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Green Goodness: 1968 AMC Ambassador SST

This beautiful 1969 AMC Ambassador SST is listed on eBay with a current bid price of $1,000 – but the reserve isn’t met and there’s no Buy It Now price listed so your guess is as good as mine as to what this one will sell for. It sure is purdy, as they say in Spartanburg, South Carolina where this beauty is located.

This is one well-preserved car. Well, apparently it’s not totally original, it’s had one “good quality repaint many years ago, but the car appears to be entirely original cosmetically everywhere else. Looks like the jambs still have original paint.” It looks like the passenger door is a shade lighter but I could be mistaken. The trim piece on the bottom of both doors appears to be a bit lighter than the adjacent pieces for some reason. Maybe it’s just the way the light hits it? This car sure looks like it’s in fantastic condition. AMC offered the Ambassador in a four-door sedan and a two-door hardtop only this year, the convertible was gone as was the Marlin.

The sixth-generation AMC Ambassador was made for 1967 and 1968 and while I personally prefer the fifth-gen cars, I would not kick this beautiful car out of the garage. The SST trim package was the top of the line for the ’68 Ambassadors, above the DPL. Believe it or not, the only other car that came with standard air-conditioning in 1968 was the Rolls-Royce. That’s an amazing fun fact, in my opinion. AMC owned Kelvinator and they knew a thing or two about keeping things cold.

There are no overall interior photos for some odd reason. But, the detail/close-up images show a very well-kept interior. The seats look like they are in like-new condition from what’s shown in the photos, but the seller mentions some cracking on the trim towards the bottom. I love this gorgeous 1960s green brocade fabric and pleated fabric and vinyl all woven into a masterpiece. Both door panels appear as new as does the dash. Amazing. The seats recline so you can go camping in the driveway..

This is AMC’s 343 cubic-inch V8 and this car has quite a checklist of things that have been done, including a “rebuilt carburetor, changed the tires, muffler, radiator and heater hoses, belts, thermostat, water pump, fuel pump, rebuilt the heater control valve, flushed the cooling system, installed a new (not rebuilt) AC compressor and serviced the AC, new transmission pan gasket, three new brake hoses, wheel cylinders (master cylinder appeared to have been recently replaced before I got the car), tune up, and four shocks as well as some other smaller items.” What do you think about this generation AMC Ambassador? I think this is a great looking car, I wonder what it’ll sell for – what’s your guess?

Comments

  1. Avatar Rabbit

    Wow. Just……..wow.

    Like 0
  2. Avatar Gunner

    Never a fan of a green on green car, I really dig this AMC. They were always a step out of ordinary. It has seen lots of love, and has very nice lines. Memory escapes me on what the item is just above the instrumentation on the dash. Anyone for an answer? I would park it in my garage (l am sure my wife would understand the need to give up her spot). :-)

    Like 1
    • Avatar Rabbit

      It’s a flip-open A/C vent.

      Like 1
  3. Avatar Mr. TKD

    Mom and Dad were big Rambler/AMC fans. If he was still alive, he’d be all over this.

    Like 0
  4. Avatar 68 custom

    These are really nice looking as 2-doors and the excellent condition and 343 are just icing on the beautiful green cake! needs a set of dual exhaust though IMO.

    Like 0
  5. Avatar Rustytech Member

    These were one of the best looking midsized 2 door hardtops ever made in my opinion. I even like it in green. Why these didn’t sell better is beyond my comprehension. Put this in my garage and it would be the happiest garage in town!

    Like 0
    • Avatar wuzjeepnowsaab

      Agreed! Say what you will about the Javelin/AMX…the Ambassador SST was the pinnacle of AMC’s design team

      Like 0
  6. Avatar irocrob

    Green was so dang popular back then. Call me crazy but I love this car

    Like 0
    • Avatar Mr. TKD

      I’d call you a man with good taste.

      Like 0
  7. Avatar DrinkinGasoline

    Years ago, green was considered bad luck on the race tracks. Art Arfons broke with tradition with his “Green Monster” using leftover tractor paint.
    Win on Sunday, sell on Monday.
    This is my favorite AMC of all of them, colors and all. Sharp vehicle for sure.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar glenn

    I have never seen so many amc cars as much as they come from the south. they must have sold tons down there.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar SSPBill

    As a kid from the 70’s who liked cars that color green represented old, rusted piles with fenders flapping at every turn. Of course there was a mustard yellow and simulated wood grain wagon with a sea of brown vinyl in the driveway. So what did I know. I like it now and this car really wears it well. I especially like the little fender detail that fairs up around the bumper ends. I’m a sucker for stacked headlights too. Great looking car.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar olddavid

    I am curious as to what the selling price will be as we own a 1967 2dr. hardtop in light blue with <10k miles. My Father's last AMC. Ours is a 290 and '67 didn't have the A/C free yet. My sister has it in her heated garage.

    Like 0
    • HoA Howard A Member

      Hi olddavid, are you sitting down? Now this is a resto-mod, and way over-priced, but I’d have to think yours would be worth at least as much as this ’68 ( currently, $6,600) Ramblers have a slim market. Take it to the Kenosha meet this July, if you can. https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/amc/rebel/1887324.html

      Like 0
      • Avatar Jeff DeWitt

        I’d MUCH rather have this Ambassador than that Chevy powered Rebel. The Ambassador is more honest, more comfortable, better looking (even in green), and has AC.

        I don’t get why so many people feel a street rod just has to have a bellybutton motor.

        Like 0
      • Avatar olddavid

        Howard, when I was young I took Northern Pacific from Spokane to Milwaukee to meet my Dad and drive cars back from Kenosha. They had Dealer Drive in those days. I remember the engine and stamping plants were in Milwaukee? Is my memory correct? $55k for that is nuts. But, to each their own.

        Like 0
  11. Avatar DrinkinGasoline

    Not that I would like to see high prices on any vehicle (keeping them affordable for the average enthusiast) but this could possibly hit the 10k mark. At $6,600 with 31 bids at 1800 hrs.

    Like 1
  12. HoA Howard A Member

    Yeah, Scotty knows. This is probably one of the last real good, old school AMC’s. I’m not a fan of stacked head lights on any car, but you have to admit, this is a sharp car. Milwaukee ( and Kenosha) were a hummin’ in the late ’60’s. Had many neighbors that worked there. They made a good product, as good or better, in some cases, than the big 3 and they were proud of what they made. Who would have thought, in a little more than a decade, things would come to a screeching halt for AMC. Certainly not the folks that built this car in 1968. Great find.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Ralph Terhune

    The reason so many street rods have bellybutton engines (meaning Chevy) is because they are the cheapest engine to build and modify and everybody makes parts for them. Go into any parts store and 99 out of 100 times you’ll find what you’re looking for to repair them. Pretty much a no brainer.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jeff DeWitt

      Oh I understand that, but it’s the cheap, easy, boring way out. That Rebel came from the factory with an excellent engine, and parts for those AMC engines aren’t that hard to find.

      Plus with a bellybutton engine you go to a car show and you have the same engine as everyone else, while with an AMC (or Studebaker) engine you’ve got something different… and isn’t having something different part of the point of having a street rod?

      Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not putting down Chevy engines, there is nothing wrong with them, I just think they are being way overused.

      FYI, for those who might not know Chevy’s are referred to as “bellybutton engines” because like bellybuttons everyone has one.

      Like 0
  14. Avatar George

    It is a nice looking car, but it is green and I hate green cars but maybe could live with green if it were British Racing Green, but that would only be the case were it on a 1966 Dodge Charger 427/4 speed. I just can’t shake the “nerd car” aura which I attach and I think most others attach to American Motor’s autos.

    I am surprised it is near $7K and if it were to go to 10K it would be a keeper for the buyer because no one else would likely want it for that kind of money.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Vernon

    I’m pretty sure I saw this car at a local show last spring in Simpsonville. The owner was from Spartanburg. It was really nice a couple fender scratches very livable other than that sweet. unusual to see at a local show. This seller has a lot of cars to sell it don’t think it’s the same owner I met at the show he sounded like it was his only toy

    Like 0
  16. Avatar David Miraglia

    I had a green Nissan 200SX SEr. Loved the baby until some nutcase caused a hit and run accident and drove off. Leaving my baby a wreck. Green is cool in some ways. But I like Blue and Red more on a car….

    Like 0
  17. HoA Howard A Member

    Green was huge in the 60’s. We sat on green toilets, had green refrigerators and stoves, talked on green phones, everything was freakin’ green!!!!

    Like 0
  18. Avatar Tom Driscoll

    Love this car! I bought one from a neighbor in the 70’s for $15 because it had no brakes. Slapped on a new master cylinder and I was on my way…ended up selling it for $450, and have been dealing cars ever since. The SST was full of cool options, like the driving lights in the center grill area which were lit if the ignition was on I think? And those seats recline flush with the back seat making a very comfortable sleeping option…nice find!

    Like 0
  19. Avatar Alan E Devine

    The item above the centre of the instrument panel is a hatch to block off the air conditioning vent behind it

    Like 0

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