Let's see your Ramblers!

Years ago I bought a 65 Rambler Classic convertible 327 V8 from its original owner. The funny thing was it had a 4 speed in it. She told me her dad bought it new for her when she got out of college in 65. She said he had special ordered it with a 4 speed trany instead of a 3 speed twin stick. I know that they came stock in the 66 with a 4 speed. This is the only 65 classic I have ever seen with a stock 4 speed. It was red with a white top, white interior. It also had the bucket seats, console, tissue dispenser, AM/FM radio with the reverb, tilt wheel, posi rear end, and power brakes, but no A/C. After restoring it I drove it for a few years before selling it to fund a car I was building. I wish I never sold that car!

 

If it came with the four speed from the factory (I have to admit I'm skeptical) it must have been a late production 65. The only ones that had four speeds in 66 were the limited edition Rebel AFAIK. In 66 the "mid size" Rambler was still called the Classic, the Rebel was a limited edition top of the line Classic hardtop. For 67 the mid size line name was changed from Classic to Rebel. What you're talking about sounds like a 66 Rebel, but as I said, it's possible that it was a late production 65 Classic or Ambassador hardtop.

 

As I said he ordered it from the factory with the 4 speed trany. She said she grew up only a few towns away from where they were made. The only documentation I could find anywhere was, I think it was in a May 1965 Hot Rod were is said as of May you can now order you a 1965 Rambler Classic with a 4 speed. If memory serves me right, this was like 30 years ago. I have owned several Ramblers and AMX's. My very first car was a 1963 Rambler Classic Cross Country with a 6 cly auto, red with a white roof and red interior. Somewhere I still have old pictures of the interior of that 65 classic convertible.

 

Sounds about right then. May would have been a late production 65. They generally stopped making that years models around late July then spent August retooling/setting up for the next model, September producing the next years model to get some stock built up, and introducing them in October.

 

Farna , is there anything you don t know about Ramblers ?

 

My father had a 55 Nash statesman in the late 50s. Anyone
have any pictures of one?? Or was it only a european model?
He bought it with blown engine and put a Chevy truck engine
in it. Made an adapter to the Nash gearbox with hacksaw
and hand drill. The truck engine was so heavy so he put
Volvo 444 springs inside the Nash springs

 

I don t think there s been specific european models . The only european models I know are when Renault bought Rambler for the Jeep . So there s been a few Classic ( named Rambler Renault in France ) , some Ambassador ( not much ) , but not enough to have a dedicaced model for Europe .
In real life , I ve never seen any Rambler/AMC in France , unless a Pacer in about 1982 ... It was the only one miles ( 100 miles ) around , and I loved this aquarium
Farna will know for sure .

"55 Nash statesman" on Google Images gives plenty of results

 

I have showed him pictures on the internet but he say
they dont look like his car
He had 4 front lights and radiused wheel wells???
57 have that but he says that its not the car he had

Mopar had special models asembled in sweden like
De soto firedome was a plymouth with De soto front
and Dodge kingsway and some others

I dont know if Nash assembled cars in sweden
But Ford GM and Mopar did

 

The only Nash models with dual headlights were the 57 (stacked). The 56 had the headlight in the grille frame, with a park light (looked almost like a small headlight) on the front of the fender. Could have been a 58 or later Rambler Six, Ambassador, Classic or Rebel (the big Rambler, not American). All those had dual headlights. Lots of people still called the Ramblers "Nash" in the early 50s and even 60s... some old timers still do today! It's hard to remember exact model years after many years have passed unless the car was really special and/or you're a REAL car nut. Dad could have slipped a few years...

Nali, I've been into Rambler since 1978 and written lots of material about them, which requires a lot of research. But don't think I know it all, occasionally someone surprises me with something I've never heard about! Also, I don't remember all this stuff... I refer to my collection of factory manuals (52-83) and a few other books I have (a couple I wrote!) to make sure I have a good answer most of the time. Sometimes memory fails or is vague, but I know where to find the answer in my library!

 

He still have the papers from it and it says 55 he owned it
1960 bought it from a junkyard with a 53 partscar for about
40 usd it was an old taxi so i dont think it was 58 or later
and my father is a real carnut and know a Nash from a Rambler
But Ramblers can have been sold in Sweden as Nash
Was probably a stronger brand name
He say he somehow think it was assembled in Canada
It had a real big heater and insulation in the roof and doors
was real warm in the winter I got the heater,seats,rims,gearbox
with overdrive and some smalparts somewere
He almost bought a late 50s rambler but the auto sliped and
he thought it was so ugly so he backed out

 

Found pics of a Nash based Hudson 55 he say
the wheel openings are the right ones it also
had dual carbs the grill an head lights are different
so i guess they sold hudsons as Nash in Sweden
With a different grill and head lights

 

That's possible. The 55-57 Hudson was just a restyled Nash anyway.

 

always like the rambler, bought one new in 68 and totaled it in 78
never had an issue with it, bought a used 75 in 78 and drove it
for many yrs, had a 61 when I got married.........wish I still had either of them

 

Hi I am new to this forum, just picked up a 63 Rambler Classic 550 Cross Country wagon. It has 318/904 with 10 bolt rear end. Looking forward to searching this forum. Leaning more toward drag racing this wagon in future. Hope pictures upload.

Randy

 

This isn't HAMB friendly??? No I think its spot on for the HAMB man!

 

I think the "official" cut-off for the HAMB is 1964 (or is it 65?), but the 65-66 Ramblers are virtually the same (minor cosmetic differences, mechanically they ARE the same). So there's some "grey area" there...

I dig that 70s paint job on the roof though!

 

Change out the wheels and you'll fit ritght in at the various run what ya brung events
around the M-west.

The Hunnert Car Heads up, HAMB Drags, and Vintage Torque Drag Events
have a specific style that limits your wheel choice if you want to compete.

But man please get some steel wheels for that great wagon.

Jeff

 

Thanks for the kind words fellas. Like a lot of the shows I've been going to lately the cut of is 64 so just figured it was the same here from what I've read. I'm having a ball with the car and after mounting a forward crossbar on the rack I put 2 longboard skateboards up there and love the way it looks. Need to get some cosmetic and engine bugs ironed out then it's time to lay it out for a better look and ride. I saw a white 65 660 wagon at Beatersville this year that was on bags and would love to get ahold of the guy who owned it but waited by the car for almost an hour with no luck. Anyone know who he is or how I can get ahold of him? I know the front suspension setups on these things are kind of difficult so I want to talk with someone who's done this and make sure I get it right the first time.....

 

Bagging a Rambler with stock suspension is one of the easiest things to do!

See:
http://www.rgkustoms.com/rambler/progress/airride/index.html
http://theamcforum.com/forum/topic26498_post243540.html#243540

And surprisingly:
http://www.s10forum.com/forum/f30/project-bag-the-rambler-383783/

 

Jeff,
I personally don't care for these rims, but I have to run them right now. This winter going to start changing a few things. Would like to get enough money for 408 stroker around 450-500hp. Also would like to do a mini tub. Torque thrust wheels are what I am thinking. Where can I find more information on those events.
Randy

 

Have you guys seen that Rambler I think it is a classic, with a turbo charged Rambler 327 with a blow through carb, that has around 700hp. It has been around for quite a few years.

 

Just picked up this 51 Nash convertible. Full perimeter chassis grafted into the unibody, mustang II, 9" Versailles disc brake rear, ready to drop in an LT1/4L60E, super low.

 

My '66 Classic...gettin down. Hopefully picking up the parts to finish bagging the rear this week

 

i know it's too new, but i had a 67 rambler [want to say rebel] sst 770 convert some 20 years ago, had a 290 v8 auto, power top, power steering and power brakes. sadly, no pic's of it, and i've never seen another one. anyone have any pic's of these?

 

Fleet Photo circa 1981, not pictured '64 440 Twin Stick Conv body.

 

The boy and I drug this one home a couple of months ago. Saved it from the teeth of the crusher though, (I mean it was sitting at the gate ready to go in when they opened up) so that was cool. Still don't know exactly what we'll do with it yet.

 

I've got photos of one of those with a SBC. The guy used early Chevy II "over the rail" headers and cur away just enough of the wheel well panels for them to go through. He added some bracing at the top of the wheel wells though. Search for V-8 in Rambler... or search for my posts. Photos should turn up.

 

Here's a couple of my Aussie-assembled '67 American. Recently upgraded with a 360. Went from a mid 14-second car to a 13.3@106mph.

 

I dunno if this is a Rambler or not (looks like one), but I spotted this in Times Square this morning. LOL.

 

Looks like a later '50s Ford Anglia.

Mike