Thanks guys for project Rambler.  I'm sure that it will be a sweet car.  The Rambler compact body is a great car to start with for a hot rod.  It doesn't seem to take much power to make them really scoot.  Put a built up v-8 in it and ...well hold on!  I've enbarked on an arguably more complicated and unusual chellenge.  I have a 66 AMC classic convertible(327 4bbl. auto) and a 66 rebel hardtop(327 4bbl, t-10, factory air, black bucket seats, console, factory disc brakes, posi, even the rare factory American Motors tach mounted on the dash).  I intend to build up the convertible using a 10:1 comp, ported stock headed AMC 401, t-85 3spd using a modified Hurst competition shifter, with the Borg Warner overdrive, and most likely have a custom driveshaft built (for the torque tube that will REMAIN in the car) and a set of Moser axle shafts to go along with the posi rear.  I intend to run the low 3:15 gears for a comfortably low rpm at 75mph.  Of course the bucket seats, console shift, tach, air conditioning, disc brakes, will all transfer over to the convertible as well.  Throw in some wider BFG radial TA's onto 15" magnum 500 wheels along with a host of other improvements(structural) here and there, along with a ground up paint job, and it should hopefully make a nice interpretation of what an AMC could have been like if the manufacturer jumped into the 400+ cubic inch, mid sized "muscle car" arena a bit sooner.  Well see...

Good luck on your project...it is an inspiration just to know that a major magazine is interested...you have my subscription!

George Schuld

gschuld@hotmail.com  

I have thought of using this AMC body before but have not did one. I think this body style and many others get over looked for the more popular cars "Nova, Dart, Duster". I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with this car. Now I will have to start looking for that AMC to do.  

I'm glad there is some interest in the 65-66 Classic, Rebel bodystyle.  I have to admit, it takes some "eye squinting" to get past the skinny tires and goofy hubcaps.  An improved stance, removal of some of the stainless body side trim, some possible alterations to the original grill(or start from scratch) along with respectable musclecar wheels and tires will do wonders for the generally nice lines of the body.  With a solid ground up paint job, I think it should make a nice car...certainly something different.  In 66 they made all of 1700 convertibles...not very many!  It will take a little while, but I'd be glad to send progress reports to anyone who is interested.

George

Thanks Car Craft!!!!  What a great project car (Remember dare to be different).  Thanks also to Jeff Smith for his enthusiasm with our cars at the 2004 Lima show and the Wauseon super cruise.

These cars can be built for less than 10000 dollars and can be just a hoot out on the streets.

If our club (Glass City AMC, Toledo, Ohio) can be of any help, please email me.

Let the smoke roll               

Hey,

Just a thought, I don't know what your plans are for the 360 that's going in the Rambler project car, but in 1969 or '70 AMC made a 390 that was rated at 340 horsepower. Real world horsepower was well over 400. I think the engines wound up in the Rebel machine and some Hurst AMX/Javelins. Since all of the AMC V8 engines (290, 304,343,360, 390, and 401) use the exact same block with different bores, why not build get the specs from that particular 390 and duplicate them just for kicks. I have a 1968 Rebel SST convertible with a 290 in it that could probably use the same treatment.
Thanks for finally doing an AMC performance project.

Cheers,
Matt

It's about time! I use to drive a '58 Rambler when I was in high school just because it was so out there and different. I also had a '72 Gremlin that had a 304. I put a T10 from a Javelin in to it. It was a lot of fun.

A while back I was talking to a friend of mine who open tracks his heavily modified 66 Mustang. We were talking about AMC's and he told me that he tried his friends '70 AMX and said that the car handled better then his 66!

I look back on things and think AMC was an underated company. Imagine what they could have done if they had money? Keep up the good work, look foward to reading about the American!

Turbo the Rambler!  Turbo the Rambler!

Recipe:

1. a pair of cheap turbos off eBay;

2. JY intercooler (will a PowerStroke fit?)

3.  blow through the carb/add enrichment injectors

4. wastegates, boost gauge, wideband O2 meter, Dawes/Grainger-type boost controller

5. Water injection--pull out that 1980 article from CC

6. some mandrel bends from Summit; muffler shop pipes for the rest; silicone hoses from ebay

Stage II--Spray it

Stage III-- Spray + alcohol enrichment

The disco nova:  that yellow made me sick ...tan or gold would of better easier on the eyes

I think the Rambler American is great! I mean GREAT! It promises to be a good, fun car. a friend of mine had several as we were growing up and its good to see them finally getting some recognition. As far as the other project junker is concerned. ......

NOT ANOTHER #**$##%@  ONE!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sick to death of Chevies. Haven't you grown tired of doing the same car over and over and over.......ETC.!

Sorry, but I do get tired of the same old thing. I don't care if it's a Camero, Nova or what. I'd really like to see a 67 Fairlane or a 55 Buick. How about a 56 Pontiac. You could swap in a really hot 455 . How about an old 4speed hydro. They were real good trannys, nobody probably makes parts for them anymore, but they were fun to play with.

I gave my grandson an 84 Ford Ranger with a 2.8 liter six/C3 auto. The engine is very weak.  We'll pull it, do a ring and bearing job, change the cam, do a valve job and get it running again. It has some bad dents in a couple of spots. I will use it to train him to do his own body work. When that's done We'll paint it. I hope he will appreciate the vehicle and treat it better than if someone had just given him a rice rocket and let him kill himself trying to do some of the things he sees on tv and in the movies.

Projects like this are well worth some space in a good mag like ours, too. Our, you say ours? You bet I've been a subscriber for more years than I care to mention.  If you check you'll find that I've given gift subscriptions to others, too. I have really liked the way you have tried to include other cars, than just Chev's. It still seams that whenever you get a new project car its a C....

OK, enough. Put my vote with the Rambler and other orphans! Try to wean yourselves from the "C" cars for a while. It'll do you good.

Are you guys looking for suggestions for the Rambler?  Great project car.

is it possible to put a chevy small-block in a '64 rambler wagon, without changing the sub-frame? And if so, how much damage will acure, from the tork?  

The 390 is cool but most speed parts are designed for the tall-deck 401. The 360 is really a small 401 that are easier to find.

douglas

Ah yes, another Bow-Tie brother than seems to think only in SBC terms. 

Rambler used V8s of its own design back in '64 (including a "327" that had absolutely NOTHING to do with the OH NO! NOT ANOTHER Chevy lump. In fact, according to Motor Trend back in the day,  the rare '57 Rambler Rebel would put the hurt on a '57 Bel Air! Who'd a thunk it? A butt-thumping V8 that's not an SBC? How is it possible?)

The pre-thin-wall series of Rambler V8s made some mad power, so it's unlikely an antique 283 Stovebolt wheezer, a smogger 350 or a Mexican-made crate mill will wad up the frame rails.  I suspect even a  Hendrick NASCAR cheater SB2 or a  (drum roll)  world-beating "Gen III" LS6 wouldn't pretzelize it, either.

But it would be yet another interesting ride totally wasted by an unimaginative engine choice.

I thought the May isssue wanted us to pick what to put the 360 in. I was going to say that you probably would get alot of AMX/Javelin picks, or even a Gremlin. Some might also pick the Marlin, The Machine, or the Rambler American, (My wife had one when we dated, but her dad sold it.). But my pick would be, and I know I will get alot of jokes or grief about it, but I think a late 70s, or early 80s Eagle SX4 would be cool. I like it better then the regular Spirit body because it has the fender flares ,ect. Kit. Drop in the 360, put on it 16-17 inch wheels, lower the suspension, and switch it to all- wheel drive from 4 wheel drive and I think it would rock. I think Dodge/ Jeep, should have held onto the Eagle 4 wheel drives and just updated them. Looking at the Subarus, Infinities, Lexus, and other all wheel drives reminds me alot of the Eagle.  Mine went though alot of mud, snow, and other off road and was fun.