AMX/3 Reproductions

[Tom Dulaney]

Hi,
My name is Tom Dulaney and I have introduced myself in the newbie area and brought up the topic of the AMX/3 reproduction I am working on. Is there an area where I can post updates on the project? I am making friends with several GT40 owners in the Southern California area and there seems to be some cross over of interest, since we both have mid-engine reproductions of classic American supercars. Here is my most recent update.

Today, my friend Greg Bruno, who is the Secretary for our company Sciabola Inc, and I took one of the reproduction bodies to Dave Ward of Precision Welding. I am confident that Dave Ward will do a good job building this chassis, Dave is going to use the same size wheels and tires as the Big Red Camaro, since he is the Crew Chief and Big Red is at his shop, he has extra wheels and tires around. The rears are 335/30ZR18, yippee! After the chassis is completed, we need to have the fiberglass inner structures made, the doors, hood and rear deck lid need support and to be made functional. I am looking for an investor to help get the car to the next stage, investors get shares in the company, so if there is anyone who would like to help us, e-mail me. [email protected]

Dave Ward (Precision Welding, Crew Chief of the Big Red Camaro), Tom Dulaney (President Sciabola Inc) and Tim Burton

Greg Bruno (Secretary Sciabola Inc), Dave Ward (Precision Welding, Crew Chief of the Big Red Camaro), Tom Dulaney (President Sciabola Inc)

We also brought Dave some parts, we brought the case for the new Mendeola SDR transaxle, Mike Mendeola was kind enough to let us borrow one even though they are not yet available to the public. We brought a bare 401 AMC V-8 block, some heads, a Torker intake, stock oil pan and a 1970 AMC tilt steering column. The steering column will be attached to the Corvette rack and pinion, the other parts are just for mock up, so Dave knows how to build the chassis with a drive train of these dimensions.
Tom Dulaney

 

[Brian Hamilton]

Welcome to the forum Tom! You can post a build thread in the Build Thread section. I'm looking forward to following this thing's progress. Definitely a new car, I think I went on your page or another page where it had the original 3 concept vehicles. Very sharp. Are you trying to create a perfect reproduction, or are you going to modernize it at all? Well, I can see you're using the Mendeola transaxle, but are you going to update suspension and all that stuff as well? Either way, it will be an interesting build.

Keep us updated,

Brian :thumbsup:

 

[Tom Dulaney]

Brian,
Thanks for your help. The first show car prototype reproduction will have some stock features, like an AMC engine and steering column. But the suspension, steering and brakes will be C4 Corvette (1984-1997). With the wheels I could not help my self, they will be 18" in diameter with tires the same size as the Big Red Camaro, rears are 335/30ZR18, fronts are pretty wide too, I forgot the size, but BIG.
Tom

 

[Tom Dulaney]

AMX/3 Reproductions - Bigger Wheels !!

Dave Ward was going to try and use the same size wheels and tires as the Big Red Camaro, but it turns out we need BIGGER wheels and tires, Wow, I thought 335/30/ZR18's were going to be good enough for the rear, but Noooooo (read like the late John Belushi from SNL) we can go bigger. I am so happy!!!
Tom

Thanks to Tim Burton for this picture and update.

 

[Brian Hamilton]

Dayumn! Looks good man! Can't wait to see the finished car. Are you going to leave it NA for now or are you considering a supercharger or turbocharger(s)?

 

[Mesa]

Re: AMX/3 Reproductions - Bigger Wheels !!

Wow, I thought 335/30/ZR18's were going to be good enough for the rear, but Noooooo (read like the late John Belushi from SNL) we can go bigger. I am so happy!!!

LOL
You boys seem like my kind of fruitcakes! (go big or go home). You have a lot of work ahead of you, best of luck with your cool and unique project.

"Big Red" If this is the car I'm remembering - Many years ago I took my 914V8 down to Mexico to have a look at the La Carrera Race which was run from one side of Baha California to the other. I arrived at the hotel late at night .... as I drove along the narrow coastal road that led up to it, the earth started shaking ..... out of one of the trailers lining the road ''Big Red'' was backing out. Nasty and beautiful (69 Z28?) car, one of the first muscle cars with modern roadrace type suspension if I remember. I think ''Red'' won the race that year. I have a picture buried somewhere from the race.

 

[Tom Dulaney]

Brian,
I have a naturally aspirated 580HP AMC V-8 engine for this first car, to honor the AMC history. But I must admit I am becoming more and more interested in these new battery technologies that are being developed for electric vehicles.

Mesa,
Yes, that's Big Red, you saw it at the beginning of it's career.
Big Red Camaro Official website :::: Welcome!
I used to have a 914 V8 too, bouncy go cart.
Tom

 

[Tom Dulaney]

Tim Burton sent some new pictures today. Dave has found the C4 Corvette parts, we won't use all this stuff.

Here is another shot

And the square stock steel.

Tom

 

[Bill D]

Awesome and excellent looking!! I'm going to watch this build VERY closely!!

Cheers
Bill

 

[Chris Martino]

Found some pics - nice project guys as I'm sure others will agree.

Chris

 

[Tom Dulaney]

Thanks Guys,
I just finished watching "Batman Begins" so I was really pumped up, I love that roof jumping tank he has. Then an e-mail arrives, Tim Burton, more pictures. Thanks Tim, Wow, as you can see, Dave Ward is not wasting any time, he is flying.

Tom

 

[Mike Drew]

Years ago I got to spend a whole day crawling all over an AMX/3 (and also the AMX/2 clay prototype) for a magazine article I wrote.

As these cars were designed without benefit of any aerodynamic testing, they had unbelievable amounts of front-end lift--enough to pull the front tires completely off the ground at relatively low triple-digit speeds.

Have you considered how to address that problem? A chin spoiler would probably go a long way towards combating it.

Yours is an inspired build Where did you get the body?

 

[Tom Dulaney]

Mike,
Thanks for posting. How very cool that you wrote an article on the AMX/2 and AMX/3. I would love to see a copy of your article and any pictures, if possible. I am going to assume it was the yellow AMX/3 number 5 car, since it had the same owner as the AMX/2 pushmobile at one time. I bought the AMX/3 pushmobile a little over a year ago. This is the only evidence of the original AMC design from Detroit before the Italians got involved. It was on display at the 1970 Chicago Auto Show, then went to a museum in Denver for a few years before being sold to a private collector who had it for 30 years, and then I bought it. Being a 20+ years AMC hobbyist, this is a very exciting project for me, and the AMC community is right there too, now the kit car guys and even some EV folks. I have started a company for this project, Sciabloa Inc. An investor is needed to get the car to the next stage after the chassis is completed. We need to fabricate the inner structures and make new molds. The eventual goal is to be able to offer the public a complete set of AMX/3 reproduction body panels. As far as the aerodynamic go, I have also heard that the Italian made cars get air born easily. The yellow number 5 car owned by Bernie Carl has a custom chin spoiler that helps a lot. This is just one of many parts Sciabola can produce, there is also talk of a rear spoiler.
Tom
Welcome to AMX390

 

[Tom Dulaney]

I spoke with Dave Ward today and he is moving quickly on this chassis. So I sent out an e-mail to some folks who have expressed an interest in the project. I am looking for the next investor for Sciabola Inc, so we can keep the project moving when the chassis is completed. We are getting closer to being able to offer the reproduction bodies to the public. Here is the latest picture, thanks to Tim Burton.
Tom Dulaney

 

[Tom Dulaney]

The front is coming along nicely.

See it in the next issue of Kit Car Builder July/August 2008
Tom

 

[Tom Dulaney]

Hehehe

 

[Bill D]

Excellent. This is going to be a great build!!

 

[Tom Dulaney]

Thanks Bill,
I am so excited I am like a kid waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve. I can't wait to drive this thing!

 

[Tom Dulaney]

How about some more press, August 2008, Kit car Builder page 39

Tom

 

[Jim Cowden]

Good stuff Tom.
I like this car.
Is it my imagination, when all the work started your friends all pissed off and left you to it.

Jim