Features Nash Rambler Whos Hot Rodding Them

I have a 59 Rambler that been sitting and been wonder what to do with it.Tring to sell it with no luck.I came across this picture that I think is sweet,I have most of the parts so if it still around in the fall I guess I`ll make gasser out of it.

 

Here is my 2yr project. It always takes longer than expected. I hope to be on the road by summers end.

 

A29 -- you put a Camaro front clip under a 58-63 AMERICAN or the bigger 64-69 American or Rambler Classic? I would think it would be too wide for an early American. You're a Chevy guy, so it probably got an SBC too. Oh well, lots of others do it! I'm a real AMC guy, but I won't hold the Chevy stuff against you, not everyone can build a good AMC engine, much less find one locally! Just kidding you a bit, but finding one IS a big problem in most areas, and the main reason people use alternate means of propulsion.

A lot of people seem to see "Rambler" and forget they made several sizes of cars over 80 years (second mass produced car in the US -- Olds was first, Ford was third) -- they've only seen the one model they have, apparently. Rambler is the brand name from 58-68. AMC is the parent company, but didn't start selling cars under the AMC brand name until 66, then it was only some models. Of course AMC helped the confusion by not giving the middle Rambler a model name until 61. 58-60 models were Rambler American, Rambler 6 (the mid level model, no special name, most people just tack on the "6" because they were all six cylinder cars), Rebel (the "Rambler 6 but with a 250 V-8), and Ambassador (longer wheelbase, 327 V-8).

 

Here are some updated shots of my 64.

 

Can't wait to see it out on the road...

 

i'm curious too.
i can't see a camaro sub under an american at all, surely a big car i'd thing due to the track width of the camaro (around 61").

btw,i stuck a heidts early nova MII under a 69 american but have not drove it (thinking about selling it to feed my 67 american) but it fit well..

 

I need to find out more about those headlight trim rings from a ford fitting, My 59 is missing one, also need to replace a lot of rubber around the doors and glass....

 

I don't know about the Ford headlight rings fitting, but it makes sense. Common 7" round headlights (singles) would have common size rings. Anything that has the ring fitting flush with the headlight bucket with a slide in clip at the top (metal piece with slot on the bucket, little tab that slides in the slot on the ring) and a screw in the center/bottom should fit or be modifiable to fit.

Rubber is easy: www.amcrambler.com or www.ramblerparts.com are the two best bets.

 

lil red rambler in our neck of the woods

 

Heres my wifes 64 american, SBC with a powerglide. first show after painting it the week before

 

OK, I'll jump in. Just swapped my Harley for this 1951 Nash convertible. This one will go faster than a speeding bullet Lois Lane. Has had a full perimeter frame grafted to the unibody, Mustang II front, Versailles disc brake 9" rear, LT1 and 4L60E ready to go into it, at a weight of 2400-2500#. Super low, can't slide a standing beer can under the car. Should be fun!


Hemirrhoid in WI

 

Looks like fun!!

 

Here is my 1958 american. I pick it up for $1,000 about a year age. It was stock and everything I done to it was parts I had laying around.

This little car is fun to drive and gets a lot of attention at the local shows and cruises. The people I hang with can't believe how many people take picture and look at it.

Also the story from people about having one when they were young.

 

Looks cool with the stripped out interior -- looks stripped for racing. Stock engine?

 

Stock for now. I been playing with some ideas for over the winter.

 

Need info on 64 rambler.A friend has one we going to build,is there any supplers?

 

I've never dealt with them, but it seems like whenever I mention needing parts for my mom's '73 Javelin, everyone says Kennedy American.

-Dave

 

Kennedy is good, also Galvin's (www.ramblerparts.com), Peter Stathes (www.amcrambler.com), and American Parts Depot (www.<cite>americanpartsdepot.com)</cite>

I'm pretty familiar with them too, have a couple 65 Americans in the back!

 

Lakeys Speed Shop Piqua Ohio. 1962

 

Here's my '64 Rambler 770 Classic 2dr hardtop...

 

this is mine should be running soon

 

Heres mine.

 

He drives it everywhere for most of the year.
He thinks nothing of heading to calfornia in it for a car show or just to visit relatives.

 

Heres mine, not a Rambler, but a grandaddy of the breed..
A 1937 Nash La fayette 400.. Two styles of my car, its now the lowrider look..

 

Heres a couple of my old ones.

 

These are my drivers.

 

I suppose it's safe to assume that the red 63 American has a Mustang II front suspension? Home made or bought from whom? Any other "frame" mods? What powers the 61 wagon? Both cars look great!

 

seems like someone would like a new Edmunds aluminum head and header pipe

 

The 62' being a convert has a heavy duty X member so I tied in a 40' Ford Mustang II from Walton Eng. with some 2"X4" tube. The original suspension was damaged. The wagon has the original aluminum 6 cyl.with push button automatic.

 

Just keep up with the maintenance on that AL six! The head should be retorqued every 8,000-10,000 miles or every three years, whichever comes first. The iron head is rather massive and expands contracts as much as 0.020" every heat/cool cycle. This eventually loosens torque on the head bolts, which leads to a blown gasket and overheating. On the cast iron block engine the head warps and cracks after this has happened a few times (what's the chance of that having been done on a 50+ year old engine?). On the AL engine that can happen to the head but the cylinder bores (actually lower block) can shift as well, as there is no support except contact with the head on the upper ends. Of course once that happens (to head or block!) the engine is toast. The heads are very hard to find in good condition, especially the AL head, which won't interchange with the iron block head due to a slightly different bolt pattern and width, though of the same design.

A design flaw? Well, maybe, but the head was designed to fit on an L-head block. The block casting was chagned slightly, but only the upper right corner where the valves were on the L-head. The side covers are in the same location and interchange with the L-head six, and all parts except head, valve train, and distributor will interchange. Even the cams will physically interchange, but of course they are cut VERY different between the L-head and OHV. Some of the design was dictated by the conversion, keeping as many of the L-head parts as possible to keep tooling costs to a minimum.