Nearly three years ago our youngest son began a project to restore a 1964 AMC station wagon with a 327. This was to be a Sunday only street cruiser for his wife and kids. For more than two years we have been unsuccessful in locating -.010 rod and main bearings for the 327. He has all the other parts and the machine work has been completed but he, the machine shop and every parts supplier we have tried, (and there have been dozens) absolutely can not locate the bearings.

He has decided to pull the plug end the project and scrap (crush) one really nice restored car ALL for the sake of a set of &%$@*&$ rod and main bearings!

Bob

Maybe try Egge or Packard industries, they seem to have some of the one off stuff.

I wouldn't consider it the first choice, but if you can only source the std size, maybe have the crank built up and ground back to std (?)

I hope you are not serious about the crushing part!

Put a different AMC engine in it until you find them.

Tried Egge and every AMC supplier on planet Earth that we could think of, drew a zero everywhere. The pistons are a coveted set of forged aluminum Chevy 327 pistons made to fit the AMC wrist pins. The trans and converter have been rebuilt and he fabricated a radiator air box with two electric fans. He bought a new aluminum intake manifold and carburetor and made arrangements to have a set of headers built so at this point he's really deep into the project all stopped because we can not find a set of 10 under bearings. At this point he is rapidly losing interest, it will be a AMC or nothing deal and NOTHING is the current thinking.

Bob

Bob, are std bearings available? If so can you get a std crank? If so that may be the best option. Better than crushing the car for sure

quote:

Originally posted by Big Steve:
Bob, are std bearings available? If so can you get a std crank? If so that may be the best option. Better than crushing the car for sure

That is kind of what I was thinking. Even having Mile High weld and grind the crank you have if std. bearings are available.

Found a set of rods at .001 (Egge) and could have the shaft welded but want to avoid that if possible. Still no mains. Clevite, Sealed Power, ACL, King don't even list an AMC 327 set. Looking for someone who buys obsolete parts inventories.

If I was to do this again it would get an LS and be DONE with the BS. Problem there is that he lives in California, it would NEVER pass smog.

Thanks guys. Any other ideas please send them along.

Bob

Hemmings Motor News?

I've have a machinist friend who is a bit of an AMC enthusiast, I'll ask him what's up.

What about .020" under?

Advance Auto lists a crank kit for $229 for a '64 Ambassador 327 2bbl.
https://shop.advanceautoparts....kit-11710/15950231-P

Rprogas do you have a part#. I can check.

The Advanced 11710 is a Chevy 327 bearing kit, not an AMC. Trying King Tech tomorrow morning. Clevite/Federal Mogul/Sealed Power/ACL not making the correct bearing set. Maybe we'll try using a rawhide rope.

Just kidding. Man what a nightmare!

Bo

Plllleeeeeeeezzzz don't let it get crushed! I love long roofs, and dig AMCs.

Have you tried posting this on Speed Talk? there are a few old timers there that might be able to help out.

Op, have you looked at a set of rod bearings for a amc 390/401 1968/1971? The crank journal diameter is the same. The bearings themselves are .097 narrow than the 327 bearings but may work if the notch in the bearings will fit the rod. The old of the bearings is the same. Might be worth buying a set to look at. I will look through my old bearings catalog to see if I can locate mains to work. They are harder to mix/ match because of the thrust.

Looks like the mains are the same as a 199/232/258 six cylinder that ran from 1965 to 1988. Maybe a shot?

I have some .010 small journal Chevy bearings that are HND, narrowed and with dowel hole

Don’t know why I didn’t post part # on my original post. Rods are federal mogul 3385cp, mains are federal mogul 4289m. This information comes from a bearings catalog I have left over from when I ran the machine shop. Catalog is dated 1994 so I hope the numbers still are good or can be crossed to current ones.

I can't begin to thank everyone for the information and ideas, this has been a very frustrating search. I will follow up on all the suggestions. Our search thus far has been a failure, I appreciate the FM part numbers Wooley.

Bob

I just did a quick google search and both part numbers are still available from many sources. Even from Napa.