Projects Well, looks like I'm a Rambler man now!

The "rubber" flooring is actually vinyl. It can be patched up by gluing pieces from the back, just use a vinyl compatible glue and pieces of cheap floor mats to reinforce the seams. You can still get cut carpet for it, there are several antique car carpet companies that sell it. There are fewer than there used to be, but still a few out there.

 

Our Friends Have Been Ramblin For Years...Best Of Luck...

 

Yeah, I'm sure I could probably find some carpet to fit. But this is supposed to be a very low budget build, lol! So I'm going to try to save the mats for now, but if it doesn't go well I'll look into some carpet.
I'll keep you posted!

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Lou Wells, that car of your friend's is the first real muscle car -- a 57 Rambler Rebel (only 1500 made). That is if you think of a muscle car as a compact car with a full size car motor. That's the Rebel -- even though it has four doors. The standard 57 Rambler V-8 was a 250 cubic inch, the limited edition Rebel (only color was silver with copper-look spear insert) got the AMC 327 (made years before the SBC Chevy 327 -- totally different engine), which was only used in the full size Nash Ambassador and Hudson Hornet stock. Most don't consider the Rebel the first muscle car because it's not a two door. At least it's a hard top!!

 

Damn farna,
Looks like you're the resident Rambler expert around here!
Lol!
Good to know!
I'm sure I'll pick your brain a time or two, if you don't mind?

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You can PM me or e-mail at any time. I frequent here and www.theamcforum.com, and check in at hotrodders.com every now and then.

 

Well......
Vacation came and went.
Didn't get as much done as I wanted to but, that's just how it goes with me!
So as mentioned, I want to try and save the old mats that came in the car.
Couldn't really figure out how so I asked my better half if she had any ideas.
She said well why don't you just paint them!
Dismissed the idea at first, but then I thought, why not!
So, without further ado, this episode is sponsored by
Flex Seal!

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Started by scrubbing them down then, using some flex tape on the back where there were some cracks and splits.
Flipped them over and started spraying some of the flex seal on.
I have to say, it turned out way better than I thought it would!
The picture is when they were still wet.
After they dried they're a nice satin black!
Now my only worry is how well they'll hold up. I'll let you know how it goes!

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So today I was getting excited about putting the interior back together and while looking at my empty interior trying to think about where to start, I started thinking about fire prevention!
And the big old hole between the trunk and cabin.
So out came the cardboard to make a template.
Only, I didn't have a piece big enough, so after digging through my recycling bin, I pieced together something....
Got it all mocked up then got the call for supper.
So it's going to have to wait until next week!
Stay tuned!

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Damn, forgot the pictures!
Extra points for anyone that knows what came in the bakery box!

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As I mentioned, the floor covering is actually vinyl. The Flex Seal should work well though. Might want to put a piece of tape on top where your gas pedal foot heel will be. You can also get vinyl paint (roll or spray). I'd have wiped it with paint thinner before spraying, but depending on what you cleaned it with and how long it had to dry you should be good (and maybe you did wipe with some kind of solvent...).

Even a piece of 1/4" plywood behind the seat will keep gas from soaking the seat back and slow down any flame from the fuel cell, should a line break or the cell get damaged in a wreck. Really, cars seldom explode or catch fire in a wreck, unless you're in a movie and need dramatic effect... Still, something to prevent liquid fuel from spraying the interior can't be a bad idea!!

 

Hey yall!
Since I just realized it's been a year to the day I bought this thing, I figured I'd give a quick update.
Since I left you last I was working on getting the rear trunk divider figured out.
But with the holidays and work, didn't have much time of course....
I did get it all cut out and bent up (man I really could use a metal break) and I got it all sanded down ready for primer then I realized I didn't have any!
So here's the pictures of what I DID get done!

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I know I could have just used wood or some hardboard, but a little over kill never hurts !
Besides, I think I'm going to paint a little something on the backside so you'll see it while looking in the trunk.
Stay tuned!


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It looks great! Having a steel table with a straight edge to work with and lots of clamps makes slight bends like this pretty easy. A brake would be nice for tighter bends, but you do great work for not having one...

 

Well guys and gals I'm back at it!
I've been plugging away an hour here and hour there......
And made some progress !
Check it out and let me know what you think.
As I mentioned i wanted to paint the trunk divider so, while I did that I figured I would polish up the sill plates and screws.
Wasn't going for perfect, just better than they were.
Also, started covering up the rear seat with some Mexican blankets we bought a while back.
Anyway here's some pics of the progress!

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Here's some pics of the seat covers......
Also got the mats in and all the odds and ends buttoned up.


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Actually I need some advice/help.....
I want to take th front seat apart so I can cover it correctly but I can't figure out how to get the backs separated from the bottom.
Any suggestions?
Also I want to recover my sun visors but I'm not quite sure what to do about the seem that's splitting....
Any ideas on that?
Here's some pics of what I'm talking about.
Thanks in advance!

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Damn, forgot the pictures!

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To take the seat back off you take the nut off the outer hinge. Then the seat back will slide to that side and off the inner pivot point. I'd get a leather stitcher (sewing awl, a popular brand is Speedy Stitcher -- $6.49 at Harbor Freight, up to $30 from others) and re-stitch the sun visor. The stock visors are just a fiber board. Latex paint is thick enough to "recover" them and look good once the seam is fixed.

The rear seats and even the bottom cushion of the front bench (or even buckets) are easy enough to "gift wrap" cover with a flexible material. I got tired of replacing cheap vinyl seat covers in my work truck (2003 Toyota Tundra) and finally did that toe the seat bottoms, using a heavy duty vinyl. A lot harder with modern seats that don't have a wire frame that hog rings easily attach to! The backs hold up better, but I'm in need of replacing them now. Since it's a work truck and function is more important than looks, I've been thinking of making a plywood back (smaller than the seat back itself) and pulling vinyl around the front and stapling to the back. I don't use the storage pocket in the back of the seat anyway. Doesn't have seat mounted air bags, so will work. If you fold (like a hem) the edges and are careful with stapling (or use decorative upholstery tacks -- use 1/2" plywood with tacks, 3/16" luan is enough with staples) it would look good on your seat backs. Paint or vinyl cover the flat plywood. You could even hang a pocket/bag on the plywood to cover things, or staple on luan, then use trim screws to put another piece of covered luan on top of that, with the vinyl glued on and reversed so the rough sides are together. I've seen boat seats done that way, and some upholstered chairs.

 

Hey farna, thanks for the info!
Seems you're the only one that reads this thread! Lol!
I tried taking the nut off but can't get it to slide off...
I'll give it another try later.

As of now I'm just going to cover it with the same blankets as the rear......

A little update on the mats....
I'm not so sure they are going to hold up very well.
Already had a few issues with peeling.
Also, the rear section is still a little sticky and it's been awhile since I did it.

Oh well lesson learned, right?

Again, thanks for your help .



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Well boys and girls, today's safe word is "cotter pin"!
Was messing around and realized that the cap on the middle support could come off.
So I popped it off and low and behold the pins were held on by, you guessed it, COTTER PINS!
Pulled them out and the seat just slid apart!
I'm in the process of cleaning up and painting the brackets and such.
Also I just realized that I ordered the wrong color blankets for the front so the new ones won't be in for awhile, so I've got some time to kill.
Also ordered one of those sewing awl from harbor freight that farna suggested for the sun visors.
Here's some pics of the seat situation.

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The blankets you used for the rear seat are hysterical! A perfect color combination for the car. They look like something that AMC might have used in production in the mid-70s, like for the Oleg Cassini Matador or the Pierre Cardin Javelin. Hope you can get the right matching blankets fabric for the front seats.

 

Well you have had 12,977 "views" of your thread. That is a lot of people reading this thread but just don't like to comment.

 

I haven't pulled the seats apart on a Rambler that old, just the reclining seats of mid 60s. Didn't know about the pins!!

 

Oh I remember that first night to take my now wife out...the look on her Dad's face, me driving a Rambler. He was 6'6"!!!!!

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Well guys and gals I'm back again!
Finally got my blankets in and the front seat installed.
Went to sew up the seams on my sun visors with my new sewing awl and, apparently the old hardboard wasn't quite up to it and basically ripped right when I started.
So I stopped before it got any worse.
Do any of you know what type of hardboard to use ? Cause at this point I'm just going to have to rebuild or replace them.....
Also , I poured some gas in it and fired it up today!
I'm getting way more fuel in the filter now but, I STILL have the same problem with it falling on its face when I accelerate!
I'm thinking I need to adjust the dwell......
Like mentioned before, I'm not the most mechanically inclined person so, what do I need to do this and what exactly is the process?
Also, I probably would have been to this point a few days ago but got sidetracked playing with my new toy! Actually a late Xmas gift!
Any who, here's some pics!
Thanks for the help in advance!

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It's just an upholster's cardboard. Have no idea where you can get that particular stuff, or if you can any more... An upholstery shop should know. Once you take one apart you should find a metal piece on the rod, maybe an inch wide along the length of the visor. A piece of brushed aluminum riveted on would look good, or hardboard (masonite/peg board) riveted on and covered with vinyl or something.

 

Hey farna,
Do you have any tips on setting the dwell on this thing?
It starts and idles just fine until it warms up then had a major dead spot when I try to accelerate.
To the point where I can't even drive it.
I'm seriously at a loss here.
Ild even be willing to trailer it somewhere to have it gone over but I don't know of anyone who would be willing to look at it.

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I'm not so sure it's an ignition problem, but could be. My solution is to install a Pertronix Ignitor and be done with adjusting points. Might not be the direction you want to go though. Are you sure the accelerator pump in the carb is working? When looking down the carb and pushing the throttle forward quickly you should see fuel spray in the carb. If not, the accelerator pump is bad or not connected. Post a photo of carb if you need help with that.

 

Hey thanks farna,
I've just recently rebuilt the carb and replaced the accelerate pump.
However it was my first time rebuilding a carb so there's that....
When I accelerate it sounds like it's just sucking air.
I'm thinking about about just breaking down trying to find someone within a reasonable distance to look at it.
But it'll be hard to find anyone familiar with this type of motor.

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