There is a special sort of satisfaction that comes from showing a set of AMC taillights to the guy in the other lane. We've enjoyed that sensation as we've pulled the handle on the One-Two shift in front of a couple of slack-jawed M3 owners and watched them fade in the rearview. We did it using the Car Craft-tweaked 67 Rambler American built with all AMC parts. The car is distinct enough to get attention and familiar enough to prevent resentment, even if it did just hand you a loss. Chevy guys think it's a Nova, Ford guys think it's a Falcon, and Mopar guys know it as a distant cousin. Import guys don't know what's going on.
Using a base 360 we hauled from a junkyard and rebuilt at JMS Racing Engines in El Monte, California, the 67 Rambler American has run 11.50s in the quarter-mile, cruised to Vegas and San Diego, and wailed on any foreign or exotic car that cares to pick a fight. The original JMS Racing combo made 465 hp with off-the-shelf parts to prove that anyone with a torque wrench could repeat the effort. We've also been hoarding a set of Indy cylinder heads for close to four years with a thickheaded plan to build a 600hp pump gas destroyer. But first we had to find a transmission that would handle the load, build a rearend that wouldn't crack like a peanut, and assemble all the little parts that make a good AMC tick.
67 Rambler Cam Specs
Lunati custom grind: 17-UF37-UF35-110 +4
Duration: 291/301 advertised; 263/268 at 0.050
Lift: 0.608/0.630 with a 1.6:1 rocker
Springs: No. 73124, 136 pounds at 1.880, 1.500 OD
Lifter: AMC solid lifter PN 70998
General spring info: installed height 1.850, pocket 1.550
67 Rambler Head Specs
18-degree Indy heads
235cc intake/105 exhaust
2.100/1.650 valves
53cc chamber
We tested the Indy heads on Westech's flow bench with a 4.030 plate and an exhaust pipe at 28 inches of mercury.
VALVE LIFT INTAKE EXHAUST 0.100 63 26 0.200 132 108 0.300 190 144 0.400 230 179 0.500 244 193 0.600 256 203 0.700 262 209
PARTS LIST PART PN SOURCE PRICE AMC short-block N/A guy on eBay $500.00 Distributor 8523 MSD 354.95 Dipstick that fits N/A Bulltear 36.99 750hp carbs 82750 Holley 476.95 each H-beam connecting rod CRS6000H3D Eagle/Summit Racing 588.67 Camshaft 17-UF37-UF35-110 +4 Lunati Call Cylinder heads 401-H1-1AS Indy Cylinder Head 2,095.00 Intake gaskets 800G Mr. Gasket 12.95 Sheetmetal tunnel-ram N/A Hogan's Call Head gasket 8266PT-1 Fel-Pro 19.95 each Engine gaskets KS2002 Fel-Pro 92.95 Spark plugs C57CX Champion 6.39 each Plug wires 35859 MSD 83.95 Rocker arms 85390 Lunati 285.95 Pushrods 401-P5-9K Indy Cylinder Head 145.00 Pistons Custom JE Call Valve covers AMC Indy Cylinder Head 255.00 Rings J100F8-4210-5 JE Pistons 174.95 Engine bearings AMC 401 Clevite 116.29 Water pump AMC 401 Chrysler 45.17 Oil pan 30260 Milodon 443.33 Oil kit 24050 Milodon 313.54 Balancer 90101 Pro Comp 211.95 Timing chain CCA-3118 Comp Cams 61.50 Nickel-plated timing cover/gears N/A Bulltear 350.00 Tri-Flow bypass 534 Bulltear 134.00 Cam/distributor gears N/A Bulltear 119.00
Engine Specs
Cam bearing clearance: 0.0025
Crankshaft endplay: 0.003 to 0.008
Compression ratio: 11.13:1
Displacement: 438
Deck height: 9.180
Dish: 0.175
Final stroke: 3.934
Final rod journal: 1.889
Final bore: 4.210
Head gasket: 0.040
Main bearing clearance: 0.003 No. 1-4; 0.0035 No. 5
Piston compression distance: 1.213
Pin diameter: 0.927
Pin length: 2.750
Pocket: 0.250/0.250 18 degrees
Rings: 1/16; 1/16; 3/16
Ring gap: top and middle 0.015; bottom 0.015 to 0.055
Rod length: 6 inches
Rod bearing clearance: 0.003
Rod side clearance: 0.007-0.010
