I got a supervisor at work who told me that he has an AMC Rambler with a Packard 327 engine in it? It was the stock engine he said. I don't know much on Mopar or Packard for that matter, but I was curious if this was a stock car or has it been modified? Also does anyone know where to find a rear axle that'll fit it? He snapped an axle shaft I think he said...mighta been the pinion gears, not sure. Also if Packard made a 327 how different is it from a Chevy 327?  

It was the Rambler Rebel; there was one in a recent issue of Hemmings Muscle Machines. It's a Rambler 327 engine. It was engine family was originally like 271 ci, but they designed the block to bore it bigger from day one. By the early sixties Rambler had it up to 327 ci.They are very light, very powerful cars, but unfortunately they didn't sell many.  

Ok so the engine is stock then. That is what I was wondering. Thanks man. You said a Rambler 327, though. Am I missing something in automotive history? I thought Nash became AMC, and AMC became Chrysler, or am I missing something here....AMC made the Rambler right?  

AMC did not use parts from any other manufacturer contrary to popular belief. They had their own motor designs, their own suspension designs and everything, other than the automatic transmissions, which shared the same internals as Chrysler's automatics.  

You could get the 327 engine in Classics and Ambassadors up through at least '65.   The engine was rated at something like 270 hp and 325 lb-ft at 2600 rpm.  I can imagine that they move a car pretty good with that kind of low end power.  I may be a little off but I remember seeing the figures in the shop manual and being impressed.  As far as trannies go, their Flash-o-Matic was a Borg-Warner trans that is allegedly very similar to Ford's  Cruise-o-Matic.  They also used Torqueflites later on, along with TH400's  

Just as a side note,they also used Ford carbs and ignitions in the later years.  

Ok well his is a 1965 Ambassador with a blown rear axle. Any ideas on how, or if he could find another rear axle to fit it?  

He's probably gonna have to get a junkyard axle.   Tell him to do a google search on American Parts Depot.  That store is in Ohio and has an assortment of parts cars.  He could probably use an axle from any AMC "big" car up through the late sixties.  

Ok thank you very much guys I'm sure he'll appreciate it.  

there is a few ways to fix a blown axle..  if it is not damaged to bad...  it can be machined for a woodruffkey...   almost 30 years ago i worked in a shop that had one  machined for a woodruff key and they machined the hub also...i have no idea where that could be done today...   it might be easier to get a custom axle.. it might be a dana axle..so parts might be around



i would think a few minutes with a die grinder and a single ball bearing in the taper would fix the problem.. again if the axle is not torn up .... that could be done with out removing the axle from the car..

i have seen people put some valve lapping compound in the taper and tighten it...