Mach1 Driver

David, I've not read about changing the oil- maybe that's for extreme users, racers and the like? Lots of guys use it at the track and its supposedly good to 2000 hp. I haven't been able to break the little FMX in the 46 years I've owned it but I'm planning on some go fast goodies that will bump the power up to about 450 hp. I intend a tranny rebuild but I do wonder if the FMX will handle the load.

Does anyone have any experience or tips about the GearVendor overdrive? I have a 69 Mach1, 351w with an FMX. I an guessing that it would be easier to add a GearVendor than to drop-in and AOD, AODE, or 4R70W. Since you keep your old tranny and add the OD to the back of it, and that combination is not as fat as the AODs etc., then you could keep the old exhaust or use long tube headers instead of shorties and the plumbing would be easier?? Potentially you could have six forward speeds although I read that most people just use the 3 + OD. The shift and carb linkage remain stock and electronics will automatically shift it into overdrive at the proper speed, just like driving one of the AODs. You don't need a new transmission support- everything happens behind the tranny. You just need to shorten the driveshaft. One downside is the price: $2795

Does anyone in the Atlanta area have a good paint shop they can recommend? I would like to know places to avoid also. Thanks

Are there any identifying marks on on the green plug or the male pin terminals? I can think of a dozen manufacturers who sell literally thousands of sizes and types of terminals. If you can identify the part number (a daunting task) then Digi-Key is a good on-line place to order them in small quantities. Maybe you can explain the problem to the harness manufacturer and get the parts or numbers from them. Good luck.

Right you are- Scott Drake has a kit

Slightly different subject- anyone know where to get the foam that covers the heater doors? Mine are making a heck of a racket when I switch modes.

I'm jealous

Lol, oh to be young and dumb again!

With a stock 69 coil and points system: run a wire directly from the battery + to the coil (disconnect the usual wire). The other side of the coil should go to the distributor as usual. This is what normally happens with the ignition in the start position. When the key is in the run position, power is routed through the ballast resistor (or sometimes a resistive wire) and then to the coil. If you run it for too long with a direct connection to the battery it will eat-up your points, but you can start it and run it for a little while with no problem. If that doesn't get you spark then your problem is either the coil or points. To crank the engine you will need to go from battery + to the starter solenoid coil terminal. I usually do this with a remote hand held starter pushbutton switch so I can disengage the starter after the engine fires. The nice thing about using a remote starter switch is that you are standing right next to the engine and can goose the throttle or whatever needs to be done, and can check for leaks, etc. These old pre-electronics cars are really simple electrically. All you need is the coil, points, the starter solenoid, and starter to get it running (and of course the plug wires). Literally everything else can be disconnected.

Oh man, point taken!

Well, you've done all the usual things. As you know it is either the relay or the switch controlling the relay. A short from the relay to the motor (cable touching the chassis, etc.) could draw too may amps and make the relay stick. Heat and vibration break down the insulation on the cables and these cars are 46 years old now. Check it at the relay, the motor and everywhere in between. If it turns out it was a short, replace the relay with a new one, since the contacts will have been damaged. Good luck.

I used one of those little motorized etching tools- you know the kind- to write on metal. I just scored-up the ball and it's been fine since.

Hi Tank, I guess this would be helpful, can you elaborate a little? What does this mean: #4532#8900#1432

perhaps I wasn't clear, wire 19 is the lite/dimmer. It comes from the lite switch, goes through the 4A fuse and then to the four plugs

Grande, The wire diagram shows wire 19 which is blue- red strip as you said. It comes from a 4A fuse in the block and goes to four plugs: clock, radio, heater and then the big plug for the printed circuit board cluster with 8 lites. Pick your poison.

Any info on the conversion to the AOD would be appreciated. I've got the stock FMX now and wonder if you had any issues with the exhaust. I plan to go to headers but haven't decided whose yet and am wondering which can make it around the AOD trany.

Great, I've needed to do this for years...will love to see your technique

Hmm, nicely done! I haven't done any body work (yet) but way back in the days before lasers and CNC punch presses I worked in the engineering department of a major appliance company. In those days if metal had to be formed for a prototype it was done by hand. We had a model maker that was our hammer man, and he could form practically anything. This reminds me of those skills that are now almost non-existent in industry, but alive and well in the hot-rodder/hobbyist world. It makes me smile ;)