TECH NOTES
What: This Rogue bears serial number A7KM97D100074, which translates to: (A) American Motors; (7) 1967 model year; (K) Kenosha, Wisconsin, assembly plant; (M) four-speed console shift; (9) two-door hardtop; (7) Rogue model; (D) 290 four-barrel Typhoon V-8; (100074) the 74th unit built. Yes, this is the 74th car built by American Motors for the '67 production run.
Owner: Terry Robinson, a railroad-car welder from Lake Villa, Illinois.
Engine: Originally built and blueprinted by the Engine Shoppe, the hot 290 still wears its vintage Offenhauser valve covers, Doug Thorley headers, and Flex-a-lite plastic fan. Whether it's packing a forged-steel Group 19 crankshaft (PN 448 5728) and rods (PN 448 5725) in place of the cast nodular stock parts will only be learned during a teardown.
Body Mods: Mute testimony to the car's glorious past is shown beneath the add-on Hemi Dart hoodscoop where the cross-ram intake used to reside.
Intake: One of the coolest AMC Group 19 speed parts, this is an original Edelbrock STR11/Holley cross-ram induction setup like the Rumbler used. It was also installed on the '69 SS AMX fleet and is a classic AMC goody. The Group 19 moniker comes from where high-performance parts were listed in the AMC parts catalog. Group 1 was for stock engine parts, Group 2 was for the electrical system, Group 3 was for the cooling system, and so on. Even though AMC hid the hot rod parts at the back of the book, at least the company was trying. The Group 19 program got rolling around 1968 and lasted until the factory Trans-Am and NASCAR programs ended in the mid '70s.
Drivetrain: Thanks to its factory V-8 four-speed status, this Rogue also sports the beefy Model 20 rear axle. It's a Twin-Grip that's been fortified with weld-on ladder bars and Group 19 4.44 gears (PN 320 8551).
Safety: The Rumbler uses a crude plumbers-pipe rollbar installed when the car was converted to drag use. Why weld when you can screw your rollbar together?
Interior: We're hoping the owner-added seat covers are a temporary addition until the stock pattern can be restored.
Extras: Lacking a trailer, the original owners towed the Rumbler to the track using a tow bar. Like we sometimes do now.
Paint: Stardust Kustoms in Round Lake, Illinois, applied the original paint. The beautiful two-tone custom treatment still looks great but it's probably radioactive or something.
Wheels and Tires: The 14x6 Rocket wheels (15x8.5 out back) and E78-14 Goodyear bias-ply tires have been with the car since at least 1973.
`It squirts water if he takes away his finger.