AMCman Ramblings

1
AMCman Ramblings
VOLUME 2 NUMBER 1
Nov 2005 Jan 2006 NEWSLETTER OF THE AMC
MANITOBA CAR CLUB
Feature car Kurt and Marian Dmytruks Rambler
American
www.amcman.com

• FOR ALL WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE CARS PRODUCED
  BY AMERICAN MOTORS, JEEP, RAMBLER,
• NASH, HUDSON AND JEFFERY FROM 1902 TO 1987

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From the President

• As I write this, I am very thrilled to report
  that we are sitting at 53 members. We just
  enjoyed a great lineup of classy AMC cars (12)
  all in a row, at the Flashback Weekend event at
  the Garden City Shopping Centre. With over 50
  car clubs in Manitoba, we are consistently
  getting more cars out than most of the other
  clubs. I am confident that we will only improve
  on the number as there are a high number of cars
  on the project block not rolling yet.
• Moving into the fall, I hope to get some more
  work done with the Javelin I will be working
  throughout the winter on my wifes hot rod, the
  Spirit GT.
• We have a plan for a big car show next year. We
  have spoken to the Regent Casino they are
  interested in hosting the show in the spring.
  They are quite excited about it would partially
  sponsor the event.
• With our ambitious plans for next year, we will
  be requiring assistance I hope we can count on
  some of the members to volunteer with car show
  newsletter preparation.
• See you at the next meeting.
• Robin Carruthers

From the Vice President

• I would like to welcome Brock Philip Member 50
  into our club, he just purchased a 1969 AMX.
  Brock was my racing partner when we raced the
  1969 Hurst AMX from 1969 1975. Brock is going
  to be a real asset to our club.
• We have met with the Regent Casino rep. several
  times and we will be meeting with him again to
  finalize and discus details for the show. The
  car show will most likely be held around the
  second weekend in June at Club Regent Casino.
• Jim LEsperance

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From the Editor

• Summer is over and as I write this I am still
  driving my car until the snow flies. I thought
  when I took over the newsletter from the AMC guru
  Colin Hillyard that it would be a piece of cake,
  will I was wrong. After I finished it I thought
  I did a good job and realized that it was a
  little fun. The next one should be easier and
  better.
• I hope you enjoy my first newsletter. Kurt and
  Marians red Rambler is a very cool car and I am
  looking forward to seeing Gerrys SCRambler clone
  next year. If you have any story or tech. Ideas,
  take some pictures, write a story and email them
  to me at amc360_at_mts.net

Chris Penny
To be eligible for membership, all you have to be
is a true AMC enthusiast. Ownership of an AMC is
not required. All American Motors, Jeep, Rambler,
Nash, Hudson and Jeffery models from 1902 to 1987
are recognized by the club. Members will be added
to a group e-mail and will receive a quarterly
newsletter in the mail. Club event announcements
will be sent out via e-mail and printed in the
newsletter. You can use this form to join the
club or e-mail membership_at_amcman.com to request
membership or to change your membership details.
Club Executive Robin Carruthers
(president_at_amcman.com) Jim LEsperance
(vice-president_at_amcman.com) Gerry Saunders
(treasurer_at_amcman.com) Chris Penny
(secretary_at_amcman.com) Board Kurt Dmytruk, Duane
Beach Bob Mai (webmaster_at_amcman.com)
NAME_____________________________________________
__________ ADDRESS_______________________________
_____________________ CITY_____________________PR
OV_________POSTAL CODE_________ HOME
PHONE______________WORK PHONE___________________
____ E-MAIL ADDRESS______________________________
________________ VEHICLE YEAR /
MODEL_________________________ENGINE_________ TR
ANS______________COLOUR_________________________
________ OPTIONS/REATURES________________________
___________________ If available, send along
photos of your car for our files. If you own
more than one vehicle, please attach
details. Mail payment to AMC MANITOBA CAR CLUB
3 McMURRAY BAY
WINNIPEG, MB R2M 4G3 Annual dues are 15.00 and
include a club window sticker, a quarterly
newsletter, free classifieds, updated membership
roster, picture of your car on the website and
invitations to all monthly meetings and club
sponsored events. Website www.amcman.com
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Project Car Gerry Saunders 68 SCRambler Clone
The car was originally purchased new in Sask. As
a Blue 290 Automatic Roque. Thorr Erlendson
Bought the car from the original owner and
brought it to Eddystone Manitoba. He drove it
for a couple of years and eventually parked it
with the odometer reading 90,897 miles. Gerry,
Colin, Robin and Jim headed out to Eddystone to
pick up the rare little Rogue. with a rented
trailer, breakfast in there bellies and a pocket
full of cash (Gerry anyways), they traveled north
on hwy 6 to pick the Rambler up. After seeing
the car up close, Gerry realized the rust was
pretty bad but not devastating. They loaded the
car up and headed back to Winnipeg.
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Since getting the car back, Gerry has dismantled
the entire car, had it sandblasted and stripped
all the paint and undercoating off the entire
body and undercarriage. Gerry has purchased a
1969 390 engine for the Rogue as well as a 69
T-10 four speed transmission. The summer was
spent changing out the inner and outer rocker
panels with pieces from a parts car and cutting
out all the rusted areas. All the rusted areas
have had the metal replaced with new welded in
pieces. The car sits in bare bones Vinyl Wash
primer awaiting the body shop.
Project

The rear quarters and wheel wells are rough and
will need new fabricated sheet metal, as new
material is not available for the Rambler Rogue.
Gerrys body man can not start on the car until
Nov. or Dec., so in the mean time he is restoring
all the suspension parts, and rebuilding the
motor and preparing pieces for assembly, once he
gets the car back in the spring. The car will
look identical to a 69 SCRambler (plan A) on the
outside. The inside will be charcoal leather
bucket seat interior, with HURST embossed in the
seats as well as the door panels. The factory
looking rallye wheels and Red Line tires will
also be used on the exterior. Gerry is hopeful
that the car will be completed July 06.
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Feature Car Kurt and Marians 64 American

• When Kurt Dmytruk was looking for a classic car,
  he and his wife Marian made countless trips all
  over Manitoba searching for just the right car.
  They ultimately found the right car here in
  Winnipeg. Kurt and Marian were checking out the
  cars at the Pony Corral on Pembina Highway in the
  fall of 2002. Marian spotted a mint red 1964 AMC
  Rambler American Convertible with a for sale sign
  on it. The car was in really nice shape and it
  was completely stock, even the AM radio and
  factory hubcaps.

• The shiny red paint, a power drop-top and the
  wife-likes-it equaled to an easy decision for
  Kurt to make. The deal was struck and the couple
  picked up the car a few nights later in the
  pouring rain. The car definitely found a good
  home. The first thing Marian did when they got
  the little Rambler into their garage was to wipe
  it dry with towels.
• Although Kurt was ecstatic about the car, the
  performance of the Rambler was of concern. The
  car had its original 195 AMC inline six-cylinder
  engine under the hood, and the old Iron Horse was
  getting tired.

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Feature Car Kurt and Marians 64 American

• You can beat it of the line with a garden
  tractor is the way Marion described it. In the
  winter of 2003 Kurt removed the worn-out little
  motor and squeezed in a freshly rebuilt AMC 290
  cubic inch V-8. The donor engine was purchased
  from Ron Lechman, and was originally taken out of
  a 1967 AMC Rebel station wagon.

• Kurt works at Rehau Industries making PVC window
  frames, and was lucky enough to have access to
  the shop evenings and weekends to work on the
  car. Friend and co-worker Ed Zurek helped him
  meticulously rebuild the engine.

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Feature Car Kurt and Marians 64 American

• Even though you couldnt get a V-8 in a Rambler
  back in 64, AMC engineers were thinking ahead.
  With help from pal Steve Ylonen, and a few AMC
  donor parts, the circa 67 engine bolted right in
  with no welding required. This engine looks
  totally at home and has given this Rambler a much
  needed Boost.

• Kurt and Marians other car a 1964 Rambler
  Classic 770 2door with a 287 V-8 and automatic
  transmission, recently had a unfortunate meeting
  with the back end of another car. With the help
  of a few donor parts and some time and money the
  Classic will be as good as new.

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CONFESSION OF A CAR-GUYS WIFEby Sharon Ste.
Marie

• When I first met my husband, Dave, he had long
  before restored his second AMX car. He was a
  full-fledged car-guy. Dave had been a member
  of one or two hot rod clubs, subscribed to car
  magazines, purchased hard cover car books,
  watched car television shows, attended classic
  car shows, collected old automobile
  advertisements and even owned caps, t-shirts, and
  jackets sporting car logos. You get the
  picture.hes a true car guya guy who really
  enjoys classic automobiles and all that goes
  along with them.
• I was certainly not a car-girl. I knew
  absolutely nothing about cars other than I
  preferred to have certain obvious requirements
  cruise control, air conditioning, power door
  locks and power windows. Engine size,
  transmission type and even make and model didnt
  mean a whole lot to me.
• I was introduced to Dave by mutual friends.
  These friends gave me very little information
  about him. They told me where he worked, how old
  he was, and that he liked to go to the lake.
  Thats it! Youd think that the first thing out
  of their mouths would have been something like,
  He has a classic AMC AMX 390 that he restored.
  That bit of information would have been oh so
  very helpful.
• On our very first date, Dave came to pick me up
  in his little red AMX. It was summer time and I
  had the patio doors of my condo balcony open. I
  heard him coming before I saw him. Just as I was
  thinking, Man, that car really needs a muffler,
  I saw that it was Dave driving the loud car. He
  had the window open and he was resting his arm on
  the drivers side door.
• I hadnt been out on a date in a long time so I
  bravely soldiered on. I got into the car. To
  me, it seemed to be just a really old car.
  Couldnt this guy afford a decent automobile?
  (as per my automobile requirements above.) He
  was playing the AM radio! No stereo! Not even
  FM radio! Wow was it ever noisy! The evening
  was humid and warm. Air conditioning would
  surely be turned on. My fine hair was not happy
  blowing in the wind. I scanned the dashboard and
  couldnt detect anything that resembled AC. I
  must have made some polite comment about the
  weather because I recall Dave telling me he had
  260 air conditioning in this car. My heart leapt
  with joy until he grinned and explained 2
  windows, 60 miles per hour.
• Dave actually seemed proud of this car. He
  wasnt apologetic about having to take me out in
  it at all. I began to think that this was the
  best he could afford. I admonished myself for
  being such a snob and just enjoyed the date.
  After all a car isnt everything about a guy, is
  it?
• A day or two later, I went over to Daves home
  for the first time and I saw a brand new blue
  half ton truck parked in his driveway. Company?
  He didnt say he was expecting anyone else.
  Imagine my shock and glee when I discovered that
  this new fully loaded truck was his! Now I
  realized he was a decent guy with a decent car!
• It wasnt too many more car dates throughout
  that first summer that I got a true awakening. I
  started to pay attention to the looks and
  comments that Dave would get as we drove along in
  the AMX. I began to think that there must be a
  big deal about this car. I did some internet
  research and would tell Dave facts that he
  already knew. Id offer information like Dave,
  did you know that there were only 6,725 1968
  AMXs produced? Hed patiently listen as I
  acted like I discovered the car myself. Dave,
  did you know that the guy who broke the land
  speed record, Craig Breedlove, also set 106 speed
  records in an AMX. It went on and on until I
  realized that I was falling in love with the car
  myself. Or was it the car-guy? Or maybe a bit
  of both.
• I never did tell Dave about my first impression
  of him and his car until many years later.

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Field of dreams
This Ambassador with a new tire would look good
in any driveway.
This is a rare form of transportation known as
the Pacer wagon.
2door rebel would be a good candidate for
restoration.
This Javelin in the right hands could be restored.
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Field of dreams
These three Ramblers and the wagon would be more
than happy to donate some body or chassis parts
so that another humble AMC car can live long and
prosper.
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Tech. Corner

• AMC came out with a service bulletin in the 70's
  to correct Javelin front windows from falling
  out. The kit was basically a 1/4" thick flat
  piece of aluminium stock, 1 1/2" x approximately
  30" long that gets bolted as seen in the pictures
  to the front back window brackets. The
  installation makes the two brackets act like one
  piece the glass bond will therefore hold
  longer.
• I wasn't able to find 1/4" aluminums stock so I
  combined two 1/8" pieces (available at Princess
  Auto, Home Depot, etc. I used taped head 10-32 x
  3/4" bolts with lock washers. I countersunk the
  heads flush. The scissor roller brackets are
  attached to the new bar in the same locations as
  original in countersunk holes.
• I used white lithium grease in all the channels.
  The window went in fairly well with some fine
  tuning to adjust the position of the glass. The
  window works very smoothly now it should not
  fall out again.

Written by Robin Carruthers with technical
information from Colin Hillyard.
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Summer in review
AMC Manitoba car club summer windup, generously
hosted by Gerry and his wife
Devils Lake North Dakota. Robin and Jim made a
splash being the only AMC guys at the show
A night at Buffalo Bills hosted by AMC Manitoba
car club featured many fine AMC products, some
rarely seen at shows like the red Rebel and the
blue 4 door Ambassador.
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Summer in review
From the July 2 first ever AMC of Manitoba car
club sponsored car show at Kilcona park, in
Transcona. Over 50 cars of all brands came out,
including this rare low mileage Marlen. A
special thanks to the MS Society for help in
putting the show together.
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Classified For Sale

• 1960 Rambler Super 4-door.  Body is rusty but has
  all good glass, chrome, grill, stainless, dash,
  fair interior, push-button AT.  Engine not
  seized, not running.  Asking 500 OBO.  Contact
  John at [phone]
• 1974 Javelin 360 4V parts car, good front
  fenders, bumpers and trunk.  Contact Dan Masse at
  [phone]
• 1969 AMX 390 4-speed project car.  Missing
  engine, tranny and front bumper.  Minor damage on
  hood.  Rest of car is almost perfectly
  rust-free.  Ex race car.  Has Mopar 8-3/4 rear
  end.  Pics available upon request.  Car is in
  central Alberta.  Contact dsmopars_at_shaw.ca or
  call [phone]
• 1 only, 14 x 6.0, 5-bolt, 8-oval window AMC
  Rallye wheel.  Will need blasting and refinish,
  but otherwise runs true and lug holes good. 
  Comes with chrome "Volcano-style" centre cap,
  bearing part number 3222651.  Asking 25.00. 
  Call Bob at [phone] (Transcona).
• 1973 Gremlin X 304, needs minor repair.  Selling
  due to injury.  Picture available upon request. 
  Best reasonable offer.  Contact Greg at
  grandle_at_shaw.ca or [phone]
• 1981 Eagle parts car, including 258-ci 6-cylinder
  engine.  Runs very well.  Manual transmission and
  front and rear seats also available.  Contact
  Karmyhn at karmyhnj_at_hotmail.com
• 1958/1959 Rambler tail light lens, N.O.S.,
  12.00  Same years tail light lens, used, 6.00 
  Contact Joe at [phone] or jbholmes_at_mts.net
• '71-'74 AMX/Javelin rear trunk spoiler.  Needs
  finishing repairs on right-side corner, 300.00. 
  Call Kim at [phone]
• 79 Concord for parts call Lawrence Friesen at
  694-4177

• 1969 AMX 360 4-speed.  Needs rear quarter-panel,
  floor pan, trunk pan, inner rocker panels work. 
  Otherwise good condition, with 1970 Ram Air hood,
  new grille, tail lights, 4 sets of headlight
  bezels, front and rear bumpers, chrome bits. 
  40,000 miles, Ohio car.  3500 as is.  Clear
  title.  E-mail jaymonday_at_wallmart.com or call
  [phone]
• New auto trans mount, red dash grab handle, and
  good black dash for '74 Javelin.  Call Terry or
  Teresa at [phone]
• 1968 Javelin, 232 straight six, complete car,
  lots of extra parts.  Good body, interior,
  suspension.  Transmission needs to be rebuilt,
  otherwise good.  Have so far invested 2500. 
  Asking 2000.  Firm offer.  E-mail Chris Dann at
  ckdann2001_at_hotmail.com or call [phone] or
  [phone] after 430 PM.  Pictures available
  upon request.
• 1964 AMC American for parts.  Engine, 3-speed
  transmission and other parts available.  Will
  sell very reasonably.  Contact Don at
  dsommer_at_grenergy.com
• 1966 Ambassador 2-door hardtop, good running
  condition, 287 automatic, some rust in the
  lower-rear quarters.  Call Don at [phone]
• 1977 AMX Hornet A/C unit.  Will trade for front
  valence, rear louvers and grille.  Will sell for
  800 OBO.  Contact Glenn at [phone] or
  gmeinecke22_at_msn.com
• Twin grip center section with 287 gears out of 75
  Matador 50 call or email Chris Penny
• 586-3301 amc360_at_mts.net

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Classified Wanted

• Rear trunk fin to fit a '74 Javelin and looking
  for some 10-inch rear rims to put on a set
• of 295/50's.  Call Terry [phone]
• Right-front fender for an '81 AMC Spirit needed. 
  Call Robert [phone] or
• [phone]
• Tail light lenses and fender extensions for '68
  Rebel.  Please contact Rick at
• atrude57chevy_at_hotmail.com
• Transmission, heater housing or heater core for
  '68 AMX 390.  Contact Joe at
• [phone] or jbholmes_at_mts.net
• Trunk spoiler for '73 Javelin.  Call Terry or
  Teresa at [phone]
• '69 AMX fuel tank sending unit.  Call Andre at
  [phone]
• '65 Ambassador Rambler, or compatible Rambler,
  control cable running from the dash,
• through the firewall, to the vacuum wiper box. 
  Must have the small washer attached
• to the end that goes in the box.  Please contact
  Stuart at stuart_at_busatcomputers.com

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Event calendar for 2006

• World of Wheels March 31 April 2 2006
• Winnipeg Convention Centre.
• Prime Steel show April 8 9 2006
• Grand Forks Alaris Centre.
• Rod-a-Rama April 28 30 2006
• East end Community Centre.
• If you are interested in showing your car in a
  AMC club display at the World of Wheels please
  contact the club president Robin Carruthers.