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Projects Garage Find: 1962 Rambler 2dr with 27k miles, but is it cool ?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by FalconMan, Jun 25, 2019.

  1. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,174

    manyolcars

    Not only is it ugly but it's also the exact opposite of a traditional hotrod. I remember the guys who bought those when they were new. They were the opposite of hotrodders. Ramblers have NEVER been desirable
     
    B Bay Barn likes this.
  2. FalconMan
    Joined: Sep 9, 2008
    Posts: 1,404

    FalconMan
    Member
    from Minnesota

    Hmmmmm......I can't tell you how many offers I have turned down.... just saying....

    Sent from my SM-G965U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    firstinsteele, egads, Petejoe and 2 others like this.
  3. farna
    Joined: Jul 8, 2005
    Posts: 1,282

    farna
    Member

    Can you post the URL? If not, PM me the address also...

    The Ramblers are becoming more "interesting" to hot rodders for two reasons.
    1) They are definitely "different", especially the older ones like the 58-63 Americans (the hardest to hot rod, actually, the larger ones will easily take a V-8).
    2) Cost of the more popular cars are through the roof, Ramblers are still cheap to reasonably priced. Price an early Chevy II or Falcon compared to an American. Actually this is probably the #1 reason...
     
    low budget and FalconMan like this.
  4. Hemiman 426
    Joined: Apr 7, 2011
    Posts: 699

    Hemiman 426
    Member
    from Tulsa, Ok.

    My first car was a 62 Rambler. 4-door 3 speed standard.. Mom named it "Charlie the cheese box" as somehow it reminded her of a Velveeta cheese box. Yeah, the fold down front seat was great for a teenager!!
     
  5. FalconMan
    Joined: Sep 9, 2008
    Posts: 1,404

    FalconMan
    Member
    from Minnesota

    From what I've read and looked at, the e-stick is a normal 3 speed manual with a standard clutch. However, the clutch fork is on the passenger side and is a activated with a solenoid that senses oil pressure. Just put it in first gear and hit the gas. When you let up on the gas, the car will coast in 'neutral'.

    There is a manual cable you can pull to release the clutch to park. I assume you could use it to drive it if the e-stick malfunctioned.

    Dont know why anyone would want this. I imagine it was a cheap version of an auto tranny for some penny pinching old lady......

    It must be quite a rare option.

    Sent from my SM-G965U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  6. When and where I grew up, A hot rodder wanted to be DIFFERENT.

    Ben
     
  7. A thought from outside the box.
    You are a young Hot Rodder in '64. Your aunt gives you the lo mile '62 Rambler.
    Your buddie's dad has a junk yard with a wrecked 327 Rambler Rebel
    and you can get the whole drive train for cheap.
    Now you build the coolest sleeper in town!
    Don't forget to score the big wheels and hubcaps from the Rebel!
    Being cool is not always what your car looks like.
    Sometimes it's something else!
    Just my $.02
     
  8. ZZLEGEND
    Joined: Jul 20, 2008
    Posts: 237

    ZZLEGEND
    Member

    That little car is just plain bitchin. Get it running and don't change the motor. White walls and stock hubcaps and let the little woman drive. Cool.
     
    al1630 and FalconMan like this.
  9. e z i
    Joined: Sep 5, 2007
    Posts: 596

    e z i
    Member

    I like it, and I have great taste, so...
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  10. Johnboy34
    Joined: Jul 12, 2011
    Posts: 1,588

    Johnboy34
    Member
    from Seattle,Wa

    I would use it, and old trick is to spray it with silver paint. Did that with a couple 235 six's I opened up and peeked in. They were too far worn out to just freshen up, threw'em back together and it sealed fine.

    Sent from my SM-G900V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  11. 63american.jpg americanpickup.jpg They're light [unibody] so they make good racers as long as you don't overload the spindly brakes and chassis. In 2003 Tuck and I had the great Rambler rumble at the first HAMB drags. I slipped a "sneaky pete" nitrous setup on my 63 with flathead 6 and actually won the first round.....Tuck beat me with his 1965 OHV six until I broke a motor mount, sending the fan into the radiator and stopping racing 'till the track was cleaned up.
    If I had another one I'd cut it into a ElCamino style car....move the back glass up. I'd run a SBC in it.
     
  12. plym_46
    Joined: Sep 8, 2005
    Posts: 4,018

    plym_46
    Member
    from central NY

    When you pull the head, make sure you get the bolt torquing sequence and tightening stages . generally, you start in the center and move towards the ends in a star pattern, but each manufacturer may have a little quirk. As far as the steps go, my Plymouth manual said to go to 40 ftpd, then increase to 70 in 10 ftpd increments. Also called for a retorque after running the engine to operating temp in the same sequence.

    I had an assistant crank the starter while I did whack a mole with a light rubber mallet till all the valves were free and getting full travel.
     
  13. 97
    Joined: May 18, 2005
    Posts: 1,982

    97
    Member

  14. farna
    Joined: Jul 8, 2005
    Posts: 1,282

    farna
    Member

    1) The chassis isn't "spindly" by far! It's one of the stiffest unibodies you will find. The sills run from bumper to bumper just like frame rails would. No need for "subframe connectors", they are already there. It will handle mid range (300-400 hp) small block power with no mods. The front suspension looks "spindly", but the old 196 (L-head or OHV) is only 50# lighter than a cast iron SBC. The brakes are small, but okay for a 138 hp/2400# car. Upgrade with more power! Scarebird AMC front disc kits fit.

    2) The E-stick works in reverse of a normal clutch. The clutch fork doesn't release the clutch when pushed in, it ENGAGES the clutch. The servo runs off engine oil pressure so the faster you run the harder it pushes. There is a vacuum/electric switch system that releases oil pressure to the servo when in neutral. The park cable pulls on the clutch for to keep the clutch engaged (also used for push starting). The pressure plate has light springs in it that keep it pulled back away from the flywheel. The only real problem is the clutch does slip a good bit during shifting as it doesn't engage very fast. Companies that used it for in-town deliveries were replacing clutch discs every 8-12 months. People who used it for an around the town second car or commuter were replacing it every 12-18 months. You saved a good bit over an auto trans, but after 3-4 years you paid the difference in maintenance. After 80-90K on the engine oil pressure started dropping, making it slip more. Most that stayed in service have been converted to a regular clutch. That and the fact that they were only made for three years makes them rare today.
     
    FalconMan and ClayMart like this.
  15. Plus, you also have that overwhelming sense of humility going for you too... :rolleyes:
     
    FalconMan likes this.
  16. FalconMan
    Joined: Sep 9, 2008
    Posts: 1,404

    FalconMan
    Member
    from Minnesota

    Ok ... got the head off last night. Came off real easy.... just had to remove one stud that was crusted in.

    I'd love to know the real story on the engine. The husband of the great niece was involved with 'trying' to get it to run 30 years ago. He claimed the motor was stuck and they put new rings and bearings in it. Low and behold #1 piston is new. They must of tried to 'un-stick' the motor by wacking on the piston... why else would you replace a piston on a car that ran when parked ?? I asked him if they checked the valves for operation when they had it apart .. and he said no .... WTF

    Really don't know if I can trust their ring and bearing job .... but I don't really feel like dropping the pan and pulling it all apart.

    Got 5 stuck valves. I have them soaking in PB blaster for a couple days before I try to free them up. Hopefully it should not be a big deal.

    20190728_194211_resized.jpg
     
  17. farna
    Joined: Jul 8, 2005
    Posts: 1,282

    farna
    Member

    Just make sure the cam is in the "closed" (down) position when you whack the valve. It should pop down onto the lifter, but that won't damage anything. Whacking it good with the cam lobe up could bend a valve head.

    When I started reading and got to "came off real easy" I knew for sure it had been off recently. Pulling one off that's been on there 20+ years (first one I pulled off was 1982, and it was a 61 model... 21 years and just over 100K miles!) is a real PITA!! Corrosion around all those studs is a killer!!

    They were probably just in a hurry to fix the thing and wanted to do the minimum amount of work. I think I'd have turned it over by hand a few revs before putting the head on, but I've done stupid things when in a rush to build an engine.

    The 63 OHV model of this engine has oil squirters on the rods on only one side, squirts toward the cam. It's to lube the cylinder walls, but a good bit gets squirted on the cam as well. Otherwise it would squirt on the side covers where any minor seal issue would be a problem with the extra oil. The pistons have an offset dome and only go in one way, and the rods and caps are marked at the front. Well, I was supposed to pick up a completed short block, and had got three different "will be complete" dates from the shop covering about three months. They were supposed to have it done in 60 days, but kept pushing it. So when they missed the second completion date and gave me another six weeks out, I told them I was planning on coming to get it and putting it in that weekend. Well, I got there AND IT WASN'T COMPLETED!! All the machine work hand been done, pistons mounted on rods, so I told them to load it up, I'd put the bottom end together. they had bearings, but didn't even have a gasket set!! Find a full gasket set for a 1963 Rambler (this was about 1993) in ONE DAY!! I got lucky -- a mom-n-pop parts store called around and located me one, to be delivered next morning!! I was pissed, intended to just put the head and pan on and drop in, not spend a day to build a bottom end!! Well, being in a hurry and pissed too, I didn't look at the rods. Surely they stuck them on the pistons right!! So I lined them up in order and stuck in, then put the caps on in order with the marks to the front. Darn that thing was a bit tight, but not so much so that I though anything was wrong. Well, I put dual carbs on a few months later and the rear main jet got partially clogged, resulting in a hole in #6 piston due to running lean. When I was pulling it apart to replace that piston I noticed the rod bearings were showing some brass! It had no more than 10-12K miles on it, WTF??? Pulled a main, it looked like it should. Pulled another rod, SAME F'N THING -- BRASS SHOWING!! Looked real close at the piston and rod... and the rod was on the piston backwards!! EVERY SINGLE ONE was like that!! Ended up pulling all. Took to a machine shop and they didn't want to pull the pistons off because they were near impossible to get (Egge Machine... about $50 each). They didn't want to risk cracking one. So they resized the big ends with the caps the way I'd originally installed them with the pistons still on the rods. I didn't have any side cover leaks, but made sure they were sealed good! Ran that engine another 30K miles before I sold the car, and made sure the new owner knew the story just in case it ever came apart again. I know, stupid! But I was HOT at the shop and in a rush. the good thing is I was so hot by the end of the weekend (I picked the engine up on a Friday around noon) just thinking about it as I was working my ass off that the first thing I did Monday morning was call the bank and cancel the check. When the shop wrote me a letter about going to a collection agency I wrote back with details of when the engine was supposed to be done, what it cost me to go up there and back twice and it not be done (I lived four hours away, shop was near my dad's farm, I used the farm shop to pull/drop motor), and what it cost me in four vacation days, and they OWED ME about $300. I just said it wasn't worth the time and effort on my part to take them to small claims court, but if they sent this to a collection agency I'd take the time. Never heard from them again! And that's right -- the first two "it will be done" dates the bastards didn't even call and tell me they weren't finished. Shop is closed now...
     
    egads likes this.
  18. derbydad276
    Joined: May 29, 2011
    Posts: 1,336

    derbydad276
    Member

    my 2 cents worth ... if you can get the original engine running great ...
    but from all the problems I see with the e stick ...
    I wonder how a 2.3 engine from a ford ranger or a 2.5 from a jeep would fit ?
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  19. Screenshot_20190729-191548_Photos.jpg ^^^^ or hell ... 3/4 of a small block Chevy ... a 4.3 liter V6. Stick and automatic options, easy 200 horse, with every accessory ... pretty damn close to traditional. You can even buy finned valve covers. Cool little engines.

    Edit, picture added ... but image flipped. Lol, English 4.3 !! Bahahaha !!
     
    Last edited: Jul 29, 2019
    low budget, mgtstumpy and Thor1 like this.
  20. cool...have fun......
     
  21. farna
    Joined: Jul 8, 2005
    Posts: 1,282

    farna
    Member

    You can squeeze a small block or a 90 degree V-6 in, but have to do a little cutting under the hood -- mainly those "humps" just above the upper control arm mounts. Then it's a tight fit. A 60 degree V-6 seems like a natural, but the accessories are mounted way out to the sides. So you have to buy/make "hot rod" style mounts. Most fours have intakes that stick out too far as well, so you'd have to take at least one hump out, but there area few that will fit without cutting under the hood. The Jeep 2.5L and the Ranger 2.3/2.5L are two, as derbydad276 mentioned. On the Jeep it has to be a carbed or TBI model, the MPFI models use an intake with longer runners. The Ranger 2.3/2.5 with the intake that curves over the valve cover just fits without cutting, or a carbed Pinto/Mustang II 2.3L. There are a couple more fours that would fit. The only I-6 that fits well is the Ford 140/170/200/250 sixes. They have the intake integrated into the head so it fits up close, and are short enough. All other US made I-6s (65 and newer, at least) are 2-3" longer, and it's just no room! Maybe some of the smaller Euro I-6s would fit, I've not checked. I did measure a 280Z six -- it's too long, even the 2.4L version. You can fit a longer six by deleting the heater and boxing that area, but would have to alter the trans hump also.
     
  22. I would just LOVE to find something like that little Rambler. Original cars are the Best, and little cars fit into my tight shop space better.
     
  23. farna
    Joined: Jul 8, 2005
    Posts: 1,282

    farna
    Member

    I've been wanting to build a rat rodish roadster from one for years! Bought a trashed Merkur XR4ti for the turbo motor and five speed. Cranked the Merkur about six years ago, haven't touched anything since! Got a 62 American sedan. Want to bring the body up to my shop this fall and start cutting on it. I want to slice 3-4" from the sides all around (section). Still thinking on that, it might be more than I can chew!!
     
  24. FalconMan
    Joined: Sep 9, 2008
    Posts: 1,404

    FalconMan
    Member
    from Minnesota

    waxhead likes this.
  25. blvdbill
    Joined: Feb 2, 2010
    Posts: 456

    blvdbill
    Member
    from California

    Not even close to cool.
     
    chopped likes this.
  26. They can be cool..... rambler 2.JPG
     
  27. chopped
    Joined: Dec 9, 2004
    Posts: 2,139

    chopped
    Member

    And some guys think socks with sandals are also cool.
     
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  28. farna
    Joined: Jul 8, 2005
    Posts: 1,282

    farna
    Member

    They can be cool. Some don't think anything but a Ford/Chevy/Chrysler, or whatever their favorite is cool. Narrow minded...
    TomJ Roadster.jpg

    For more pics and a detailed story of this one see https://sr-ix.com/Roadster/index.html
    It wasn't intended to be a "rat rod", but was built in the true "rat rod" spirit -- making something out of what you have on hand.
     
  29. Some people have no sense of adventure. Or humor. :rolleyes:
     
    Last edited: Aug 9, 2019
    Thor1 likes this.
  30. enigma57
    Joined: Apr 12, 2007
    Posts: 246

    enigma57
    Member

    :) I vote sleeper with an engine you don't see everyday. Keep the body and interiour as original appearing as is practicable. Upgrade suspension, brakes, tires, wheels and drive train.

    Engine...... Find yourself a 3.7 litre (224 cu. in.) Mercruiser inboard. These are an inline 4 cylinder with an iron 460 Ford head, an aluminum block with Chevy bolt pattern at the rear, (4) 460 Ford pistons and rods and a custom crankshaft. They are fairly compact once you deep six the bulky water cooled marine exhaust setup and can be converted to automotive duty fairly easily. And they run pretty strong for a 4-banger if you soup them up a bit......

    Replace the low perf. 460 iron head with a high performance aftermarket aluminum head, cam it for what you are doing with it, run the Mercruiser 4bbl intake with a good carb (or build your own intake) and use a high perf. Ford exhaust manifold (or build a tube header)...... Drop it into your light Rambler...... And you should be ready to make believers out of quite a few Mustang and Camaro guys.....

    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-elusive-224-3-7-mercruiser-banger.256713/

    https://www.google.com/search?chann...5#imgdii=vBygfgeEwMvaLM:&imgrc=EqE1cwYMLt0OAM:

    https://www.enginelabs.com/news/homegrown-horsepower-four-cylinder-mercruiser-in-a-dragster/

    Hope this gives you some ideas,

    Harry
     
    FalconMan likes this.

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