Saved one from the crusher

I was lucky enough to find this 61 Rambler wagon headed to the crusher, granted it's not a '32 3 window but it is a survivor and shouldn't take much to get it roadworthy and it even has the big HP flathead and 3 on the tree. Here is a link for pix http://s851.photobucket.com/albums/ab77/2oldskool55/

 

Cool...I have one too, but a '60...same deal, it was on it's way to the scrap yard...

 

Right on!!!

 

Good going!

 

Right arm. What kind of shape is it in rust-wise?

 

Neat car good save. Maybe I need to look for somethig like that for the wife.

 

She looks really solid, Nice save.

 

If it has any rust I haven't found it, has a bruise by the right taillight and left front fender dent should be an ez fix.

 

Nice save.

 

Good goin', Outlaw! Ramblers are starting to get their due. Good motors and either hi-perf or gas mileage, as the buyer wanted (and really not a bad blend of each!).. The Rambler superceded the outdated Nash & Hudson nameplates and kept the company alive a LONG time after all the other independents bit the dust. Ramblers should be remembered!!! Alright!

 

I love it when someone saves anything weather they keep it or pass it on to a good home , right on brother !

 

yea, neet car.
good save..

 

yea man, dig that rambler! nice save!

 

I remember when those cars were new....
and slow...
and extremely undesirable...
they were definitely not considered as material to build as a hotrod

I remember the old men who bought them too
dirty, needed a shave, low income, smelled bad

 

Those are just weird enough to be fun cars. Light enough to make good 1/4 mile racer. I've had a few of those but both of 'em tudor sedans. One [the red 63] was involved in a famous [Ha!] HAMB grudge race. I hid NOS on it trying to gain an edge on Tuck's 65 hardtop but his overhead engine was just too much for my little flathead...and the nitrous malfunctioned in 105 degree heat...

 

ManyOldCars wrote: "I remember when those cars were new.... and slow... and extremely undesirable... they were definitely not considered as material to build as a hotrod. I remember the old men who bought them too
dirty, needed a shave, low income, smelled bad."

Yo, OldCars, buddy! You gave yourself away. In your day job, you're a motivational speaker!!! Did I get it right? LOL


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I had a 63 Rambler wagon that I picked up for $300 that I should have held onto. Like a dumb ass I sold it because I was not going to get to it for a little while. It was in great condition, the interior had just been re-done but it needed a motor and one side window.

Here is a shot of it when I picked it up.

 

Great save, but then I'm a smelly, low income, undesireable type... got several Ramblers and have had one since 1979. Geez!! Seriously, as a used car the Rambler was relegated to the low income types in the 70s. After about 65 the resale values went down, and Ramblers were generally the best cheap car that could be found. The sixes weren't real powerful, but they held together even when abused, so they lasted a long time. Enough of that!!

It's a 1962, not a 1961 outlaw. The 61 has a square mesh grille, 62 has horizontal bars in a "floating" center section, 63 has vertical bars in the floater. A quick and easy way to see if it's a 61 with a 62 grille is to look at the door handles. 62-63 used a handle with a hidden clip like most 60s cars, the 61 used a rubber escutcheon that held a loose pin in the handle like late 50s Nash/Hudson/Rambler cars (maybe others). Push in on the escutcheon and the pin will drop out. The only other difference is that the 62-63 models also used a lot more galvanized metal. 61s usually have the rockers rusted out, the others stay in one piece a lot longer.

To tell 100%, look at the tag on the driver's door post. Model will be 6208 for the base model, -1 for Super, -2 for Custom (higher levels of trim). If the tag has been painted over the model number is the second down from the top. Top is Body Number, then Model, Trim, and Pain. Bottom number is the Final Assembly Number. AMC assigned the serial number (VIN -- it's under the hood on the right spring tower) as the cars were ordered by the dealers, not as they were made. The final assembly number is the order they left the assembly plant in. It will start with an E or W for the East or West assembly lines in Kenosha.

 

It's cool if your old man drove one when you were a kid...

Won't hold it against ya.

 

I just dont get why people dont put these cars out for sale instead of crushing them. I seen a guy taking an early 60's ford galaxy to the scrap yard last week. Body looked great but had a few windows smashed out and lights where all gone.

 

ramble on...

 

i have a 61 also but my is a classic neat cars and in my opinion so ugly you gotta love it!

 

Cool little wagon. Is your avatar a mastiff?

 

To a lot of people they're just old cars that have served their purpose and are ready to go. I wouldn't want to give any more than scrap price for many of them, as they need way too much work, but might still be good for parts if you have a place to keep them. Old parts aren't getting easier to find! But neither is old raw material. Gotta either do the work or start thinking about 70s cars....

 

i have 65 990 cross country stationwagon 326 4 barrel its a dam y block with a 400 turbo and a posi rearend amc bought all fords and chevy surplus parts. its a sleeper. the guy i got it from said the kids with vettes and mustangs would mess with him to race and when he finaly did he smoked their asses. that car needs boards on top of it headed to the beach .

 

Can we say "easy on gas??" it sure as Hell should be. No real fast but pretty reliable. I had a friend that had a 4 dr. like this with overdrive. Went on a 400 mile round trip and got 30 mpg a couple of times at 60-65 mph.

Michael

 

That pic of the '65 that rocky posted I saved from the same fate. It was gonna get crushed... I have no idea why it was in great shape.

It just needed some love...

 

hey minks... it's NOT a Y-block, and AMC didn't buy "surplus parts". It's a first generation AMC engine. It does somewhat resemble a Y-block, but only in bulk. They were made in 250, 287, and 327 (not 326) sizes. It had a Holley 4V from the factory, but it's about 450 cfm -- a 600 cfm will wake it up! It was still pretty potent in the relatively light Rambler body.

AMC did buy SOME parts from other suppliers -- custom made to order specifically for AMC -- not "surplus". The engine is all AMC, but AMC didn't make carbs (used Carter and Holley), and they didn't make electrical systems. Yours has a Delco (GM) starter and distributor with a Motorola alternator. Depending on the year and model engine AMC used Autolite electrical systems too... most flat-head sixes used Autolite though the last 2-3 years used Delco, and all the 67+ late model AMC V-8s used Autolite electrics. They didn't make their own transmissions either. Those were all Borg-Warner up until 1972, when they kept B-W stick shifts but switched to Chrysler automatics. All but a few other bits and pieces were built by AMC. The trans in your car isn't a TH-400, it's a Borg-Warner Model 8. It looks a lot like a Ford Cruise-O-Matic because Ford co-developed their automatic with help from Borg-Warner. The rear axle is an AMC model 20, most likely a 3:15 gear. AMC cast some of them, and had some made to order by Dana. AMC used a lot of outside suppliers because it was often cheaper than parts made in-house -- just like ALL auto manufacturers have been doing for the last 15-20 years. Even GM and Ford sub-contract a lot of assemblies now.... cheaper than using expensive union labor.