Is a V8 always the right answer? Okay, put your middle fingers down, it’s always a good answer, but sometimes it might not be a right answer. Case in point: I’ve been plotting out a theoretical AMC Spirit AMX build. I like the size of the car, I like the neatly square stance of the car, and I admit, out of the many Decal GT cars of the late 1970s, the Spirit AMX doesn’t look too bad. Stock, they came with two engines, both of American Motors origin: the 304 V8 and the 258 inline-six. While building a 304 that actually makes grunt is a very entertaining option and dead-on correct for the car (The 1979 Spirit AMX was the last V8-powered AMC), why not do a stroker six? The parts are out there, and you can hybridize with Chrysler-period 4.0L blocks to make good power. Back that up with a strong five-speed manual, some suspension tuning and some very good brakes and you’d have a wicked little autocrosser.
Now, realistically, what kind of power can you get out of a stroked AMC/Jeep engine? Check out this build by Newcomer Racing…nothing exotic, plenty left on the table, and it’s just over 300 horsepower and has a torque curve as flat as a nun’s ruler, naturally aspirated. Check out the details of this build…if not for a hot little car, imagine this in a Cherokee set up for the desert. It’s no big-horsepower dream mill, but it’s plenty stout and capable. And again, upgradable…we like that.
Yup. I want one. Most of the jeep strokers on the market require high octane.