Michael's AMC Javelin Build

[SuperBuickGuy]

nice job, enjoy the payoff

[Javelin]

Topping Off



It’s been a few hundred miles now, and the old 360 ate/dripped about a quart, which for it’s first oil change since 1986 isn’t too bad! I do like the factory fill tube, I’ll miss that when an intake change happens. Oh, and 10W30 Valvoline VR-1 Racing Oil. It’s an old motor with a regular cam (non-roller), it needs the ZDDP, zinc, etc.

Still messing with lights



My lighting problem came and went and came again, and I finally traced it down to the original headlight switch. Well, these are not available anywhere, so I took it apart and cleaned and sanded all of the contacts and re-assembled. Voila! I now have high and low beams, parking lights, and a brake switch fixed the brake lights. Reverse works, too.

Stop! Re-do everything!



On a drive home from work I started to get a growl, then a squeak, and then a clunk! It took an entire weekend on jackstands, but it was really a lot of things in one. One of the spindle retaining bolts had managed to strip and back out, the wheel bearings (new) needed to be tightened (which is normal), and the caliper sliders needed more grease and an adjustment (they are really not a very good design). I replaced the bolt and re-torqued everything, then did all of the adjustments. I also messed with the adjustable master cylinder rod to adjust the brake pressure and bled the thing again.

Size...



When you look at pictures of just the Javelin, it looks massive. In reality though, it’s actually quite small. That’s an older Accord behind it and a Cavalier in front of it. It’s very low compared to nearly everything out there. Remember, the wheels are only 14’s!!!

Project costs:
* Car: $250
* Transportation: $150
* Solenoid & cables: $36.49
* Remote start & ignition switch: $25.93
* Plug wires: $24.72
* Tune-Up parts: $100.72
* Points & coil: $75.39
* Air cleaner: $33.99
* Brake lines: $168.32
* Water pump, etc: $168.84
* Wheels & Tires: $400
* Fuel pump, hoses, shocks, etc: $181.72
* Turn rotors, rebuild calipers: $52.00
* Brake hardware: $34.40
* U-joints and starter button: $78.63
* Transmission and differential service: $212.01
* Drums: $77.90
* Mufflers: $152.00
* Exhaust: $188.83
* Optima: $169.09
* Battery Return: -$66.01(CR)
* Oil change & wipers: $78.96
* Lug nuts: $57.62
* Spacers: $25.00

Total: $2676.55

[Bob Holmes]

Fantastic. You can put together a pretty neat car at a reasonable price.

[racingsnake440]

That's a cool car for cheap! What are your plans with it now?

[Javelin]

Right now it's just sitting in the driveway. I had hoped to start the bodywork this winter, but my job has gone to crap so money is tight.

[pdickson]

Wow, this thread brings back memories! My first car (bought it in 1986) was a '73 Javelin, so I am loving this thread and the transformation of your project. I used to live in the midwest where they use salt on the roads in the winter, so mine was in worse shape than when you started... I'll never forget stepping on the floor to get into the back seat and punching clean through to the ground below.

I spent most weekends rifling through every junk yard withing 250 miles of my house -- that damn heat riser was the bane of my existence, not to mention never getting the fuel gauge to work!

I finally gave up and sold in in 1991, but she made trips to Florida, 250 mi trips each way to/from college for 4 years, and finally died with 120K miles.

I am not too far from you (Battle Ground, WA), so I hope to see you out and about sometime soon.

[Javelin]

I am not too far from you (Battle Ground, WA), so I hope to see you out and about sometime soon.

Cool story! I have family in Salmon Creek, so we are down that way a lot. I hope to be driving the Javelin through on my way to PIR for the autocross kick off on the 16th and 17th.

[Javelin]

Natural enemy...



An old boss and friend of mine owns this 1969 Trans Am (clone, but done right), a natural enemy of the Javelin. We got some good pics. He sold it hours after this photo for a 1957 Chevy Bel Air hot rod. Now that’s for sale and he wants a GTO. Sheesh!

Test fitting some big wheels



In preparation for the upcoming autocross, I borrowed a good friend’s Enkei RPF-1 from his FD RX-7. Looks good from this side.

285/30/18



That’s the size of the Kuhmo V710. The height is okay, but it could be taller. We are at maximum fitment inboard, there’s about 1/4” to the leaf spring there. There’s still a good three inches outwards we could go though!

The fronts, not so much...



That same wheel is horribly sized for the front, however. The 285 is the absolute max you can get on a stock front suspension and fender. This is with a 3.5” spacer. The 2.5” didn’t fit inwards enough. Honestly, this particular wheel needed a 3” spacer, but that’s so not the right way to do it. I would go with a wheel that has 3” less offset and maybe 1/2” less width and run a 275.

[Javelin]

Landing pad



More time, more drives, more miles. Just driving this thing on mundane trips, like here to the hospital for an appointment, are fun. Parking garages and V8’s just go together…

Catch can



One of the glaring defaults with my car is the lack of a coolant overflow bottle/catch can. They just weren’t installed in 1973. Unfortunately, you have to have one for drag racing and most autocrosses. I picked up this plastic universal unit from Summit Racing and installed it next to the radiator, in front of the core support back panel. It tucks in there perfectly!

Better light



I finally got the stupid lights to all work, too! I had to replace the headlight switch as my rebuilt one was still just too worn out to make the contacts work correctly. I also replaced all the remaining bulbs and now everything functions as per factory, excellent! Notice how bright those headlights are? Yeah, they’re H4 conversions from Flyin’ Miata!

[Javelin]

Oh yeah, here we go!



Can you believe that less than 10 weeks ago this thing drove for the first time in 25 years? And yet, here it is on the starting line of an autocross track.

So far, so good!



Well it can make it around a course! Nothing has broken, nothing is leaking, and we didn’t kill or maim any corner workers.

Wheels are working, tires are not.



So we had the car on jackstands before our run group went to decide on tires. We had a set of 17” RPF-1’s with 275 Kuhmo wets, and the 18’s with the V710’s. It was damp, clear, and a drying track. We went for the V710’s. Then guess what happened? Yeah, monsoon. The fronts are rubbing the bottom of the fenders at full lock, but otherwise we are all clear.

And what's not working



Okay, so now for the truth. My codriver got DFL, and I only beat a handful of total novices. The tires hurt us the most, but there are definitely other issues. Item one is rear traction. Even when it was dry, the open rear diff caused inside wheel spin, and the 360’s torque made it 1-wheel-peal out of every corner, not good. Next was the steering box, it’s just too slow lock-to-lock for autocross. Finally, the carburetor needed some serious work as it would cut out during hard corners like crazy.

Conclusions



Even though the Javelin still has teething issues, it really does drive well. Plus I drove it 50 miles to the track and 50 back, plus my co-driver and I both got 6 runs. The battery did die on us, but a quick trip to the local parts store grabbed me an Optima (holy crap they got expensive!) for the ride home. Ultimately, I can call my project a success. Just over 2 years after purchasing a totally dead, abandoned for 25 years car I had it on the race track.

Here’s the full summary of the event: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/for...n/56055/page1/

[Javelin]

Alternator drama



The big news since the autocross is that my original alternator was dead (which killed the battery while we were there). A lot of poking, prodding, and book-looking finally led me to a few points. The Motorola unit on my car is the original one, and is 33 amps. The later AMC’s switched to the 10si style GM/Delco unit (one of which I have in my garage), but they also totally switched the v-belt system and brackets around. You have to get the whole setup to have a clean swap. Luckily my dad has a local guy down in Florida that rebuilds these units into the original 65amp HD spec for reasonable. Turns out, the original design is actually for tractors and quite a few industrial engines. So months later, I finally have a completely rebuilt alternator that bolts into the factory location!

Charging system complete



Here’s the Optima I had to buy to make it through the autocross. This stupid thing cost more than an entire season’s entry fees! At least I will keep it charged and it should last a good, looooong time. (The el cheapo NAPA battery in the car had been powering various projects and derelicts for 6 years, so I can’t complain too much).

Notice the new alternator snug in it’s brackets and the new voltage regulator as well.

Cherry on top



One thing that was really bugging me in the engine bay was the original oil filler cap. It had a breather tube (sort of like a pseudo-PCV) that had been capped and vented when I swapped on the open element air cleaner. Dad stepped in again and sent this earlier style breather cap with no vent tube, still in original EN-66 blue. Much nicer!

[SuperBuickGuy]

that's sweet that you got to run the car

turn your catch can over (so it fills from the bottom and vents at the top)

if you still get a bit of fluid out of the top, then simply turn your valve shut (but it shouldn't)

[myon]

Hi Michael, my name is Mario and I am from Guatemala. First I found a video with the restoration of your vehicle, but I did not understand anything, because I don't speak English. Then I found this site and I gave says you were your. With the translators I have managed to understand something of your restoration and learn a lot. I managed to buy a 1973 Javelin, here in Guatemala, they are very rare, only there in the country possibly 5 trucks. I envy you, because there in the USA, find all the parts to fix it, here not find anything. But with effort, patience and some friends, I want to give back his glory to the Javelin. Possibly bother you with questions and doubts that have, in my restoration. The number has ke in the Block of Pistons is 321 6086-2, so your you investigaste, I think it is a 304, 2-barrel carburetor. In addition, it has a system of alternate propane combustion, you can use gas and gasoline. It is 15 to 20 years of being stopped, without movement, the motor rotates.



I love the Javelin, I'm proud to have it, now comes the hard, restoration, that's going to take a long time, because here can't find parts or spare parts, but the hare.



Thank you, Michael for your support



greetings from Guatemala, Central America


Hola Michael, mi nombre es Mario y soy de Guatemala. Encontre primero un video con la restauracion de tu vehiculo, pero no entendi nada, porque no hablo ingles. Luego encontre esta pagina y me di cuenta que eras tu. Con los traductores he logrado entender algo de tu restauracion y aprendo mucho. Yo logre comprar un Javelin 1973, aqui en Guatemala, son muy raros, solo hay en el pais 5 carros posiblemente. Te envidio, porque alla en USA, encuentras todos los respuestos para arreglarlo, aqui no encuentro nada. Pero con esfuerzo, mucha paciencia y algunos amigos, quiero devolverle su gloria al Javelin. Posiblemente te moleste con algunas preguntas y dudas que tenga, en mi restauracion. El numero ke tiene en el Block de Pistones es 321 6086-2, por lo que tu investigaste, creo que es un 304, carburador de 2 barriles. Ademas, tiene un sistema de combustion de Gas Propano alterno, puede usar gas y gasolina. Tiene como 15 a 20 aņos de estar parado, sin movimiento, el motor gira.

Me encanta el Javelin, estoy orgulloso de tenerlo, ahora viene lo duro, la restauracion, que me va a llevar mucho tiempo, porque aqui no encuentro piesas o repuestos, pero lo hare.

Gracias, Michael por tu apoyo

Saludos desde Guatemala, Centro America

[myon]

It cost me a lot the understanding of your restoration, because there are many pictures that I can't see them, but you have managed to understand some important things. More send you along some photos of as my Javelin is currently so you notice it. It is identical to yours, with the only difference of the duck tail. Eventually, I want to get a 401, alla in the US engine and send it to bring, to change it. Do you the same work of change of front drums for discs and jaws. Well, I want to dream, with respect to the Javelin. Few, missing parts such as support of the nameplate, which covers the entrance to the gas tank. This gas tank broken, support of the coil, a chrome-plated rear glass, the hood emblem fillet, are very few things. Painting does not serve, in documents says red, but is orange, not is if the color factory.



Well now you conte something else, when you first start to work I tell you that more problems found. jajajajajajaja



greetings, Michael