Mopar_guy wrote:

I left the ears on mine but cut the troughs off just below the fender mounting flange. I replaced the troughs with 2 x 3" tubing. I also added 1" square tubing from the upper radiator support to the lower radiator support which was upgraded to 1 x 3" tubing. Made the whole front end stiffer. I can post some pictures when I get home Tuesday if you're interested.



Ah, yes that is part of my intensions, mostly. You can post your pix, as you like.

Due to a low stance I wanted to weld part of a front clip tube reinforcement to keep the sides proper, without need of a trough replacement, as that may effect how the wheels may rub.

Just need to have the edge along the top to mount fenders to.

As for the front, the ears, I had hoped were two piece. As I swear I saw them as flat sections at various sells. But mine are not that way.

Any way, I'll finish up removing the passenger side nose section to the lower fender brace, and cut the troughs.

The ears will be repaired on the body. Not Necessary to have drip holes restored, just cut out the rust and patch solid.

The main reason for removing the troughs cleanly from spot welds, is to remove the suspension humps. It allows the humps to be removed without cutting other sections or removing the attaching flanges.

I will be also lightly modifying the radiator mounting sections at the engine side. Not a major mod, but requires vertical cutting, to open up the radiator frame. Once I get everything sorted out.

I will be doing a Mega HVAC & Cooling section for both minor updated driver, and street/strip cars. So everyone can find something that may be of help. As I found some interesting combos and informative tweaks that allow for more stable temp control under extreme conditions. I don't think anyone has covered how to optimise with newer components or with what they got, just show what they installed to upgrade with. Not saying they did wrong, just to add further with small additions to make any choice with their system perform the best.
71 Javelin SST body
390 69 crank, 70 block & heads
NASCAR SB2 rods & pistons
78 Jeep TH400 w/ 2.76 Low
50/50 Ford-AMC Suspension
79 F150 rear & 8.8 axles
Ford Racing 3.25 gears & 9" /w Detroit locker
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ohio AMX Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/22/2018 at 9:34pm
I feel the fender troughs were added to strengthen the front end in the event of an accident. For this reason I'd hesitate to replace them with something unbendable like 2x3" tubing which could be driven into the car in a serious collision. Just like a hood I believe the troughs are designed to bend in the middle rather than penetrate the cowl or firewall.
1940 Hupmobile Skylark
1968 Javelin future Pro Street
1969 AMX 290/auto (first car)
1997 Dodge SS/T 5.9L
AMO# 983
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 304-dude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/23/2018 at 4:07am
Originally posted by Ohio AMX Ohio AMX wrote:

I feel the fender troughs were added to strengthen the front end in the event of an accident. For this reason I'd hesitate to replace them with something unbendable like 2x3" tubing which could be driven into the car in a serious collision. Just like a hood I believe the troughs are designed to bend in the middle rather than penetrate the cowl or firewall.


Yep, that is why I am cutting out the troughs. Need clearance and structural bracing. Plus making things easier for repairs while I am at it.

My suspension and wheels are not AMC spec, and my main concern in removing the troughs is to remove the suspension humps by cutting spit welds, not cutting around the seem.

I hope to at least get one side ready for suspension hump swap, so I can start on bracing and exhaust header pass through along the firewall corner and fender.

That area will be boxed for added strength as it is a structural corner stone for both front and mid section.

It took me a long time to get my mind set on getting this far. I am not a body man, and even though the areas being worked on are trivial to some here, for myself I don't like mistakes. So there will always be a bit of caution lurking about until I get so far. Now I am half way with the drivers side, I am gaining more confidence.

Now I feel, welding is the only obstacle I have yet to take on with my car. Once I can get that hurdle done, I will be more closer to 100% involved in my creation.




71 Javelin SST body
390 69 crank, 70 block & heads
NASCAR SB2 rods & pistons
78 Jeep TH400 w/ 2.76 Low
50/50 Ford-AMC Suspension
79 F150 rear & 8.8 axles
Ford Racing 3.25 gears & 9" /w Detroit locker
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