I did a few more detail refinements to the AMX over the summer in preparation for the show in Milwaukee. First I installed the missing seat belt magnets on the console:
Next I addressed the steering wheel - again. Originally I repaired and repainted the steering wheel from my other '69 AMX to use in the pink one. It looked OK but as soon as the weather changed last fall, the repaired areas cracked again. I have come to the understanding that sunlight cracks these wheels, then hot and cold temperatures cause the plastic to expand and shrink,
independent of the metal core. For this reason it is my opinion that once these wheels are cracked they cannot be successfully repaired, regardless of the method tried. Knowing this I purchased an uncracked wheel last winter. I only had to change the color of the backside to charcoal and then regrain the front as 95% of it was worn completely smooth. It turned out pretty well IMO:
OK, the very last part of the car yet to be redone or replaced was the nasty Interstate battery which was in the car when I bought it back in 2005. It still worked fine but looked nothing like the original. Back in the spring I ordered a perfect reproduction battery from APD but unfortunately they have been put on permanent backorder. With show season rapidly approaching I had no choice but to buy a regular parts store battery and then doll it up to somewhat resemble the right one:
Time to install the correct 1969 hold down and even an NOS
Prestolite positive cable I won on eBay:
So now the engine bay looks finished, although I know that there are still a couple of items that can still be upgraded.
For now the AMX is parked again since my rebuilt power brake booster failed while I was at the Goodguys' Blue Suede Cruise in Norwalk, Ohio. I'm hoping that it will be back in time to drive the car at least a couple more times this season, but if not that's OK too. I had a great summer driving it this year!
