[narendra.vw]

My friend owns an Amby 2L Diesel 2005 model which was passed on to him as a will after his father passed away.
Due to sentimental reasons, he decided to keep it.
He was used to "modern" comfort while in a car. He decided to modify the car to meet all his needs.
he gave the whole responsibility to me,since he knew my capabilities.

A day came when he was supposed go to the US for his daughter’s graduation day.
This was the right time to take the delivery of the car from him as I would get at least one month’s time.
He let me decide on choosing the needs.

Took the delivery, drove it for a few days just to get the feel. Low mileage car, around 36000 km. Clutch was very soft, 5 speed gearbox silky smooth. Good heat & sound shield for the cabin.
My observation,
1) AC, company fitted . Works well. So,I left it alone.
2) Front Seat, bench. Had to be replaced with bucket seat.
3)Power steering. A must in this car as it has such a heavy diesel engine.
4)Indicators lever , H/L switch, hazard switch too many to look around. Simplify.
5) Door lock, Driver would have to be a yoga practicer to reach all doors. Centre locking is a must.
6)Handling & looks of the Disc & tyre needs to be changed.
7) According to his request,when all the above comfort needs are satisfied,running day light is a must.
8) Second gear pick up seems to be a problem. Needs to be checked.
I hope this will take care most of his needs

Work started with seats,I also ordered for new HM OE power steering,the complete kit.

He is much shorter than the avg height of a male Indian. Ergo choosing seat & seat height was bit challenging .
Seats :-- Scorpio front seats.( Flexible for making bracket ).
Simple bracket bolted to existing place. Following photos will give details.

Brackets made in 1.5" angle.




Ample leg room for rear passenger


Still he needs extra cushion.


Now I have decided to make some changes in switch stick cluster since there are too many places to reach for switches. I wanted a simple cluster which has everything required for electrical operations. My choice was esteem cluster. easy wiring & easy fix.(Intermediate also works.)
Following photos will give a visible explanation.

Note, a plate is brassed to a hose clamp which can be easily tightened to steering column pipe.


front view after fixing



Pins had to made in machine shop. Auto switch off for indicator.( Old setup did not match.)


After fitting the steering wheel


a small cut was needed to make way for hazard light switch.



All these switches are dummy now.

[narendra.vw]

Started work on centre locking system. My choice was Auto cop,to play safe,. Since the locking system was like any other modern car , It was a straight forward modification.

Solenoid switch is fixed behind front door glass channel. Arrow mark shows rod going up towards the door lock. Same with passenger side.


Arrow mark shows the switch rod attached to door lock. (Sorry for the blurriness.)


Back door, Easy fixing on both sides


power in hand


Control box layout.


This completes the centre locking work.

I received the power steering unit at the right time. Now I can move forward.
Cost of PS app 50K with tax. All parts including Brackets, steering wheel, inside column shield, hardware & belt were provided.
It was a bit of a puzzle to figure out where all these brackets goes in. Finally we could fix.
Power steering was not a straight fit. Needed to cut the column shield to make way for PS column. It is thicker than old one & has two pressure pipes connected to it.

power steering pump sits on left top side of the engine.


Reservoir tank fixed with bit of modifying & welding, the clamp provided.


PS belt uses second V groove provide by the ac compresser.


Extra groove was provided in Crank shaft pulley.


Different angle of fitted Power steering.




Finial fix. Shield for column.( Shield & self adhesive mat was provide with the unit.)


All pipes attached, belt fitted & TQ oil added to the Reservoir tank. Engine started & wheels were turned from lock to lock. This will remove any air locked inside the system. Checked for any oil leakage. Oil top up done & tank cap locked. After a small drive I was smiling all the way back to my work place. What a difference it made. Worth every penny.


While working on PS the huge air filter sitting above valve door cover was removed. I noticed oil leakage in valve door cover. Removed the cover to replace the packing with a new one.
I noticed some alloy on the engine head attached to nothing soaked in engine oil. closer inspection I found out the rocker arm of second cylinder inlet had snapped. This means it was running in three cylinders. (HM)
Second gear pick up solution found. Lucky me.
Got both the rocker arm replaced. ( Inlet & outlet.)

Rocker arm (Broken was misplaced by my boy.)


Most of the work is completed.

[narendra.vw]

Time to do his request & a must. LED day light.
My choice was, Philips LED day light. Expensive but worth it.

Centre locking system & LED day light used.



Simple clamp to hold the unit, bolted behind the bumper.



Unit will have protection in case of a small mishap.


Used the relay supplied by the unit.



LED day light does not change much of originality.


When engine is fired up.



Time for disc adaptation.( Disc used Gypsy.)

Work inside the cabin & engine completed. Now it will be easier to jack up the car on horse on all four sides.

Car jacked on horse, wheels removed. Work on hub & drums started( Note:--Drilling & nurling done for stud tight fit.)




Front hub re drilled to match new disc pcd.( Note:- Since rotor is separate new pcd on hub stays when new rotor is replaced.)



Back drums re drilled to new pcd. ( Note:-- New drums need's to be re drilled.)



Final out come in different angle.







Need some idea for hub caps. Gypsy caps looks too projected.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Technical Section. Thanks for sharing!

[msaudf]

Hi Narendra,

Good job. A few questions however.
Does the Ambassador have its own version with disc brakes? I remember reading about it somewhere.
The disc brake kit used in your modification, which vehicle was it actually meant for? Could you tell us the size of the rotors and the specification of the calipers used?

The power steering pump belt as you explained and as shown in the pictures.
Is it running from the compressor pulley, or from the crankshaft pulley but through the compressor? In either case doesn't it put additional load on the compressor bearings, couldn't the belt be independently connected (with a shorter belt)?

Please don't misunderstand my questions to be degrading your work. These works done in the legendary ambassador are very useful and your elaborate pictorial explanations are excellent.
On top of all that your dedication to your friendship deserves a standing ovation.

Cheers
Saud

[narendra.vw]

Originally Posted by msaudf

Hi Narendra,



The disc brake kit used in your modification,

.
Is it running from the compressor pulley, or from the crankshaft pulley but through the compressor? In either case doesn't it put additional load on the compressor bearings, couldn't the belt be independently connected (with a shorter belt)?


On top of all that your dedication to your friendship deserves a standing ovation.

Cheers
Saud

I am flattered with your appreciation.
1a. Small explanation to all who will mistake
my usage of word disc . I meant to say wheel disc ( Rims). Disc brake ie a OE fitments to the car. Later 2000 models have Disc brakes. All I did was change the pcd of the hub for new rims.
1b. Old cars can be converted bolt on. Just need sub axle, hub, calliper kit,rotors of HM. Readily available. Please buy new ones.

2. Belt runs from pump to ac compressor to crank pulley. Yes dia of belt is more then expected. It was provided by the HM unit, works well ,no screeching noise & slippage.

[jeeva]

Originally Posted by narendra.vw

Need some idea for hub caps. Gypsy caps looks too projected.

I have been following all your threads here. I adore your technical expertise and DIY no nonsense approach.
Very few of your tribe around these days. Glad to know that you are also based in Bangalore. Would love to meet you up someday.

For the hub caps, please see if you can source "Cox" make caps. It should be there somewhere stocked up in JC road. Once upon a time, they were quite famous for the hub cap, dooms, fender liners etc. for the Amby.
If not Alagendran automobiles, now Dhanam -Coimbatore will have them and other varieties for sure.

[narendra.vw]

Originally Posted by jeeva

Would love to meet you up someday.

For the hub caps, please see if you can source "Cox" make caps. It should be there somewhere stocked up in JC road. Once upon a time, they were quite famous for the hub cap, dooms, fender liners etc. for the Amby.
If not Alagendran automobiles, now Dhanam -Coimbatore will have them and other varieties for sure.

Thanks for your kind wards. Any time you let me know, I can share my experience. I live in south part of Bangalore.
Thanks for the info given for the hub caps.
JC road, I will go my self.
Coimbatore , I have a friend who resides in Krishnageri. He keeps going to Coimbatore I will put a word to find out.

[noelravin]

Great job on this car. I am rebuilding a 1977 Mark II and am currently ordering rare body panels from wherever available. I have planned the following major mechanical upgrades such as power steering, vacuum assisted disc brakes, HM-Isuzu petrol engine & gear box, power locks and power windows.

I noticed you have changed the door-handles. Is this necessary for installing the power locks? I would prefer to keep the OE handles if possible.

What engine & gearbox does you have in the car? The gear-shift appears to be quite forward still leaving enough space for a bench seat. I want the bench seat and would like to know if you have the same petrol Isuzu powertrain.

[Kaboooooom]

I too need help in restoring an old ambassador. It's petrol model 1800 ISZ, I think it's from year 2000. Need lots of mods, primarily power steering, power windows etc. Not sure if it already has disc brakes or what but it has immediate wheel stopping power, so would there be an option for abs? Some body work and Fuel pump. And lots of other small things. Car barely runs at the moment, front left wheel is not free, can get some more work done by local mechanic for longer distance. Presently at Lucknow, not sure if my requirements will be fulfilled here, but I can bring it to Delhi. Bangalore, coimbatore seems too far away for this. Is there a reliable n experienced option in Delhi, for this kind of work? Please help.

[unni246]

Originally Posted by narendra.vw

Thanks for your kind wards. Any time you let me know, I can share my experience. I live in south part of Bangalore.
Thanks for the info given for the hub caps.
JC road, I will go my self.
Coimbatore , I have a friend who resides in Krishnageri. He keeps going to Coimbatore I will put a word to find out.

Hi Narendra,

Nice work You do and Amby is one of my all time favorite car.
Well with regards to the chrome (cox) hub cap or trim rings were you able to source them? Do you know where i could find one here as I am looking one for myself in Bangalore for my 14inch steel wheels of Baleno.
Kindly advice if you know.

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Dear Narendra.vw - hello to you. You have done a very good job on the car. Maintaining the classic car look and at the same time giving modern car behaviour / performance / reliability is appreciated by many users.

As far as I remember (please confirm from Coimbatore), Alagendran Motor Stores in Coimbatore used to sell new Ambassador brake drums with 5 studs mounted at 139.7mm pitch circle diameter (5.5 inches), to suit Gypsy wheels directly. There was a vendor who made these drums in Coimbatore. I have seen many cars running in Coimbatore with this arrangement and Gypsy wheel rims. You may look at this arrangement for this application. It becomes plug and play and also ensures reliability / NVH.

Also, with inclusion of power steering, generally the KPI is increased by around 2.5 degrees to optimize side slip. What size of tire and what tire pressure are you running? Are they 195/70R15 or 195/65R15? How is the chassis taking the side slip? As the Gypsy wheel rim offset is +10mm and I do not know the Ambassador wheel rim offset but it must be definitely more than +10mm, scrub radius increases, which will partially offset the effect of the low KPI on side slip. Also, Gypsy wheel rim is 5.5J*15, so 195 section is correct for it. Kindly revert, from our learning point of view.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[h14]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

As far as I remember (please confirm from Coimbatore), Alagendran Motor Stores in Coimbatore used to sell new Ambassador brake drums with 5 studs mounted at 139.7mm pitch circle diameter (5.5 inches), to suit Gypsy wheels directly. There was a vendor who made these drums in Coimbatore.

Alagendra is now Dhanam Auto and the said parts are still available as even recently a friend mentioned to have sourced from there and done the similar setup

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Originally Posted by h14

Alagendra is now Dhanam Auto and the said parts are still available as even recently a friend mentioned to have sourced from there and done the similar setup

Dear Anandh - thanks! I have dealt with casting and machining vendors of Coimbatore, they were absolutely superb in their work and also in their understanding of what engineering specifications I wanted. No comparison to what we used to deal with, from other parts of the country. I know this, as I have learnt so much from them during my interactions with them. Sitting in Coimbatore, I built prototypes parts from nothing (not even a scratch) for one of the major new projects which I did there. I also tested the prototypes in and around Coimbatore. I still remember that the testing route passed through Karanampattai and the Somanur railway crossing, the total length of the test cycle was 50kms with 9 test cycles covered every day. The vehicle was successfully launched, and it sold 3000/month, month after month, for many years! . Most of the critical parts were from Coimbatore.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[narendra.vw]

Thanks to you all for reviving the thread. I came to know when someone quoted.

I like to answer few old posts,
- The door handle is OE fitting.
-Hub cups, my friend was Ok without it.
- 2000 model later comes with Disc Brakes. I suggest you not to go beyond this(no ABS).
Brakes with Gypsy wheel & tires is more than you can ask for.

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear Narendra.vw - hello to you. You have done a very good job on the car. Maintaining the classic car look and at the same time giving modern car behaviour / performance / reliability is appreciated by many users.

As far as I remember (please confirm from Coimbatore), Alagendran Motor Stores in Coimbatore used to sell new Ambassador brake drums with 5 studs mounted at 139.7mm pitch circle diameter (5.5 inches), to suit Gypsy wheels directly. There was a vendor who made these drums in Coimbatore. I have seen many cars running in Coimbatore with this arrangement and Gypsy wheel rims. You may look at this arrangement for this application. It becomes plug and play and also ensures reliability / NVH.

Also, with inclusion of power steering, generally the KPI is increased by around 2.5 degrees to optimize side slip. What size of tire and what tire pressure are you running? Are they 195/70R15 or 195/65R15? How is the chassis taking the side slip? As the Gypsy wheel rim offset is +10mm and I do not know the Ambassador wheel rim offset but it must be definitely more than +10mm, scrub radius increases, which will partially offset the effect of the low KPI on side slip. Also, Gypsy wheel rim is 5.5J*15, so 195 section is correct for it. Kindly revert, from our learning point of view.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

DB sir your appreciation means a lot to me.
Yes I know, brake disc & drums with Gypsy pcd were readily available. I wanted to use the OE parts.
With this setup car has covered 20,000 km. Many Ooty trips.

The tyres used, 185 wide. I was not sure of 195 or 215.
Tyres are CEAT make(not MRF). Tire pressure maintained between 28 & 30 ps. Front being more then the back.
Regarding alignment, tires does not screech on any sharp turns.
Can you please enlighten me on side slip(something to do with steering in corners?).
Thanks.