I grew up with a dad who was a Rambler fan. Learned to drive in a Rambler. Loved those front and rear "wing windows"!! You could open both front+rear wing windows and it was a comfortable temperature without wind blowing on you. (Miss them on cars today!) You could lay back of front seats flat-making it a bed, which we did on camping trips. Sooo many memories of growing up in a Rambler family. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for a great history lesson on the Ambassador nameplate ! I had no idea that it went back that far . & AMC carried quite a few legendary marques nameplates that merged into what AMC became . Thanks for the video , & the origins of this fine automobile , & nameplate well done.
@@thehopelesscarguy Yeah Im sure its not too popular but Ive always loved AMC vehicles including the rare sundancer convertible thing. Thank you, love youre work.Just subscribed
My 1950 had the six- which had seven main bearings and OHV, it had 2 sp hydramatic(cast iron housing) plus two-spd automatic overdrive (vacuum operated). it would go 95 all day long on I-95.You could roll all the windows down and still talk to each other.Big long seats
Thanks for sharing. Modern aerodynamics have all but ruined driving with open windows. I remember as a kid seeing how far I could stick my hand out the window before the wind caught it. Now you crack a window and the whole inside of the car turns into a wind tunnel.
I am 66, and really enjoyed your presentation. The prices you called, floored me !Very interesting and informative video. I remember the American Rambler and The Rambler Rebel in my country. Maybe there were other before I was born, I cannot say. Being a member of the British Commonwealth, most of our cars were British. We did have Peugeot and Renault in the years gone by. Today it is mainly Japanese & Korean. Thank You. Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies.
@@thehopelesscarguy Yes. Before I was born, my father owned a car, so I grew up a kind of car person. For 12 years ending February 2021, I was an importer of used Japanese vehicles. I would import any 4-year-old-or-newer Japanese vehicle for a customer, and deliver it to his door, ready to drive. The prices I heard on your video was unbelievably low. But then in 1974, when I was a trainee at our only oil refinery I worked for US$34.87 per week ! When I retired in 2015 (41 years) I was earning over US$4,400 basic per month. That was a high paying job. (Today US$1=TT$6.80) But as an island, we have to import everything. Taxes are very high on any motor vehicle or replacement parts. The state-owned refinery was shut down by the government in 2018, and we now import all fuels. To buy a Honda CRV with the 1500 turbo engine is about TT$385,000 (US$56,617) The bigger the engine, the higher the taxes. Most people drive 1500cc or smaller-engined vehicles. Gasoline just went up today. 1 litre of 95 Octane is TT$6.87 (US$1.01) We have lots of millionaires here, so you see Range Rovers, Porsches, BMWs, Mercedes, even a few Ferraris, Jeeps and Mustangs. Bumper-to-bumper traffic is common on our few highways, especially on peak hours or a small fender-bender. I have been a motorcyclist all my life, and getting older, I bought a Yamaha FZ25 single-cylinder 250cc non-ABS. (Made in India) in August last year. I paid the equivalent of US$4,400 !! Trinis generally do not like motorcycles. But the cars in the videos were really beautiful, works of art for sure. Cars today though far more efficient and reliable, have lost their class and finesse........just like todays people.......no class and finesse !! Regards. Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies.
@@ramishrambarran3998 Prior to the late 1970s cars in the U.S. were super cheap. I did a video on the evolution of cars in America that covers engine and car sizes and prices over the last 100 years or so. Obviously space isn't an issue in most parts of the country, and small cars were most popular in the 80s.
The “Kenosha Duesenberg!” Had to laugh. Having been made in Kenosha myself, I found this very interesting as my parents certainly knew many people who worked for Nash. Cool to learn about the entire historical lineup. Thanks!
Great video. My parents bought a new ‘65 Ambassador 990H. It was a creamy white color with a red top, red interior with bucket seats and floor mounted automatic shifter & console. Had AMC’s 327 4-bbl which was torquey and quick. I took my driver’s test in that car in January, 1970 on 4” of new fallen snow! Wish I could find a restored duplicate!
@@thehopelesscarguy Oh absolutely you need to do that! Saw a video on those recently… I think it was a ‘57 or ‘58. VERY unique roof line! Thanks for replying! 👍👍👍
A 1950 Ambassador is a childhood memory at age 5. Sitting in my Dad's lap going 90 MPH, looking at the instrument cluster mounted on top of the steering column. They only had that in 1949/1950.
Thanks. "One should not increase beyond what is necessary, the number of entities to explain anything". Although for me, it is an effort not to run on.
We had a 1965 Ambassador 990 station wagon light yellow that I still dream of fondly sometimes. Don't remember seeing many in the day. Was a beautiful car
@@Pjayque I remember test driving a white wagon while I was still in high school. Wasn't really what I wanted at the time but it sure would be cool to have now.
@@thehopelesscarguy I can relate. As a teenager, Ramblers weren't the coolest cars to drive. That's when Chevies were hot cars for teens. But I could fit a bunch of friends in my dad's Ramble, we'd drop the seats down and pile in as many kids we could fit. I beat the heck out out "pull back" starter and drop it into gear. The Rambler seemed indestructible. Good thing my dad never knew how hard I was on his car!! We called it : The Ramblin' Rambler. Kinda of a pea green with black stripe+Finns. One of many-but the Ambassador is where I got my driving lessons. At 16 it didn't matter WHAT u drove, it was COOL just having a license!!! My folks put a limit on how many miles I could drive on weekends. But one of the guys knew how to unhook milage counter, then reconnect before curfew came. It was a fun car and rebel times.
That was a great presentation on the subject of the history of the Ambassador automobile. My favorites are the 1952-1957 Pininfarina designed 2 door coupes and the 4door sedans. The 1964-1966 models, especially the coupes were beautiful, especially the higher end models and convertibles and the 1967-1969 models. The high end coupe, convertibles and sedans were stunning! The matching pillows was the ultimate expression of taste!
Thank you for the great video. Very informative. The first vehicle I ever owned when I was actually old enough to have a drivers license, was a 68 ambassador. It had no reverse and you had to pump the brakes but that old monster just kept going and going no matter how bad I abused it. Lol
As a teenager in the 70s I bought a 66 ambassador for a few hundred dollars. The rear end blew out and a friend replaced it from a part from a junk yard. I recall the drive shaft was in a torque tube.
My Grandfather sold Nash, then Rambler in Chicago. (Van Hattem Motors on Michigan av. in the Roseland neighborhood). The last car he bought for himself was a '59 Rambler Custom, bronze and tan 2 tone paint. Had the 6 cyl, 3 speed automatic (which gave the option of starting in 2nd gear, a la Ford). The weak spot in those cars was the torque tube enclosure for the driveshaft. The tube took all the froward thrust of the rear axle and transferred it to the engine mounts. It had rear coil springs and a panhard rod to mount the rear axle. When the rear u-joint failed, at 60k miles or so, it was a huge job to remove and replace. That design sent a lot of them to the boneyard. It seemed to be the only weak spot.
Kenosha Duesenbergs (1930s), Kenosha Cadillacs (late-1960s/1970s), and unfairly comparing themselves to Rolls-Royce TWICE (1940 - the Twin-Spark Ignition; that was the first time, and they were the only two cars to have it that year, touting that Transatlantic aircraft had to have it too.). As someone who's Father's first car in the continental U.S.A., being a 1972 Javelin SST, AMC has a soft-spot in my heart.
A Javelin SST isn't a bad place to start, and I'm not sure about how unfair those comparisons were. Certainly not direct competitors, but if they were the only two cars with standard AC, then they were the only 2 cars with standard AC.
Great video and history of the Nash/Rambler/AMC/ Ambassador. Only error noted is that the 57 had a Borg Warner auto trans, not Packard Ultramatic. Ultramatics were only used with the 55-56 Packard V8s.. the only trans available with the Packard engines. That was a condition of the sale by Packard -- Nash had to buy both V8 and Ultramatic together. An interesting note: Nash traded GM the use of their patented "Weather Eye" ventilation system for the use of the Hydramatic in the early 50s.
I owned a 1973 Ambassador 2-Door Hardtop Brougham with the 360 4-Barrel it was a good Performer that could stay with a 440 Charger to 60 MPH after that I was looking at Rear Tail Lights getting smaller! They offered the 401 as a Option Motor and they only produced approximately 3450!
My first car was a 1967 Ambassador same color as 10:19 , friends thought it was a Road Runner . When I turned 16 my dad and I went car shopping . He pointed out the car. He did not show me the fully folding front seats until we got home with it. He had a '56 Ambassador when I was a kid so I know he knew about the seats. I so appreciated him suggesting the car as I had so so much fun with it on dates at the drive in or in the strawberry fields!!!!!! Sold it after I got married though.
Thanks for another great model history. AMC championed "downsized" cars before it was cool, only to push upsizing just when the first oil crunch occured. My first car was a well used '66 Ambassador 990 purchased for $350 in 1975. It had over boosted power steering, touchy power brakes, and a 275 HP 4-BBL 327 V8 with a BW Flashomatic 3-speed AT. At over 100K, the engine burned some oil but had plenty of pep. Steering was good, cornering was sloppy, and a heavy bacl seat passenger caused the torque tube rear end to steer the car slightly. When it rained, the all-drum brakes pulled sometimes left, sometimes right... And without inner liners, the front fender tops rusted through and the driver's footwell would fill with water. All in all, it was a decent car, but a reminder that a 10 year old car of that era in a northern (road salt) climate was nearly used up. Today, my 10 year old car is fit for another decade!
My dad drove a 1951 Ambassador. The passenger seat dropped down to form a bed. We kids liked to push the split seat forward and get out the front doors as if it was a coupe. I have a 1:87 scale model of one to remember it by.
It would help to give background for changes, for those who don't know - e.g. Depression-era cost cutting; sales up-down reasons in late '50s and 60s. There's often much more behind change than decisions made in an office.
The Ambassador 8 in the early 30s up to 1934 were such elegant, stately looking automobiles. They looked as nice as the luxurious and beautiful Packards of that era.
My dad was a "Hudson man." He kept his 54 Hornet until 1959 when he came home with a 1959 Ambassador Custom Cross-Country wagon. 327 cubic inch 4 barrel V8. It was very quick for its day. Then a beautiful 1960 Ambassador top of the line 3 seat wagon with air conditioning. Not as quick with a 2 barrel 250 HP 327 but what a wonderful car. The a 1962 Ambassador Custom 400, little 327 4 barrel dual exhaust positraction 3 speed automatic. Surprisingly quick, smooth, and luxurious. His best purchase was a 1965 Rambler Marlin, 327 4 barrel with the Shift Command console mounted automatic. That would've made a nice keeper. AMC's were unitized, rattle free, solid cars. They handled well for their time. The much lighter Ambassador 327s could keep up with the larger engined but heavier offerings from the big 3. They were scoffed at by big 3 dealers, so their reputation suffered unfairly.
I knew a few people that swore by Ramblers back in the day, including my own grandmother. And yes, that early Marlin certainly would have been a nice keeper.
Few people realize that a good part of the Nash line bodies were designed by Pinin Farina from the early to mid 50's. For those unfamiliar with Pinin Farina, they were the principle design studio for Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa, and Lancia for many years. Some of the earlier bodies had Pinin Farina badging just like the Ferrari's etc.
@@davidpancerev9658 depending on the model and year could have been Pinin Farina and or Ghia. Anderson may have been one of the AMC stylists but like all the design salons, there was a great deal of collaboration. The same is true with Brooks Stevens, Bob Borke, Raymond Lowey and Tom Kellogg. Although Lowey got credit for much of the Studebaker K and C series bodied cars in the 50's and later, the Gran Turismo in the 60's, and for the Avanti too, all the above designers all had major hands in the final product designs.
@@thehopelesscarguy I think this car was a Ghia not a Farina. Hard to say as Ghia and Pinin both did designs for Nash, and so did Donald Healey: thus the Nash Healey.
Thanks for Sharing... I'm putting together a 1956 Rambler Wagon. I have Extended the Front End 4"s so now it's got a 112" wheelbase. It's getting a Small Block Chevy V8 400 engine too.
Well done overview of the history of this car. You wonder why with such styling and fairly good engines in the 1930s that the Nash didn't compete with the top 3 for a bigger market share. The front wheel cut were so strange...always amazed the tires didn't hit the body work. Owned one AMC ..they were different but were always a car that seemed to me as a cross between a Chevy and a Plymouth
Thanks. I think the Ambassador is study in tends in the American auto industry. I don't think it was every stylistically conservative, but it always seemed to be able to follow the market in a way models usually don't. Which allowed it to last as long as it did.
@@leftylou6070 a 1973 Hornet Hatchback "Levi X" package with the 258 6yl... with a 2 barrel...It had great power and torque...I even I used to tow my TR4 race car with it..... with the back seats down I had all kinds of room for my "race kit". I think they have all dissolved...never see any at car shows and I have 2 old cars (foreign and US) ..... and make the rounds...thanks for asking
@@theophilhist6455 A buddy of mine had I think it was a 74 Gremlin X with a 304 ci V8 motor. It ran like a bat outta hell. Good Luck and happy motoring!
AMBASSADORS Handled and Cornered very well with Front and Rear Coil Spring Suspension along with Front and Rear Sway Bars! The Jeep 360 V8 Motor was the same in the Jeep Wagoneer and Cherokee as in the Automobiles that was improved and modernized till 2004!
AMC acquired Jeep in 1970. The Wagoneer (and large 2-dr. Cherokee) began using the AMC 360 cu.in. V8 in MY 1972. Chrysler acquired AMC in 1987. Wagoneer production ended in June 1991, and it was the last vehicle application for the AMC 360 V8. The Grand Cherokee introduced for MY 1993 featured Chrysler's 318 V8 as an option. The second gen. MY 1998 GC added Chrysler's 360 cu.in. (aka 5.9 liter Magnum) V8 as an additional engine option. It was the Chrysler 360 that ended production in 2004, replaced by the 5.7L Hemi.
People forget that the early 30's Nash Ambassadors were very upmarket, with many models CCCA designated Classics. In '32 a sedan was close to $2,000 which was Buick Series 90 (the very top) territory, when a Ford sedan was < $600.
My, Mother had a 1971 Rambler American station wagon 9 passenger a 360 V8:4 barrel carburetor . It was a dark Maroon over all. The wheel covers looked like Chrysler sport dog dish with Beauty ring. I think she paid slightly over 5,000 .that was the last Rambler AMC my mom owned, she purchased it, From Archer & Kedzie Rambler , dealer Chicago ILLinois. 🙄☝️
Nice vlog, I own a 1957 Ambassador and love it! One correction, you reference that Hardtops were no longer available in 1962, according to brochures and The Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1960 was the last year for hardtops.
I don't ever remember them as a boatie but had the ride of one. the whole rambler line through out the 60s was amazing the big three should have been Rambler, studebaker & packard
My Dad was a partner in a Nash (later AMC) dealership in Flint, Mi. So, our family always drove Nash and Ramblers. My first new car, was a 1966 Ambassador two door hardtop (can't remember what trim level) with the 327 ci V8. It was ordered by one of Dad's customers, it arrived with a three speed manual transmission, but the order called for an automatic. I got a great deal on the car (think it was at dealer cost)., and we drove it til the wheels fell off in the early 70's.
My Dad had several Ambassadors (1952, 1954, 1956, 1960, 1963, 1967 and 1970) The 54 was like the aqua one shown here. The 67 was a great car as was the 63.
I own a 65 Rambler Ambassador 270 h.p. 4V 327 bucket seats with factory a.c. / power windows, front disc brakes, power top, adjustable steering wheel, two tone just like the Marlin . It is loaded and one of probably 300 built out of the 3995 convertibles built in 1965. I get more compliments on the 990 than I do on my other cars, a 70 AMX Big Bad Blue shadow mask 390 Go Pack or my 63 Thunderbird Sports Roadster or my 63 Corvette Split Window.
Our family had a few Ramblers over the years, the last being the Two Door Ambassador, 1970 model. They were very rare here in Perth and the rest of Australia.
Thanks. Nash would have been up market and therefore more expensive than Ford/Chevy/Plymouth, and the Ambassador was the high end Nash, closer to Buick/Chrysler. As a AMC the Ambassador was about evenly priced with the Galaxie/Impala/Fury in the late 60s, but slowly climbed in price being about $500 more expensive than its big 3 counterparts to start by its last year, but also with more standard features.
My Dad was a Nash guy , and I guess ,so was I ! At 14 yrs. old my starter car , was a 1951 Ambassador ! Bought it for $50 and spent 2 yrs. , getting it runnable . I went on to , 1953 , 1959 , 1965 , 1974 ! Being Raised in Detroit , made me a kind of a outlaw , with Nash's ! By the way , Nash's , were FAR from Slouches !! Left Detroit , 1960 , for the Navy at eighteen , now eighty between Florida and Kansas City . Retired !
The 1957 Ambasador with the AMC 327 V8 used the GM 4-speed HydraMatic not the Packard Ultramatic. A quick look at the shift quadrants would confirm the HydraMatic. With a 4 to the left of D and a 3 to the right showed that it couldn't possibly be an Ultramatic. The Ultramatic was always a 2-speed automatic with a lock-up torque converter, so, the 4 and 3 would be meaningless if it were an Ultramatic. With the "Twin-stick" option, the 2nd stick controlled the overdrive unit. Previously, overdrive was controlled by a pull handle under the dash. The "Twin-stick" option was available with both manual and automatic transmissions.
AMC didn't really go belly up, so much as fade away. The failure of the rotary Pacer project followed by a major recall issue forced them into a series of buy outs (first Renault & and then Chrysler) that failed to provide them with the new products needed to stay relevant.
Plus there's no way AMC had the financial resources to upgrade their autos to compete with the ever changing mandatory federal emissions & safety requirements. Chrysler only wanted Jeep when it purchased AMC.
I currently own a near Concourse 1957 Nash Ambassador Country Club Coupe. Only 997 were produced and my research indicates that less than 10 roadworthy coupes still exist. Do you have any information to verify this???? Thanks!
Sweet. I think total 57 Ambassador production was around 3600, but I wouldn't have a clue as to how many remain. I would imagine there is a registry that would have some kind of information on that.
@@thehopelesscarguy Thanks. Only 997 Country Club Coupes were produced in 1957. I have only been able to document 9 currently in roadworthy condition. I've contacted various Nash / AMC groups but nobody has any record of the remaining cars.
My great uncle owned a 1959 Rambler Ambassador and he always said that it beat the 1969 Rebel in speed he could never get the Rebel any faster than 90mph. Laughing and said that he shouldn’t be driving that fast when he had poor eyesight. lol 😅
we had a 1961 classic with the 250 ci. 4 bbl. carb and auto trans, had it doing 110 mph with 4 teens in it on a two lane road in death valley, it was bullet proof.
I'll take a 1932 Ambassador 8 convertible or a 1967 Ambassador convertible. Forget everything from 1935 to 1963, some of the worst styling ever, especially the bathtub years and the goofy finned models. Reminds me of the bad styling of the Studebakers, the 1953 Commander 2 door went from one of the most beautiful and advanced styling to 4 door and finned abominations and the poor Lark just got weird in its last few years, two different committees that did not like each other designed the front and rear. Enjoyed your presentation. 👍
Thanks. Perhaps not the prettiest cars ever, but they did have their own distinct style. And although I didn't cover it in this video, the Nashes were like mini campers, with seats that folded into a bed and optional window screens.
Bought a used 63 Rambler American off the back lot of a car dealership for $200 bucks ... my wife drove it for two years and I resold it to neighbor for $200. It was a dependable simple machine.
The build quality, performance and reliability of NASH/AMC are legend.
I grew up with a dad who was a Rambler fan. Learned to drive in a Rambler. Loved those front and rear "wing windows"!! You could open both front+rear wing windows and it was a comfortable temperature without wind blowing on you. (Miss them on cars today!) You could lay back of front seats flat-making it a bed, which we did on camping trips. Sooo many memories of growing up in a Rambler family. Thanks for posting.
Wing windows should make a comeback. They could be power, like on a Thunderbird.
Awesome! Ur lucky. I would have loved to own a Nash! Ur dad rocked. 😎
Excellent, fact-packed. All car videos should be this way, a ton of information on the cars, no crappy dialogue. Brilliant!
Thank you. I will continue to try to produce decent content.
I've always loved Ramblers and AMC's. Having had many of them through the years, I always got good service from them.
That is nice to hear.
Wow. I never noticed how beautiful some of their models were. A shame that they couldn't keep going.
It is.
My uncle, who knew cars and mechanical things, always had Ramblers in the early- to mid-60s. I loved how those cars looked.
They had some creative styling.
Thanks for a great history lesson on the Ambassador nameplate ! I had no idea that it went back that far . & AMC carried quite a few legendary marques nameplates that merged into what AMC became . Thanks for the video , & the origins of this fine automobile , & nameplate well done.
Thanks for watching.
I had no idea how many interesting models were available under this badge. Excellent video.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed.
The 78 Ambassador Barcelona edition OMG just gorgeous. Thank You Sir, great vid
Not the popular opinion, but I'm glad you liked it.
@@thehopelesscarguy Yeah Im sure its not too popular but Ive always loved AMC vehicles including the rare sundancer convertible thing. Thank you, love youre work.Just subscribed
@@kevincostello3856 Thanks
The last Ambassador was the 1974. Maybe you're thinking of the Matador Barcelona.
My 1950 had the six- which had seven main bearings and OHV, it had 2 sp hydramatic(cast iron housing) plus two-spd automatic overdrive (vacuum operated). it would go 95 all day long on I-95.You could roll all the windows down and still talk to each other.Big long seats
Thanks for sharing.
Modern aerodynamics have all but ruined driving with open windows. I remember as a kid seeing how far I could stick my hand out the window before the wind caught it. Now you crack a window and the whole inside of the car turns into a wind tunnel.
I am 66, and really enjoyed your presentation. The prices you called, floored me !Very interesting and informative video.
I remember the American Rambler and The Rambler Rebel in my country. Maybe there were other before I was born, I cannot say.
Being a member of the British Commonwealth, most of our cars were British. We did have Peugeot and Renault in the years gone by. Today it is mainly Japanese & Korean.
Thank You.
Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies.
Thanks.
Were the prices higher or lower than you expected?
Japanese and Korean are pretty common everywhere now. Not so much back in the day.
@@thehopelesscarguy Yes. Before I was born, my father owned a car, so I grew up a kind of car person. For 12 years ending February 2021, I was an importer of used Japanese vehicles. I would import any 4-year-old-or-newer Japanese vehicle for a customer, and deliver it to his door, ready to drive.
The prices I heard on your video was unbelievably low. But then in 1974, when I was a trainee at our only oil refinery I worked for US$34.87 per week ! When I retired in 2015 (41 years) I was earning over US$4,400 basic per month. That was a high paying job. (Today US$1=TT$6.80)
But as an island, we have to import everything. Taxes are very high on any motor vehicle or replacement parts. The state-owned refinery was shut down by the government in 2018, and we now import all fuels.
To buy a Honda CRV with the 1500 turbo engine is about TT$385,000 (US$56,617) The bigger the engine, the higher the taxes. Most people drive 1500cc or smaller-engined vehicles.
Gasoline just went up today. 1 litre of 95 Octane is TT$6.87 (US$1.01)
We have lots of millionaires here, so you see Range Rovers, Porsches, BMWs, Mercedes, even a few Ferraris, Jeeps and Mustangs.
Bumper-to-bumper traffic is common on our few highways, especially on peak hours or a small fender-bender.
I have been a motorcyclist all my life, and getting older, I bought a Yamaha FZ25 single-cylinder 250cc non-ABS. (Made in India) in August last year. I paid the equivalent of US$4,400 !! Trinis generally do not like motorcycles.
But the cars in the videos were really beautiful, works of art for sure. Cars today though far more efficient and reliable, have lost their class and finesse........just like todays people.......no class and finesse !!
Regards.
Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies.
@@ramishrambarran3998 Prior to the late 1970s cars in the U.S. were super cheap. I did a video on the evolution of cars in America that covers engine and car sizes and prices over the last 100 years or so. Obviously space isn't an issue in most parts of the country, and small cars were most popular in the 80s.
The “Kenosha Duesenberg!” Had to laugh. Having been made in Kenosha myself, I found this very interesting as my parents certainly knew many people who worked for Nash. Cool to learn about the entire historical lineup. Thanks!
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed.
Great video. My parents bought a new ‘65 Ambassador 990H. It was a creamy white color with a red top, red interior with bucket seats and floor mounted automatic shifter & console. Had AMC’s 327 4-bbl which was torquey and quick. I took my driver’s test in that car in January, 1970 on 4” of new fallen snow! Wish I could find a restored duplicate!
It would be an interesting car to restore. My wife seems to think we need to add a Rambler Classic Wagon to our driveway.
@@thehopelesscarguy Oh absolutely you need to do that! Saw a video on those recently… I think it was a ‘57 or ‘58. VERY unique roof line! Thanks for replying! 👍👍👍
@@Primus54 We have looked at a few but as we currently don't have a shortage of projects I have yet to pull the trigger on any.
@Primus54 The 57 Rebel had more power than the 57 Corvette. Pretty neat car, even if it was a 4 door.
I love 72 ambassador one of the most comfortable cars I've driven
Nice
A 1950 Ambassador is a childhood memory at age 5. Sitting in my Dad's lap going 90 MPH, looking at the instrument cluster mounted on top of the steering column. They only had that in 1949/1950.
That is a nice memory, thanks for sharing.
While riding in my Cadillac, ac, ac, much to my surprise, a little Nash Rambler was following me, much to my surprise.
Hey buddy, how do you get this car out of second gear?
@@thehopelesscarguy Did the Nash Rambled have a 3rd gear?
@@brucegilbert7243 I believe a 3 on the tree was the standard transmission with a optional hydromatic.
Beep, beep, my horn went beep beep beep
Only the Facts...Good Job. Many RUclipsrs could learn from your presentation style.
Thanks. "One should not increase beyond what is necessary, the number of entities to explain anything". Although for me, it is an effort not to run on.
Great video!!! I'd LOVE to drive a Rambler nowadays, modern cars seem soul-less.
New cars do lack personality, which Ramblers certainly did not lack.
We had a 1965 Ambassador 990 station wagon light yellow that I still dream of fondly sometimes. Don't remember seeing many in the day. Was a beautiful car
@@Pjayque I remember test driving a white wagon while I was still in high school. Wasn't really what I wanted at the time but it sure would be cool to have now.
@@thehopelesscarguy I can relate. As a teenager, Ramblers weren't the coolest cars to drive. That's when Chevies were hot cars for teens. But I could fit a bunch of friends in my dad's Ramble, we'd drop the seats down and pile in as many kids we could fit. I beat the heck out out "pull back" starter and drop it into gear. The Rambler seemed indestructible. Good thing my dad never knew how hard I was on his car!! We called it : The Ramblin' Rambler. Kinda of a pea green with black stripe+Finns. One of many-but the Ambassador is where I got my driving lessons. At 16 it didn't matter WHAT u drove, it was COOL just having a license!!! My folks put a limit on how many miles I could drive on weekends. But one of the guys knew how to unhook milage counter, then reconnect before curfew came. It was a fun car and rebel times.
Everything being sold today all look like the same cookie-cutter bland designs. No style, no class and too many electronics.
I love the “bathtub” Nash’s I just wish I could find one with a 3spd manual.
I know what you mean.
"Kenosha Duesenberg", that's hilarious!
Kinda is.
My dad bought a 1966 rambler, the first new car he owned.
Seems like they were everywhere for awhile.
That was a great presentation on the subject of the history of the Ambassador automobile. My favorites are the 1952-1957 Pininfarina designed 2 door coupes and the 4door sedans. The 1964-1966 models, especially the coupes were beautiful, especially the higher end models and convertibles and the 1967-1969 models. The high end coupe, convertibles and sedans were stunning! The matching pillows was the ultimate expression of taste!
Sounds like you are a real fan.
few folks realize how much of the line was designed by Pinin Farina in the 50's. I'm glad you added this to the conversation
Nice history of these forgotten cars
Thanks.
Thank you for the great video. Very informative. The first vehicle I ever owned when I was actually old enough to have a drivers license, was a 68 ambassador. It had no reverse and you had to pump the brakes but that old monster just kept going and going no matter how bad I abused it. Lol
Thanks. I can relate, I had a "pump and stop" Dart at one time.
As a teenager in the 70s I bought a 66 ambassador for a few hundred dollars. The rear end blew out and a friend replaced it from a part from a junk yard. I recall the drive shaft was in a torque tube.
What do you think of it now?
@@thehopelesscarguy I have fond memories. Sure it would be a cool car to have but time moves on.
@@dsan2509 Living with old cars certainly has its challenges. But then so does living with new ones.
Those mid 60s and 70s 2 doors are sharp looking
Not bad.
You forgot the Rambler American, it was their popular economy car that they featured throughout the 60s.
My high school driver's education class used a 1962 Rambler American with three on the tree shifting for it's six cylinder engine.
This video was focused just on the Ambassador. I've talked about the American in some other videos.
I don't even remember what our drivers ed class used.
My Grandfather sold Nash, then Rambler in Chicago. (Van Hattem Motors on Michigan av. in the Roseland neighborhood). The last car he bought for himself was a '59 Rambler Custom, bronze and tan 2 tone paint. Had the 6 cyl, 3 speed automatic (which gave the option of starting in 2nd gear, a la Ford). The weak spot in those cars was the torque tube enclosure for the driveshaft. The tube took all the froward thrust of the rear axle and transferred it to the engine mounts. It had rear coil springs and a panhard rod to mount the rear axle. When the rear u-joint failed, at 60k miles or so, it was a huge job to remove and replace. That design sent a lot of them to the boneyard. It seemed to be the only weak spot.
My grandmother always said "Ramblers run forever, until they don't".
This video is jam packed with information. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for the memories sir ! ! !
Glad you enjoyed.
What beautiful cars.
Some of them for sure.
I just "LOVE Old Cars!!! as long as they are in GREAT condition! NO DENTS, NO RUST & NO MISSING PIECES OR PARTS!!!"
Well as long as you're not picky.
Kenosha Duesenbergs (1930s), Kenosha Cadillacs (late-1960s/1970s), and unfairly comparing themselves to Rolls-Royce TWICE (1940 - the Twin-Spark Ignition; that was the first time, and they were the only two cars to have it that year, touting that Transatlantic aircraft had to have it too.). As someone who's Father's first car in the continental U.S.A., being a 1972 Javelin SST, AMC has a soft-spot in my heart.
A Javelin SST isn't a bad place to start, and I'm not sure about how unfair those comparisons were. Certainly not direct competitors, but if they were the only two cars with standard AC, then they were the only 2 cars with standard AC.
Great video and history of the Nash/Rambler/AMC/ Ambassador. Only error noted is that the 57 had a Borg Warner auto trans, not Packard Ultramatic. Ultramatics were only used with the 55-56 Packard V8s.. the only trans available with the Packard engines. That was a condition of the sale by Packard -- Nash had to buy both V8 and Ultramatic together. An interesting note: Nash traded GM the use of their patented "Weather Eye" ventilation system for the use of the Hydramatic in the early 50s.
Thanks. I have gotten that correction a couple of times. I was unaware of the weather eye /hydramatic deal.
I owned a 1973 Ambassador 2-Door Hardtop Brougham with the 360 4-Barrel it was a good Performer that could stay with a 440 Charger to 60 MPH after that I was looking at Rear Tail Lights getting smaller! They offered the 401 as a Option Motor and they only produced approximately 3450!
Big ci engines were not really big sellers, particularly when less expensive options could provide reasonable performance when properly equipped.
Great presentation as always, thank you.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it.
My Mom and Dad had a 1948 Nash Ambassador when they married in 1954. Looked like an upside down bath tub.
Early attempts at aerodynamics had some interesting results.
My first car was a 1967 Ambassador same color as 10:19 , friends thought it was a Road Runner . When I turned 16 my dad and I went car shopping . He pointed out the car. He did not show me the fully folding front seats until we got home with it. He had a '56 Ambassador when I was a kid so I know he knew about the seats. I so appreciated him suggesting the car as I had so so much fun with it on dates at the drive in or in the strawberry fields!!!!!! Sold it after I got married though.
Pass on the joy.
Your videos are fun and informative. Thanks!
Thank you, again.
Thanks for another great model history. AMC championed "downsized" cars before it was cool, only to push upsizing just when the first oil crunch occured. My first car was a well used '66 Ambassador 990 purchased for $350 in 1975. It had over boosted power steering, touchy power brakes, and a 275 HP 4-BBL 327 V8 with a BW Flashomatic 3-speed AT. At over 100K, the engine burned some oil but had plenty of pep. Steering was good, cornering was sloppy, and a heavy bacl seat passenger caused the torque tube rear end to steer the car slightly.
When it rained, the all-drum brakes pulled sometimes left, sometimes right... And without inner liners, the front fender tops rusted through and the driver's footwell would fill with water. All in all, it was a decent car, but a reminder that a 10 year old car of that era in a northern (road salt) climate was nearly used up. Today, my 10 year old car is fit for another decade!
Thanks for sharing. I think my tendency is to own cars about 20 years old or more, but being outside the salt zone helps.
I really liked the 1969 front end styling. This is a very well done informative video!
Thanks.
My dad drove a 1951 Ambassador. The passenger seat dropped down to form a bed. We kids liked to push the split seat forward and get out the front doors as if it was a coupe. I have a 1:87 scale model of one to remember it by.
I love how the bed was marketed towards outdoorsmen. Scale models are great for nostalgia and wish lists.
Another great job. Appreciate.
Thank You, much appreciated.
I enjoyed this parade of interesting Ambassadors! I have seen them all. A clean vintage Rambler always makes me sigh.....
I understand.
Well done, sir!
Thank you, sir.
Don't forget the 70 Rebel Machine.. 340 horse 390...
Not forgotten, I have mentioned the Rebel Machine in my AMC fan video, and I believe my 70s history video.
Believe it or not I located a 1/64 scale Johnny Lightning 70 Rebel Machine and it currently is in my die cast collection....
@@RoadRunnergarage8570 Nice. I was going to say I don't have a die cast collection but as I look around the room it appears that I do.
@@thehopelesscarguy that happens 😆!?
It would help to give background for changes, for those who don't know - e.g. Depression-era cost cutting; sales up-down reasons in late '50s and 60s. There's often much more behind change than decisions made in an office.
That is true. The late 50s recession certainly had a Impact on Rambler.
We had a 67 Ambassador DPL Coupe. Reliable as any other car ive had.
The Ambassador 8 in the early 30s up to 1934 were such elegant, stately looking automobiles. They looked as nice as the luxurious and beautiful Packards of that era.
Some were very cool.
My dad was a "Hudson man." He kept his 54 Hornet until 1959 when he came home with a 1959 Ambassador Custom Cross-Country wagon. 327 cubic inch 4 barrel V8. It was very quick for its day. Then a beautiful 1960 Ambassador top of the line 3 seat wagon with air conditioning. Not as quick with a 2 barrel 250 HP 327 but what a wonderful car. The a 1962 Ambassador Custom 400, little 327 4 barrel dual exhaust positraction 3 speed automatic. Surprisingly quick, smooth, and luxurious. His best purchase was a 1965 Rambler Marlin, 327 4 barrel with the Shift Command console mounted automatic. That would've made a nice keeper. AMC's were unitized, rattle free, solid cars. They handled well for their time. The much lighter Ambassador 327s could keep up with the larger engined but heavier offerings from the big 3. They were scoffed at by big 3 dealers, so their reputation suffered unfairly.
I knew a few people that swore by Ramblers back in the day, including my own grandmother. And yes, that early Marlin certainly would have been a nice keeper.
Few people realize that a good part of the Nash line bodies were designed by Pinin Farina from the early to mid 50's. For those unfamiliar with Pinin Farina, they were the principle design studio for Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa, and Lancia for many years. Some of the earlier bodies had Pinin Farina badging just like the Ferrari's etc.
I don't think Pinin Farina gets the recognition it once did. Not really since the Allante I would say.
Actually styled by Ed Anderson, AMC designer.
@@davidpancerev9658 depending on the model and year could have been Pinin Farina and or Ghia. Anderson may have been one of the AMC stylists but like all the design salons, there was a great deal of collaboration. The same is true with Brooks Stevens, Bob Borke, Raymond Lowey and Tom Kellogg. Although Lowey got credit for much of the Studebaker K and C series bodied cars in the 50's and later, the Gran Turismo in the 60's, and for the Avanti too, all the above designers all had major hands in the final product designs.
@@thehopelesscarguy I think this car was a Ghia not a Farina. Hard to say as Ghia and Pinin both did designs for Nash, and so did Donald Healey: thus the Nash Healey.
The 1957 was historical and gorgeous!
Lets not forget unique.
The Ambassador was a nice car from Nash/Rambler/AMC
It sure tried to be.
@@thehopelesscarguy Well that gives me a idea If they merged with Studebaker Packard it would've been a base model Packard in the lineup.
@@PontiacFan68 Possibly, but I think the idea at the time was that it would compete with the Oldsmobile 98.
@@thehopelesscarguy well then it would be a Studebaker Ambassador because Studebaker is a entry level luxury car competing with Mercury and Oldsmobile
@@PontiacFan68 In the Nash years it was practically a luxury SUV, aimed at the sportsman and could be equipped as a sleeper with screen windows.
Super car Beautiful
Seems super cars are more about awe than beauty.
Thanks for Sharing... I'm putting together a 1956 Rambler Wagon. I have Extended the Front End 4"s so now it's got a 112" wheelbase. It's getting a Small Block Chevy V8 400 engine too.
Cool.
Tesla should do a 50s model with all the features of the model S.
I doubt Tesla would, but somebody might.
Well done overview of the history of this car. You wonder why with such styling and fairly good engines in the 1930s that the Nash didn't compete with the top 3 for a bigger market share. The front wheel cut were so strange...always amazed the tires didn't hit the body work. Owned one AMC ..they were different but were always a car that seemed to me as a cross between a Chevy and a Plymouth
Thanks. I think the Ambassador is study in tends in the American auto industry. I don't think it was every stylistically conservative, but it always seemed to be able to follow the market in a way models usually don't. Which allowed it to last as long as it did.
Which AMC model did you own? Pacer or Gremlin?
@@leftylou6070 a 1973 Hornet Hatchback "Levi X" package with the 258 6yl... with a 2 barrel...It had great power and torque...I even I used to tow my TR4 race car with it..... with the back seats down I had all kinds of room for my "race kit". I think they have all dissolved...never see any at car shows and I have 2 old cars (foreign and US) ..... and make the rounds...thanks for asking
@@theophilhist6455 A buddy of mine had I think it was a 74 Gremlin X with a 304 ci V8 motor. It ran like a bat outta hell. Good Luck and happy motoring!
Here's two words that will help describe Nash Rambler & AMC. "LEAD SLED". Nice Vid Thanks!
Thanks. I don't believe I've ever seen a AMC Lead Sled, but I'm up for it.
AMBASSADORS Handled and Cornered very well with Front and Rear Coil Spring Suspension along with Front and Rear Sway Bars! The Jeep 360 V8 Motor was the same in the Jeep Wagoneer and Cherokee as in the Automobiles that was improved and modernized till 2004!
If it aint broke . . .
AMC acquired Jeep in 1970. The Wagoneer (and large 2-dr. Cherokee) began using the AMC 360 cu.in. V8 in MY 1972. Chrysler acquired AMC in 1987. Wagoneer production ended in June 1991, and it was the last vehicle application for the AMC 360 V8. The Grand Cherokee introduced for MY 1993 featured Chrysler's 318 V8 as an option. The second gen. MY 1998 GC added Chrysler's 360 cu.in. (aka 5.9 liter Magnum) V8 as an additional engine option. It was the Chrysler 360 that ended production in 2004, replaced by the 5.7L Hemi.
My other relatives owned the 63 models and one was the standard station wagon that was used as a delivery car and personal car.
Very good piece! Thank you. Instantly subscribed 👍
You are too kind.
People forget that the early 30's Nash Ambassadors were very upmarket, with many models CCCA designated Classics. In '32 a sedan was close to $2,000 which was Buick Series 90 (the very top) territory, when a Ford sedan was < $600.
It was called the Kenosha Duesenberg for a reason. Very nice cars at the time.
My, Mother had a 1971 Rambler American station wagon 9 passenger
a 360 V8:4 barrel carburetor . It was a dark Maroon over all. The wheel covers looked like Chrysler sport dog dish with
Beauty ring. I think she paid slightly over 5,000 .that was the last Rambler AMC my mom owned, she purchased it,
From Archer & Kedzie Rambler , dealer
Chicago ILLinois. 🙄☝️
Wow, you even remember the dealer.
Nice vlog, I own a 1957 Ambassador and love it! One correction, you reference that Hardtops were no longer available in 1962, according to brochures and The Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1960 was the last year for hardtops.
I love the Nash's & American Motors.
I have a soft spot for underdogs.
I don't ever remember them as a boatie but had the ride of one. the whole rambler line through out the 60s was amazing the big three should have been Rambler, studebaker & packard
Well they were the big three independents.
My Dad was a partner in a Nash (later AMC) dealership in Flint, Mi. So, our family always drove Nash and Ramblers. My first new car, was a 1966 Ambassador two door hardtop (can't remember what trim level) with the 327 ci V8. It was ordered by one of Dad's customers, it arrived with a three speed manual transmission, but the order called for an automatic. I got a great deal on the car (think it was at dealer cost)., and we drove it til the wheels fell off in the early 70's.
Cool. Thanks for sharing.
I enjoyed the video.
Glad you enjoyed.
What a treat ! Well done ❤
Thanks.
My Dad had several Ambassadors (1952, 1954, 1956, 1960, 1963, 1967 and 1970) The 54 was like the aqua one shown here. The 67 was a great car as was the 63.
Seems he knew what he liked.
The '69 model style ...was the 1, my ma drove
Nice.
@@thehopelesscarguy 😃
Wow! What beautiful cars!
The early ones certainly are.
I own a 65 Rambler Ambassador 270 h.p. 4V 327 bucket seats with factory a.c. / power windows, front disc brakes, power top, adjustable steering wheel, two tone just like the Marlin . It is loaded and one of probably 300 built out of the 3995 convertibles built in 1965. I get more compliments on the 990 than I do on my other cars, a 70 AMX Big Bad Blue shadow mask 390 Go Pack or my 63 Thunderbird Sports Roadster or my 63 Corvette Split Window.
Nice. Sometimes the less well known stands out the most.
Our family had a few Ramblers over the years, the last being the Two Door Ambassador, 1970 model. They were very rare here in Perth and the rest of Australia.
I bet they were.
Lots of great history…thanks…
Glad you enjoyed it
Great job as always! Is there a way to compare prices?I know I have shop by price so didn’t have a good gauge $$ among the big three.
Thanks. Nash would have been up market and therefore more expensive than Ford/Chevy/Plymouth, and the Ambassador was the high end Nash, closer to Buick/Chrysler. As a AMC the Ambassador was about evenly priced with the Galaxie/Impala/Fury in the late 60s, but slowly climbed in price being about $500 more expensive than its big 3 counterparts to start by its last year, but also with more standard features.
Interesting stuff
Thanks.
My Dad was a Nash guy , and I guess ,so was I ! At 14 yrs. old my starter car , was a 1951 Ambassador ! Bought it for $50 and spent 2 yrs. , getting it runnable . I went on to , 1953 , 1959 , 1965 , 1974 ! Being Raised in Detroit , made me a kind of a outlaw , with Nash's ! By the way , Nash's , were FAR from Slouches !! Left Detroit , 1960 , for the Navy at eighteen , now eighty between Florida and Kansas City . Retired !
Thanks for sharing.
I grew up in Mount Clemens Michigan ever heard of it?
@@robertsmith7849 Sounds vaguely familiar but I couldn't say why.
@@thehopelesscarguy It's on I-94 about halfway between Detroit and Port Huron. County seat of Macomb County.
Beautiful cars.
People were a LOT skinnier back then, not fat like today.
And yet cars had more room.
my parents owned a brand-new 1966 Rambler Classic Wagon when I was born.
I almost bought one of those once. Straight six and 3 on the tree. Was the easiest car to push start I've ever seen.
Sounds like Kenny Rodgers speaking.
I found an ace that I could keep.
Dang, I had no idea how good looking those early 30s Nashes were!
There were some lookers.
Nice!!!
Thanks.
The 1957 Ambasador with the AMC 327 V8 used the GM 4-speed HydraMatic not the Packard Ultramatic. A quick look at the shift quadrants would confirm the HydraMatic. With a 4 to the left of D and a 3 to the right showed that it couldn't possibly be an Ultramatic. The Ultramatic was always a 2-speed automatic with a lock-up torque converter, so, the 4 and 3 would be meaningless if it were an Ultramatic.
With the "Twin-stick" option, the 2nd stick controlled the overdrive unit. Previously, overdrive was controlled by a pull handle under the dash. The "Twin-stick" option was available with both manual and automatic transmissions.
What actually caused AMC to go belly up? A lot of those cars were truly good looking.
AMC didn't really go belly up, so much as fade away. The failure of the rotary Pacer project followed by a major recall issue forced them into a series of buy outs (first Renault & and then Chrysler) that failed to provide them with the new products needed to stay relevant.
Plus there's no way AMC had the financial resources to upgrade their autos to compete with the ever changing mandatory federal emissions & safety requirements.
Chrysler only wanted Jeep when it purchased AMC.
@@patrickbuchanan4444 Mopar was also interested in the Brampton plant and AMC's engineering team.
Dick teague was a beast.
That is one way to put it.
@@thehopelesscarguy the man did wonderful things on a shoestring budget and all with one eye!!!
@@aarongranda7825 He certainly made AMC look like they were doing better than they actually were.
Very nice video! Thanks!
Thank you.
I see my 66 2 door hardtop. It still looks as pretty now.
I currently own a near Concourse 1957 Nash Ambassador Country Club Coupe. Only 997 were produced and my research indicates that less than 10 roadworthy coupes still exist. Do you have any information to verify this???? Thanks!
Sweet. I think total 57 Ambassador production was around 3600, but I wouldn't have a clue as to how many remain. I would imagine there is a registry that would have some kind of information on that.
@@thehopelesscarguy Thanks. Only 997 Country Club Coupes were produced in 1957. I have only been able to document 9 currently in roadworthy condition. I've contacted various Nash / AMC groups but nobody has any record of the remaining cars.
to my way of thinking, I feel the Nash-AMC cars were the best looking cars of the 50's and 60's
My great uncle owned a 1959 Rambler Ambassador and he always said that it beat the 1969 Rebel in speed he could never get the Rebel any faster than 90mph. Laughing and said that he shouldn’t be driving that fast when he had poor eyesight. lol 😅
we had a 1961 classic with the 250 ci. 4 bbl. carb and auto trans, had it doing 110 mph with 4 teens in it on a two lane road in death valley, it was bullet proof.
Sounds like it.
@@thehopelesscarguy we also had a 1963 classic 660 287 ci. with the 3 speed and overdrive it would cruse along on the highway at 90 with no problem
@@davidmckibbin4440 I've driven a few versions of the Classic, they were all interesting.
Good video. But no Packard auto in 57.
Thanks.
@@Rick-S-6063 Yes.
Nice car and fancy "!
Some of them for sure.
I'll take a 1932 Ambassador 8 convertible or a 1967 Ambassador convertible. Forget everything from 1935 to 1963, some of the worst styling ever, especially the bathtub years and the goofy finned models. Reminds me of the bad styling of the Studebakers, the 1953 Commander 2 door went from one of the most beautiful and advanced styling to 4 door and finned abominations and the poor Lark just got weird in its last few years, two different committees that did not like each other designed the front and rear.
Enjoyed your presentation. 👍
Thanks. Perhaps not the prettiest cars ever, but they did have their own distinct style. And although I didn't cover it in this video, the Nashes were like mini campers, with seats that folded into a bed and optional window screens.
I miss AMC's , I went to look at a 1972 brand new matador 2 door I would've loved to bought but I couldn't afford it.
I understand.
Yeah it's a shame we don't still have AMC we got Lee iacocca to thank for that
That is one way to look at it.
Bought a used 63 Rambler American off the back lot of a car dealership for $200 bucks ... my wife drove it for two years and I resold it to neighbor for $200.
It was a dependable simple machine.
Just the way I like them.
The 1968 models were very good looking cars, resemble Mopar B body cars of that year.
Agreed.