Hello Guys. I have a 1963 AMC rambler classic here in the UK. I realize it's right on the brim of being too "new" for a traditional custom. It started life out as a standard car for the US embassy in Malawi (Hence my reluctance to do some serious cutting) I then fabricated a air suspension kit for it so she can sit on the floor, equipped with some 14" cragar reps. Anyway! long story short, it still looks a little too "lowrider" for my liking, I really would like that more traditional custom look. I'm thinking return to stock size tyres 205/70/14, get the stock steel wheels chromed with pointed centre caps. possibly remove the side trim and lastly remove all stickers. I had played with the thought of making a custom chrome door knob grille?? What do you guys think of the proposed plan? do you think it has the ability to hold that style?
Are you kidding? that looks like the perfect '60s custom just the way you have it. You can, of course, tweak it some...but don't over do it. It looks pretty cool just the way it is
I agree with Jack. Well, maybe some bellflowers, lace on roof, panel paint or scallops Jeff Myers' '63 perhaps for some inspiration
The car looks great the way it is! Mabey clean the stickers off the windows. It does have the custom look!
I'd agree with the others, it looks just like what a guy who wanted a custom but needed a family hauling sedan might do in the mid 60's with his then late model car. I had a buddy with 3 young kids in the mid 60's who did pretty much the same thing with a base model Chevelle 4 door. His wife wanted 4 doors and and automatic and he bought a rather plain Chevelle with a 283 and automatic. Then he stuck a set of custom wheels on it and had dual exhaust put on it. It wasn't an SS hardtop but thinking back it looked a lot better than we told him it did at the time. I wouldn't add trinkets to the grill or make other changes to it as there may come the time when it is more productive $$$ wise to return it back to it's original showroom look when you go to sell it. I don't know what the market for American cars of that age is over there but would guess that keeping the original look outside of wheels and tires keeps value a lot more than it might here.
I wholeheartedly agree with those above who said “leave it as it is….looks great”! “Less is more”…… Ray
The car as depicted in the pictures you posted, as indicated by others that have replied, just leave alone, it looks great the way it is! So nice to see a 4 door AMC car, that is a suvivor, and looks that good!
Jeez, since when is the HAMB the Rambler restoration club? This is one of Ramblers better styling efforts and a few minor mods will really dress it up. Jacob, you're on the right track but I'll make some suggestions. First, yeah, the wheels/tires need to go. And the stickers. Now, chroming the OEM wheels isn't as easy as you might think; to do it right you need to remove the centers, have the centers and hoops plated separately then weld them back together. Instead I'd look at these: NEW Astro / Howard style CHROME SLOT wheels | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com) . With the knock-off style center caps and skinny whites, these are a perfect period-correct choice for a custom. Sold by a HAMB vendor no less. Side trim... Don't remove it, add to it! The 'spear' on the front fenders looks great, but with it ending at the doors it looks unfinished. What it needs is the spear extended all the way to the rear. You'll have to track down another full set of side trim to do this, basically swapping the new pieces end-for-end and upside down. This may take some effort/$$ to round up the parts, but well worth it IMO. This was a pretty common mod on '59 Chevys, it'll look great here. It will be a defining feature of the car. I would remove any emblems/scripts though. Don't muck up the grill with knobs! The grill is one of the car's best features, I'd clean it up and re-detail it with black paint or vinyl tape, maybe even 'floating' the vertical bars with paint/tape. The one flaw here is the 'Rambler' script in the center. I'd fab a polished stainless cover for that and stick it on with two-sided tape. Done! That leaves paint. I'll leave color choice to you, but will recommend that you use a bright color on the body and a dark color on the roof; this will help to make it look lower. I'd also use the roof color inside the side spear and on the panel between the taillights. A dark flake would look good without being too 'showy'. Avoid fancy 'effects' like lace or whatnot, keep it simple. You might want to go over to the Photoshop thread and ask nicely if someone would photoshop this for you to get a better idea of how it'd look. Have fun!
Hello guys! I can’t thank you so enough for the awesome compliments! I was hoping to capture the style and to know I’ve more-less succeeded is really cool! I think I may add a few more touches to it as you mention but leave the majority as it is! perhaps it is time to delve into my next project… a 1937 Morris 8 soon to be a traditional style channeled 4 banger inspired by your sedans!
Keep the modifications to the minimum since this is a torque tube car and driveline swaps would be a big job.
Chrome wheels with 'beanie' caps, keep the trim, raise it a little, DON'T lace paint it or any of that fad crap. No tail-dragging! It'll be a nice cruiser!
The Jalopy Journal
