i am looking at a cherry 65 rambler classic 770. it has a tired 287 V8 with the goofy tunnel driveshaft. how difficult would it be to swap in a 390/401 engine with a 727 and 8 3/4 rear end? i am thinking i'd need an A-body rear end. or could i use an AMC drivetrain from an AMX or javelin. any experience with this? ideas? thanks.

edit: is the 401 block the same dimensions as the 287? are the motor mounts in the same place?

no dice. poop.

I have no advice on anything except this, my opinion on AMC rear ends.

Use Something Else.

AMC (I think) all used those incredibly irritating tapered rear axles, which used flutes on the axle, which sort'ha mashed into the drum / hub to drive the car. Required a big, expensive puller to pull rear drums.

The othere thing? If this thing is "cherry" then it just might be worth a lot more as a collector than a rod. Might want to consider leaving it alone and looking for another prospect.

it is a beautiful car. the paint is thin and there are a few minor tears in the driver's seat, but all the chrome is there, straight and perfect. it only has a few over 15k original miles. it has the strangest rear end i have ever seen..there are shocks, coil springs above the axle, and two long bars going forward to the center of the car from the axle housing ends. the driveshaft is completely enclosed in a goofy axle tube that bolts to the center section housing.

i was thinking that i'd need to replace the whole axle and tranny as well, since they seem to be a unit. i don't want to post the craigslist link here...but here is a pic.

!!!15k!!!! ??? Man I think it'd be a shame to tear that thing up.

I can tell you're young. MANY older cars used "torque tube" drive--enclosed driveshafts, including the old pre-55 Chivvys, I don't know when Ford went to "open" shafts, I think it was earlier.

The way they work, is, the tube, and diagonal braces from the rear housing to the front of the tube position the rear in place, usually with an additional pan bar going across the car. There's a big ball and seal up at the transmission which allows movement, and one U joint inside the ball. A REAL pain to work on, I might add.

the engine is kinda rusty and has a 4 bbl added. it comes with pictures, shop manuals, service records, etc. i like the look, but i want something a little faster! my girlfriend has a 65 ambassador with that torque tube setup, and it is a nightmare. i am 32, so i am sorta young , but i was thinking of saving the drivetrain and engine for her car and just replacing it. i have never done that before... and a lot of times people will say "that is impossible!!" or 'that's a piece of cake,' which is what i was hoping for.

thanks.

it may be possible to switch the drive train from a 68 or 69 ambassador. i had a 69 ambassador with a 343 and open drive train. the keyed axles are a problem for serious performance work. Henry's (don't know if they're still around) used make a flandged axle kit.

250/287/327 is a COMPLETELY different animal than the 290/304/343/360/390/401...not sure how different motor mounts, etc are