My Boss was given a 62 Rambler for doing a paint job. He's thinking about hot rodding it. I wondered if any of you guys had some pictures for inspiration?
Can't remember exactly what,but I saw something similar a couple of years ago-at Carlisle, I think-had a blown Hemi in it. Kind of weird-definitely hotrodded. Honestly, why not upgrade the brakes and freshen it up and just drive it like it is?
Not necessarily so. AMC built some FAST cars during the muscle car era, just like the Big Three did. OK, so that's O/T, but go back and check out Spence Murray's georgeous '36 Ford Roadster build in R&C Magazine. Car was done in the late '60s, early 70s, and ran a 343 AMC V-8. Looks like a first class hot rod to me.
http://hotrod.automotive.com/78177/hrdp-0709-1964-amc-rambler-classic/index.html http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/113_0703_1962_rambler/index.html here are a few articles of 62 / 64 Ramblers i just Googled
Great another ignorant response. Hurst Ramblers, SC Ramblers. I guess when you don't know you just make shit up. My '65 was a pretty damn hot. Don't let the haters get you down.
Thank you 23 T bucket and everyone else. I haven't seen the car but I'm guessing it's pretty rough. My boss is a body guy and he was just thinking of making a street beast or something. His brother has a really clean stock one so he isn't into going that route. They have unibody construction so a frame swap or build would be in order. First of all, I'm a Chevy guy. I know Rambler hasn't always had a performance image. (Lest we forget, the Scramblers and Rebel Machines, two seater Javelins) hell there was even a guy in high school that did pretty good in a 360 Hornet.) Getting your ass handed to you buy a Rambler has got to hurt. I'll do some more searches and maybe do a little concept type drawing. Maybe my year of art school will actually produce something. Hey Zman, do you have any pictures of your 65. I'd be interested in peeping them out. I'm a gasser lover and would like to push him in that direction. A straight axle and wacked wheel wells could even make an ice box into a cool hot rod. Maybe chop it into a bucket type rod? Thanks for any help and inspiration. Josh. PS My boss is a Pontiac guy so I'd think he's like a Poncho mill.
PS. I was also gonna say that the HAMB has had a good influence on my boss. I turned him onto it and now he's thinking outside the restorers box. He's done a few very clean GTO's and paints cars on the side. So he has the ability to build it. But he's used to restoration type stuff. The HAMB just planted a bad seed and I think that's a good thing. Why couldn't a 62 Rambler be a kick ass rod? Metalflake, big motor, mags, huge meats, roll bar, ladder bars, straight axle. "Fink it out." I figure we should just think, what would the Big Dad Ed do? Now I'm gonna have to break out my Crayons and draw something up on the back of my electric bill.
I wish I had more... and it wasn't really HAMB friendly... but it went like stink and was a convertible. Damn I miss it.
That looks HAMB friendly to me. Very nice. The grill on those is classic. Cragars and a white top. Also classic. Getting away from my original post, what was the drivetrain? I thought a 62 was HAMB friendly? Thanks again, Josh.
History shows that in 1957 the RAMBLER was the fastest thing going and pretty much dominated the stock class at the strip. So, I really dont see whats wrong with a Hot Rod Rambler. My dad has photos from 1958 at Union Grove showing two 57 Ramblers running and he said that its true that no other STOCK cars could touch them. Mike
I stand corrected, my dad said that the only thing faster off the showroom floor in 57 was the Corvette. The rambler had 255 horsepower and would spank the shit out of anything else. Not too bad for a four door with a continental kit !! He also said that he doesnt think they made more than 2000 of em .Mike
EVERYBODY knows you can't Hot Rod a Rambler much less make a gasser out of it!!! Ask any X-spurt - they'll set ya straight!
I love the 59 to 62 Ramblers - I say do it, you'll be the only one around with one which is a good thing.
someone mated a rambler with a firarri 360 spider. Definetly more money than sence but the craftsmanship was top notch.
I think they can be be made cool, how about this one? not a 62, it belongs to a member here on the HAMB
Want some real hp in that Rambler? Put an AMC 401 in it, preferably from a "Go Pack" Kelvinator, and watch 'em try to figure it out!
I loved driving my 64 wagon with V8, automatic, posi track, air, power steering, etc. Maybe not a hot rod but it was a lightweight unibody fast car! I sold it to a Hamber.
Nice!!!! I really like the early 60's cars. I could see this Rambler with some thin whitewalls, crager mags or chrome reverse wheels, lowered a bit, white roof, metalflake paint...
i think this was originally offered at a lower price , but it was recently 'upgraded' with an awesome set of wheels and a bump in the price tag. i doubt they'll recover the money they spent, but it's still pretty awesome... http://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/1210049903.html
DO IT ! I will tell you I have seem them before . I was at a local car show a few weeks ago and a guy from Md . trailered up his drag car . It was a Rambler pro stock and was mean as shit . There were some fast AMC's back in the late 60's . I also had a Matador with a 360 4bbl and that car flew ! I used to have fun with it because everyone looked at is as a Rambler . Well they scratched their heads when we took off and couldn't catch me ! BTW , I got my driver's license in a 1964 Rambler , gray 6 cyl auto ! Wasn't mine , borrowed it . The 1965 Mustang that I was using to drive broke down at the drives license center !
An AMC 401 (out of a jeep)goes nicely in the little Ramber. It's been a while since I built mine, But as I recall I did have to locate a V8 front cross member (mine started life as a 6) and I added disc brakes from a bigger/newer AMc an Ambassador ? went right on ,no modification needed. All I did was copy a project done by a friend who had just done the same thing but with an AMC 360 engine.
The Jalopy Journal
