When it comes to old-school wagons, there are some usual suspects, like the Ford LTD and Chevy Caprice. But we often forget that AMC made some pretty killer long-roofs as well, like this 1971 Ambassador shown here on eBay where it’s attracting strong bids to over $14,000 at the moment. That actually surprises me a bit, as in a down market, this is solid money for a vehicle not known as a collectible.
I’m curious where this one will end up, as the bidding suggests there could be a battle for it with an overseas bidder. Our fellow car enthusiasts in Europe and Australia are big fans of American iron, and it wouldn’t surprise me in the least to know that the AMC will head overseas when the auction wraps up. The body appears to be in excellent shape, and the wheels and white-line tires complement it nicely while giving it an added dose of sportiness.
The compact size catches me off-guard. I realize “compact” is still huge by today’s standards, but compared to other wagons of the era, the AMC looks positively svelte. The interior is in great shape with a handsome instrument cluster surrounded by attractive (fake) wood trim. This is a surprisingly up-market interior for an AMC product, and you can really see the slimmer proportions here just given how narrow the cockpit is compared to a Big 3 wagon.
The 360 under the hood should provide plenty of grunt, and the seller confirms that it runs well and can be driven anywhere without hesitation. Curiously, the seller appears to be from overseas, despite the AMC being located in Illinois – which further heightens my suspicions that this wagon won’t be stateside for long. Regardless, it’s a clean driver of a rarely-seen estate-bodied AMC product, and it should fetch a good price when all is said and done.
Its a beauty, even with a/c the engine bay is tidy. Always did dig the radio. Could be a sweet ride for its next owner
I agree Bob, very nice and attractive wagon. Should make someone very happy.
Unique, straight, different and something not frequently seen. I see it doing well.
I have one of these, a ’71 Ambassador wagon with 360 V8. Take a look at the dashboard photo – the HVAC controls are to the left of the instrument cluster, you need to manipulate 4 levers and a rotary knob to control the system!
This was the last year AMC used the Borg-Warner automatic transmission. It is controlled by a vacuum modulator which is simply not available new any more and no one is rebuilding them.
In 1971 air conditioning was standard on these cars but electric windshield wipers were still optional. Like mine, this example has the optional electrics, a Prestolite setup.
In a 1971 comparison test Popular Science magazine judged the Ambassador to be superior to its Big 3 competition despite being essentially a warmed-over 1967 design.
You got me there. Electric wipers an option ? What was standard, i can’t imagine vacuum.
Some rides w air brakes had wipers💧 on air Robert.
Vacuum windshield wipers were standard on all AMC cars through 1971, except the imported Metropolitan. Electric wipers did not become standard equipment until 1972.
Yes, I do remember seeing a new ’68 Rambler with electric wipers being a $16? option. Knowing my Dad’s ’60 Buick LeSabre and his ’66 stripped down Chevrolet pickup had electric wipers was a head scratcher for a lad of 14 like me. But then, again, my neighbors Rambler Classic (not sure of the sub name) had reclining seats.
I forgot to mention I think this wagon has great lines and a classy look. Jeff is right in intimating the seller either lives overseas or was born there, judging by the British spelling of a couple of words. Nice ride for the buyer.
I also noticed the funky radio, with the volume and tuning knobs mounted on top of the short dimension of the radio chassis, with the radio itself mounted vertically (long dimension vertical) rather than the more conventional horizontal mounting (long dimension horizontal) everyone else used (except Corvette). I wonder who supplied radios to AMC and how long that weird setup lasted? Ford owned Philco, and GM used Delco radios. Chrysler was another oddball setup, which used thumbwheels for volume and tuning in place of knobs.
I owned two ’67 Ambassadors with 343 V8s and Borg-Warner automatic transmissions. The vacuum modulator was the weak link in an otherwise very reliable gearbox.
390ft/lb from the AMC 360 will haul the whole tribe around. 2.87 gear ⚙️ std, 3.15 was an option. Beauty Wagon.
She’s a beaut Clark.
Is that real tomato catsup Eddy?
I don’t know why they call this hamburger helper, tastes great all on its own.
I have a ’74, and have to laugh at any notion these are smallish in any way. But it was the case, the Big Three wagons were bloated monsters by then. The Ambassador, interestingly, was about the same size inside and out as the later GM “downsized” full-sized wagons, and you wonder whether more marketing muscle would have sold more. They were well-appointed, smooth-riding and kind of perfect-looking wagons, especially the woodies.
@Jeff – This wagon looks narrow compared to “Big 3″ wagons, but the actual difference in width is only about 2 inches, 77.25″ compared to 77.2-77.9”. Overall length is considerably shorter, though.
79.2-79.5″ for the Big 3.
May want to exit those tailpipes just beyond
the rear tires. Under the bumper is not good
with an open tailgate window.
Beautiful wagon…!
That’s what the rear “spoiler” is for. It forces air down over the rear window, which I assume opens just like the big 3 wagons. We had a ’73 Plymouth Sport Suburban with a power rear window. The spoiler worked fine.
Sure, if you’re on the highway. But, if you’re in slow moving, or stop and go traffic, fumes could get sucked into the vehicle.
LOVE wagons , this one is for me very unusual Loke everything about it. During my 92nd year I hope to find an 50s something Roadmaster Buick. my last driver.
Surely parts availability would be a major problem, even if the car stayed stateside. I wonder how difficult it would be to keep running if shipped down under or across the pond! Not to mention transportation costs . . .
Cool looking ride but terrible photos and not much info or history, how are the folded down rear seats? what a joke. And if it lived in Ill. much or all of its life, that rust comment needs to be confirmed. No pwr. windows.
Seller, do better!
Beautiful looking car. I’ve always loved the AMC Amb Assuming everything on the car works like they should and it runs and drives safely, I’d be willing pay in the neighbourhood of between $5,000 and $10,000.
This is an exceptional offering, coming from a long-time AMC fan. Two things to note. First, this car shares its platform with the midsized Rebel/Matador so although full sized in overall length, on the inside it’s really a big intermediate. Second, of the post 1967 AMCs, that has to be one of the senior AMCs most attractive front ends, certainly more so than the Matadors and Ambassadors that followed with the chromed railroad ties front bumpers.
Why the high price? First it’s a well presented ad with very good photography. What I would enjoy seeing is it staged with a period-correct Airstream. In the days before there was an SUV in every driveway, this is what a family would have to tow their travel trailer.
An outstanding listing. I will be curious as to where this will end up. I’m thinking just a little south of $20K but won’t be surprised if it goes much higher.
My parents had the vacuum wipers on their ’64 Classic wagon. The wipers would beat themselves to death with the knob pulled all the way out at idle or decelerating. But accelerating, they would slow way down. They had to accelerate conservatively in heavy rain or risk not being able to see well enough.
I still miss AMC.
And not Rambler? (LOL!) My very first ride in my senior year of HS was a 1962 Rambler station wagon . . . . flesh color. Push button automatic, no air, no PW, no PB, no PS, no power at all. But it got me around. My uncle gave it to me right before graduation. It was a bullet proof tank. I learned how to do high rev neutral drops in that car, then learned NOT to do it in a 69 malibu! It got handed down several times in the family until it just disappeared.
Vacuum wipers also had a feed from the fuel pump. This was supposed to compensate for when manifold vacuum dropped. Probably a lot of AMCs eventually had a replacement fuel pump that did not have the vacuum port. Electric windows, even in the Ambassador are rare; probably only about 1% of production. No electric windows available in Hornet/Gremlin or Javelins.