Hot Rods '63 Rambler Classic 550

Unfortunately these bodies (63-66 Classic/Ambo/Marlin, and 64-69 American) rust on the kick-panel to floorboard seam. As far as I can tell it's how the seam is made. It has a lip on the fenderwell side that can hold mud, so it holds moisture, and over 20-30 years it rusts out (50+ year old cars!) . It gets showered with mud and such from the front wheels constantly. The heater box can also develop leaks. This is actually from the cowl floor above the heater. There is about a 3/4" tall lip around the opening in the floor to the heater box. Trash can collect around that lip and cause it to start rusting in the bend over time (again, takes 20+ years...). Starts with pin holes, then gets worse. Water ends up leaking through the heater box and into the floor. There are patch panels made for the cowl floor. this is why they rust more on the passenger side than driver's (cowl floor through heater), but the driver's side can rust on that seam also.

AMC used slightly larger tires on their wagons, but the same wheels. Typical wheels in the early 60s were 5.5" to 6.5" wide, depending on model. An 8" wheel with 4" backset might fit, but I think you'd need 1/4" spacers. 7" wheels with 3-3/4" backset fit, but they may need a 1/8" spacer on the front depending on tire width. A 225 width is about the widest practical -- I run 215s and just have enough clearance on the front, and my car is lowered only 1/2" (custom front springs, ordered 1/2" shorter than stock). The tires can still scrub if I hit a big pothole with the front wheels turned a bit over half way.

 

As far as rust goes, I remember watching Rambler commercials on TV in about 1963 where Earl Cameron, the man who did the news on CBC, was using a model car to show how the whole body was dipped in primer for rust prevention. I guess it Didn't get into all the crevices.

Sent from my SM-T350 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

We plan on keeping the original 5.5 sized front wheels the same. Its just the rear we want bigger. like this. The first picture is the stock rear wheel (driver side) the second picture is just a thicker wheel my dad had laying around that we are using for an example (passenger side.)
Front width will be untouched but I do want to lower the fronts ride hight a little bit.

 

You can use lowering plates to drop it about 1-5/8" without touching anything else. That's a good bit though, and the wheels may still hit the fenders when turning at that much drop. I dropped mine only 1/2", which is barely noticeable, with new front springs. I ordered springs 10% stiffer and 1/2" lower than stock. 12% stiffer would have been slightly better, but I wouldn't go much (if any) higher than that. Factory HD springs are 18-20% stiffer than standard, and they ride like an old heavy duty truck! I've had 12% stiffer and really liked them, but decided on 10% last time...

I still wouldn't use less than a 205 width tire in front personally, not if you intend to drive it a lot and in all kinds of weather. 195 at a minimum! Can be scary if you hit brakes hard on a turn and the car goes straight. I've had that happen with old narrow tires. Of course those were bias ply, not radials, so they didn't grip as well.

 

We have an 8” ford rear end from a Granada transplanted in It and it’s actually over an inch narrower than the rambler rear. Brooks needs to get a rim dismounted so we can really see What we need to do for a rear wheel. We spent hours at the salvage yard trying to find a 15”hoop we could transplant a rambler center in with no luck. I’m thinking maybe we should go back and look at 16”. This thing really needs some rubber out back.

 

The narrower rear helps some, but there is only so much space in the wheel well. You might need 1/2" or thicker wheel spacers to make up the width, or a shallower wheel. Once you get off the norm for wheel backspace (3-1/2" - 4-1/4" is common for 7" wheels) for rear drive vehicles you are limited in what wheels you can use. I needed a 5.5" backset wheel to use the Jag IRS I mounted in mine to keep from having to narrow the assembly. Also in a 15" with dual Chevy/Ford bolt pattern since the Jag IRS uses the old Chevy pattern, and AMC is the same pattern as Ford. Weld Draglite wheels were one of only a few that fit those parameters.

Many modern wheels have a deep backset, and I could use one of those and order different lug patterns for front and rear. I don't usually rotate tires anyway -- I just buy a pair at a time if one end wears out faster than the other. Why rotate and have to buy four at once? I don't drive the Rambler as much as I'd like anymore -- the tires start to show signs of dry rotting before they are worn out and get replaced anyway, or that's how it was last time I put tires on. I have a 5" wide dual pattern Draglite with a 185/70R15 tire as a spare. That narrow width I can run with a 3" backset (might be 2.5"... I forget!) on front or rear. My home made "space saver" spare.

One thing that gets confusing is backset vs. offset. American Racing has some wheels listed as 0 backspace then a range of offsets. Can't be 0 backspace and have an offset!! It's just the way they list the specs, if they list offset they don't list backspace, and vice-versa. Discount tire has a chart to convert offset to backspace that comes in handy.
https://www.discounttire.com/learn/offset-backspace
Note that the offset measurements are different for each wheel width.

 

I have your hub caps!

 

Tim, just order new hoops from Speedway, that is if you can make 8"s fit? https://www.speedwaymotors.com/shop/racing-wheel-shells~65550-2-17-601-18010

Or here https://www.heywheel.com/page11.html

I have some 10"s for my GMC if you would like to look at the quality before ordering?

 

Rambler has an odd size that doesn’t match anything.

 

What is the OD of the center? Carl Sr. had hills machine shop roll new centers years ago. I bet Adams could handle it. Or, have you talked to Art about a couple extra Rambler wheels you could cut wide and mate to what you have?

 

I talked to Art awhile ago but that was before we started looking for wheels. I’m sure he has something holed away.

 

Doug H down here has a lathe big enough to chuck em up to true em for welding

 

Got 3 of the 4 new shocks put in tonight. The front ones were easy but the back ones were a pain in the ass. Especially the driver's side one. Dad got most of the floor patch fully welded in and its looking pretty nice. It'll all be covered up by the rubber floor mat though. I took the voltage regulator off since we aren't going to need it. But I just had to share how pristine it was on the inside. It looks like I am probably the first person to open it since it left the factory. the rest of these pictures are for things I am looking for.
first off, I'm looking for the C pillar trim that would've been on an ambassador. Not the 2 little lines, but the large chrome L. I am also looking for a dome light cover. and I'm looking for a fully intact sun visor clip. both of the interior arm rest need to be re-done. and to finish off the dash, I'm looking for a clock.

 

Brooks didn’t explain the rear shock mounts in the post above. When we transplanted the 8”under it we hung it off of a pair of c-10 truck arms. We mounted the c-10 shock mount (after generous trimming) on top of the truck arm. It just so happened the mount lands right where the coil spring resided on the c-10 pickup so it should be plenty sturdy.

 

Haven't been able to work on the rambler at all recently. Its just been too dang cold to do anything. But in the meantime I ordered some parts and have been stockpiling them for a warmer day. I got a set of electric exhaust cutouts, a set of cherry bomb turbo mufflers, a set of bushings for the truck arms, some exhaust pipe, and a lokar shifter. Might mount the shifter tomorrow depending on weather.

 

Dad and I got the shifter mounted and attached to the trans. With a little more tweaking it'll be perfect! I also forgot to take pictures, but last time we got the second seat mounted.. that one was a major pain in the butt. Dad also managed to patch up the floorboard piece that was really hard to do. Dad also patched up the holes in between the subframe connectors and the floorboard. The cherry bomb mufflers didn't seem to fit right, so I'm going to return those. Now we're back on the hunt for a muffler that'll work for what we need.

 

Sure is a nice looking handle on the Lokar.

 

Absolutely love it! I've had a few '63 Americans but never a full size. I slipped a "Sneaky Pete" NOS system on my red American with a flathead 6/3 speed. Took it to the first HAMB drags for the Rambler Rumble...mine against Tuck's 65 with OHV 6/automatic. I won the 1st round but put the fan through the radiator. Got the leak stopped enough to run again and Tuck won the next two races..total fun! View attachment 4

 

Hey, Brooks;
Neat project.
Found this awhile back, although I can't remember where.
https://www.sr-ix.com/AMC/Suspension-1950-1963-small-highperf/index.html
Might be worthwhile to spend some time wading thru this guys' site - or at least the AMC part of it. He's got a LOT of info that is well worth reading, & could be applied to just about any early car, especially the independents. & often the early big three, too. Something to consider for the future as things need repair, or when the "Opportunity to Upgrade" comes along... .
Marcus...

 

Since the set of turbo cherry bombs weren't going to fit, we decided to get a 2 in 2 out camaro muffler. And if this one doesn't fit, we'll make it fit.

 

"Camaro".

 

Oops, fixed it.

 

Well we bought a new engine, a 350. Its got pretty much, if not, everything we need. And we're told it runs. i also scored some reverse lights from a rambler American at our local junkyard. we also picked up a pair of wheels. Hoping to put the centers of the rambler wheels in these. If it fits, they'll be wicked cool. and we also picked up the windshield sprayer thingy off the american. my grandpa gave me this American motors windshield fluid bag. and here is the exhaust work so far. My dad has been helping alot on it while I'm away. that's everything for now I think.

 

Very cool! Thanks for the update.

 

The motor Brooks acquired came out of a suburban that was in a rollover accident, after it was pulled it was put on a stand and started by the friend we bought it from. I’m hoping he will be well ahead time and money wise with this motor other than using the cracked block 327 that we are using for the mock up. All the accessories on this new motor were well worth what he paid for it.

 

Coming right along....

 

Your letting your son do some of the welding right Rusty Rocket?!!... that is really good your helping him and teaching lifelong lessons....

 

Yes he’s welded somethings together. Going to let him do a lot of the exhaust welding.

 

Looking forward to it

 

my dad has been working on a wheel while I've been away. The rambler wheel center is going to fit nice in the bigger rim, though it is pretty tight right now.
I was thinking I should paint the wheels this color below (smoke grey) but maybe alittle darker.