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Going to the Wood Shed!

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A.R. Headers View Drop Down
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    Posted: Nov/10/2018 at 8:38am
Hey Guys. Nick here from American Racing Headers. Thought I’d share a little about my project and what I encountered.

I have a 64 Rambler American that I’ve begun building to eventually bring to SEMA. Although when it does go to Vegas,it will have a honking AMC V8, I fell in love with this car so much that I decided to rebuild the 6 cylinder and M35 BW to give me a chance to drive the car for a few months next year while gathering what parts I need.

I took the trans to a very well known high performance transmission shop to have it freshened. After a fluid change I lost 3rd gear so there was no choice. What I quickly learned was these units are incredibly expensive to rebuild properly, like to the tune of $3000.00. In that price the torque converter will be cut open and gone through and that definitely comes at a cost. There’s no lack of confidence in the work they will perform. Both the engine and transmission are in very capable hands.

Bottom line, I was really shocked by the rebuild cost of the M35. The great news is that until I’m ready to swap the V8 in, I’ll have a awesome running 6 with great shifting transmission. I’ll take pictures of the package prior to installing it. At some point down the road it’ll all be for sale. The engine will look the part as well. I’m going all out on the appearance. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Nick
A.R. Headers
American Racing Headers
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jpnjim Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/10/2018 at 9:06am
Nice to see that you're planning an AMC powered AMC for SEMA Clap

Also cool that you're enjoying the car in the mean time,
$3k to rebuild the BW sounds like a ton of money,
but it's hard to complain if it does what you want it to in the end.
You can always make more money later LOL
71 P-code 4spd Javelin/AMX
some Jeeps and some Fords
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ramblinrev Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/10/2018 at 9:44am
Gotta say it shouldn't take $3k to rebuild an BW T35.
What you do need to do is find someone who knows what they're doing. It's not a 904 or a GM 350.
74 Hornet Hatchback X twins (since 1977)
62 American Convertible (still worth the $50 I spent in 1973!) AMCRC #513, AMO #384
70 AMX 360 4-speed (since 1981)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote A.R. Headers Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/10/2018 at 10:19am
Jpnjim,

Unlike others, I would never wreck any car by going with anything than what belongs, regardless of vehicle brand. The Ring Brothers Javelin is a work of art and as cool as that Hellcat engine is, they more than had the ability to go with AMC power and take the cool factor to another level.

Having said that, I stuffed a Hellcat into a Prius in an attempt to ruffle some feathers. It worked! It also got me on Jay Leno’s Garage. Lol. Got to YouTube and search Prius Hellcat. Some great video there. At some point I may totally turn the world upside down by stuffing a coal rolling Cummings into a Tesla! Lol.

Nick
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote A.R. Headers Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/10/2018 at 11:02am
[QUOTE=ramblinrev]
Gotta say it shouldn't take $3k to rebuild an BW T35.
What you do need to do is find someone who knows what they're doing. It's not a 904 or a GM 350.


It’s not an issue of knowing how to rebuild it. They’ll get it perfect but there is an unfamiliarity and the fact that some difficult to find hard parts that need replacing are driving the cost. I’m sure it could’ve been done for much less elsewhere but it didn’t help getting the final quote till after it was in 1000 pieces and everything inspected.

Someone will reap the benefits when I’m ready to sell it. That also goes for the engine that’s being built making sure everything is spot on and looking great.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jpnjim Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/10/2018 at 12:05pm
Originally posted by A.R. Headers A.R. Headers wrote:

Jpnjim,

Unlike others, I would never wreck any car by going with anything than what belongs, regardless of vehicle brand. The Ring Brothers Javelin is a work of art and as cool as that Hellcat engine is, they more than had the ability to go with AMC power and take the cool factor to another level.

Having said that, I stuffed a Hellcat into a Prius in an attempt to ruffle some feathers. It worked! It also got me on Jay Leno’s Garage. Lol. Got to YouTube and search Prius Hellcat. Some great video there. At some point I may totally turn the world upside down by stuffing a coal rolling Cummings into a Tesla! Lol.

Nick


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmy6gh4fvUc

Now I want to buy headers from you just so you can keep doing stuff like this LOLLOLLOL

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
71 P-code 4spd Javelin/AMX
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ken Doyle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/10/2018 at 1:18pm
$3,000 is a ridiculous price to rebuild an ordinary B/W 35 automatic.  Perhaps the problem is that you took it to a "high performance transmission shop", rather than an ordinary transmission shop with an older guy familiar with the trans.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote AMXRWB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/10/2018 at 2:23pm
3K means he does not want the job.He priced the job high to get rid of you.Happens to all of us with  antique cars at some point.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MaxiBlue Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/10/2018 at 3:27pm
I would shop around.  That's crazy money for a transmission.  Most of the consumable parts are quite cheap.  Just because you spent a ton doesn't automatically mean you got quality.  Find an affordable shop that offers a good warranty on their rebuild.  

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote A.R. Headers Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov/10/2018 at 4:01pm
Guys I’m really grateful for the advice. Only reason I’m going through with it is because he disassembled it and it’s going to cost me more to reassemble. Probably 6-7 hundred before it’s all said and done. Then it needs to go elsewhere to start the process again. This shop also does converters so my converter will be taken apart, checked for wear and rebuilt as needed.

The price is very high and as you’d expect, I should know better being in the racing industry. At this point I’m biting the bullet knowing that I will have a rock solid trans when finished. Foretunately, for whoever buys the engine/trans combo down the road, they’ll have a sweet deal on a nicely rebuilt power train.

Nick
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