Largest Socket Contest - Photo Required

[WILDHOBO]

With your work history, why am I not surprised in the least?
Bet that's a @#$% to calibrate.
I'm afraid engine work just doesn't come close to that sort of need - or does it?
High performance engine building means torque plates because the act of bolting on the head distorts the block a bit, so you bolt on a plate to act like a head on the block, applying the same forces, while you do the final honing.
Me - I don't worry about the final 0.032 HP

turbo compressors and similar equipment, heavy, high speed shafts, dang things had better by close to perfect.

If I had a ton of space, which I don’t, I’d just build cool engines and leave them on the stands as decorations. I’d do it like some people enjoy legos.

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[ShadowsPapa]

If I had a ton of space, which I don’t, I’d just build cool engines and leave them on the stands as decorations. I’d do it like some people enjoy legos.

3 or 4 years ago I was asked to help with engine accessories and parts for a purely display engine for a Chicago car show. Rich wanted nicely done accessories and other parts so he could put together a duplicate of the original AMC AMX 390 engine like used in their advertising back then. It took some doing as all of the photos or images came from magazines from the late 1960s so you can imagine the quality of the images.
It was a hit.
The good thing was - it was for display only, so he could build it without some of the internal parts like rods and pistons, heads with no valves, and so on, keeping it a little bit lighter for hauling to the show and back.
He had the valve covers done in that special chrome effect they used (not all chrome shops will even try to duplicate the process - it's not shiny and slick), he used original NOS AMC script belts and hoses.

This pic is NOT that engine, but the sort of thing some of us like having around in our shops.........

 

[WILDHOBO]

3 or 4 years ago I was asked to help with engine accessories and parts for a purely display engine for a Chicago car show. Rich wanted nicely done accessories and other parts so he could put together a duplicate of the original AMC AMX 390 engine like used in their advertising back then. It took some doing as all of the photos or images came from magazines from the late 1960s so you can imagine the quality of the images.
It was a hit.
The good thing was - it was for display only, so he could build it without some of the internal parts like rods and pistons, heads with no valves, and so on, keeping it a little bit lighter for hauling to the show and back.
He had the valve covers done in that special chrome effect they used (not all chrome shops will even try to duplicate the process - it's not shiny and slick), he used original NOS AMC script belts and hoses.

This pic is NOT that engine, but the sort of thing some of us like having around in our shops.........

That raised oil fill with the filter brings back so many great memories of the AMC 304 in my CJ. I had a waking dream just yesterday that I was going to find a junkyard 304, rebuild it just like the one I built for the CJ. Then somehow figure out how to adapt it for the gladiator. I think it would be a nice conversation piece to have a current generation Jeep with a classic AMC Powertrain. It’s a small V8, and built well, can reliably get up to 350hp or so with natural aspiration. Mine was 325hp with an upgraded cam, 10/1 compression, and flat head pistons, and headers w/ flowmasters and 3” exhaust.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

That raised oil fill with the filter brings back so many great memories of the AMC 304 in my CJ. I had a waking dream just yesterday that I was going to find a junkyard 304, rebuild it just like the one I built for the CJ. Then somehow figure out how to adapt it for the gladiator. I think it would be a nice conversation piece to have a current generation Jeep with a classic AMC Powertrain. It’s a small V8, and built well, can reliably get up to 350hp or so with natural aspiration. Mine was 325hp with an upgraded cam, 10/1 compression, and flat head pistons, and headers w/ flowmasters and 3” exhaust.

I have a 343 and a 360 sitting here on storage stands.......... not sure what to do with (343 was the generation before 360, same bore, different stroke. the 290 of those years became the 304)
Cheap to good home.

 

[Capngeo]

This is the biggest in my garage. A 3" hub nut socket. It's been used and abused. Had to weld a 1/2" extension to it.

Damn... beat me by ¼"!

So, of course I had to see what actually was the biggest socket made..... well I found the biggest nut...

 

[Rusty PW]

With your work history, why am I not surprised in the least?
Bet that's a @#$% to calibrate.
I'm afraid engine work just doesn't come close to that sort of need - or does it?
High performance engine building means torque plates because the act of bolting on the head distorts the block a bit, so you bolt on a plate to act like a head on the block, applying the same forces, while you do the final honing.
Me - I don't worry about the final 0.032 HP

turbo compressors and similar equipment, heavy, high speed shafts, dang things had better by close to perfect.

Some of the equipment that I worked on. Had a .0002" tolerance. Thrust disc's and the bearing journal sensor area. Used a pencil eraser to work the area into tolerance. This was an area that was burnished.

 

[Rusty PW]

That raised oil fill with the filter brings back so many great memories of the AMC 304 in my CJ. I had a waking dream just yesterday that I was going to find a junkyard 304, rebuild it just like the one I built for the CJ. Then somehow figure out how to adapt it for the gladiator. I think it would be a nice conversation piece to have a current generation Jeep with a classic AMC Powertrain. It’s a small V8, and built well, can reliably get up to 350hp or so with natural aspiration. Mine was 325hp with an upgraded cam, 10/1 compression, and flat head pistons, and headers w/ flowmasters and 3” exhaust.

Instead of the 304. A 360, 390, and the 401 will bolt right in. Buddy of mine put the 360 into his CJ5. I had a Hornet SC360. Being young and dumb. I didn't know what I had at that time.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Instead of the 304. A 360, 390, and the 401 will bolt right in. Buddy of mine put the 360 into his CJ5. I had a Hornet SC360. Being young and dumb. I didn't know what I had at that time.

Good point. Meaning bolt right into the JT?!

 

[Kevin_D]

Instead of the 304. A 360, 390, and the 401 will bolt right in. Buddy of mine put the 360 into his CJ5. I had a Hornet SC360. Being young and dumb. I didn't know what I had at that time.

Good point. Meaning bolt right into the JT?!

Hah!
I wish!
No, the 304, 360, 390, 401 were interchangeable, but not into a JT.

Kevin

 

[Jefe1018]

1 and 1/8th for the diesel fuel filter housing, really a kid's toy compared to what you all are pulling in.

Sometimes I wish I didn't ride a desk 70% of the time, but it pays well enough to wrench as a hobby with passion and pride of DIY.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Hah!
I wish!
No, the 304, 360, 390, 401 were interchangeable, but not into a JT.

Kevin

Me too. How cool would it be to have a JT with a 360?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Hah!
I wish!
No, the 304, 360, 390, 401 were interchangeable, but not into a JT.

Kevin

Bolt pattern interchangeable, but the crank flange was different because in 1972 AMC switched from the Borg Warner automatic to a MOPAR automatic with the AMC bolt pattern.
But, you can adapt.......
360 came out in 1970 so there's a 1970-71 360, and then the later 72+

Block outside dimensions were identical - the way to tell the difference was the displacement was cast into the block near the engine mount areas on each side.

 

[Kevin_D]

Bolt pattern interchangeable, but the crank flange was different because in 1972 AMC switched from the Borg Warner automatic to a MOPAR automatic with the AMC bolt pattern.
But, you can adapt.......
360 came out in 1970 so there's a 1970-71 360, and then the later 72+

Block outside dimensions were identical - the way to tell the difference was the displacement was cast into the block near the engine mount areas on each side.

...and Thank You for the details! It could make a difference with my '71 J4000, come time for restoration.

 

[Rusty PW]

Hah!
I wish!
No, the 304, 360, 390, 401 were interchangeable, but not into a JT.

Kevin

I mean where the 304 was, the others will bolt in.

 

[Sandevino]

I have a set for HD axle hubs ranging 3.5” - 10” depending on the axle in storage. All impact rated. The 10” socket weighs 7 pounds.

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