The other day, I was watching a YouTube video from Orphan Car Garage, a Massachusetts dealer, that featured a black 1963 Rambler Classic Six 770 Sedan for sale. I couldn’t look away, because the 1963 Classic had such clean lines and such a trim size that it was almost ahead of its time; it’s really an attractively simple design. Then, Barn Finder Tony Primo sent in this base-model Classic Six 550 Sedan, so we can compare two versions of the same basic car. While the Classic may look better in black (to me, anyway), this very solid-looking Rambler will appeal to those who prefer their American Motors products mustard-colored (the seller calls it “Mean Mr. Mustard”). It’s for sale here on craigslist in Guilford, Connecticut, with an asking price of $7,000.
While the Classic was available with AMC’s 287-cubic-inch V8, there’s little doubt that most buyers of the basic 550 were perfectly happy with the base engine, this 195.6-cubic-inch inline six, which put out a not-bad 127 horsepower (and it was at least better than the American’s standard 90-horsepower flathead six). This Classic has the standard three-speed manual transmission, and the seller says that it’s “surprisingly good on gas.” Diehard Kenosha fans might know that a diecast aluminum-block 195.6 was optional for thirty extra dollars on the Classic 550, but it wasn’t ordered on this example. You can barely see it at the top of the photo, but Ramblers also came standard with dual-circuit brakes, several years before most other manufacturers did.
Apparently, the Classic’s paint and interior were redone by a previous owner who rented the car out to the film industry, and in the case of this taxicab-plain Rambler, I have to question the pinstripes on the dashboard. Still, they’re fairly innocuous and easily remedied if the new owner finds them out of character. The paint itself “looks great at [ten] paces” but has some flaws.
The seat was reupholstered with nondescript black vinyl with white piping, which will be easy to keep clean but a little hot on a sunny day, but that’s what blankets are for.
For a northeastern car, the undercarriage looks absolutely pristine; I’m guessing the car came from somewhere else (Hollywood, perhaps?).
Although American Motors was well-known for releasing some outlandish designs, the 1963 Classic was not one of them. This might be a s-t-r-e-t-c-h, but I get a faint Mercedes-Benz vibe from it, but in a more American idiom. If you’ve got one lying around and want to trade for this Classic rather than spend seven grand, the seller is also interested in a Marlin, so keep that in mind if you just happen to have a Marlin in the garage. After all, diehard AMC folks tend to settle for nothing else.
Huh, I’m a diehard fan and thought all OHV 195.6s were aluminum. See, you can learn new things at 71. Car of the Year, CAR OF THE YEAR,,,,but did little for sales, it was still a Rambler, and I say this everytime, with all the neat cars in ’63, apparently MT owed old Roy a favor. Still got the trunnions and someone doesn’t know how to adjust the choke, again. It’s an odd color, I can’t find on the color chart, did a good job though, nice car, but, but, but,,,,the stick will kill the sale. My nephew, who just bought an unbelievable find I can’t go into yet, but it has a column 3 speed, he’s 42, and never shifted a column 3 speed. It is a glorious day to gloat.
On the other hand, I’m 49 and the clutch broke the other day in my three-speed ’65 Dart. I drive home shutting it off at lights and starting it in second-gear (and gently guiding it into third at the right speed).
It’s all about “the transition”. In 1963 this Rambler Classic would have been considered by many of us as a low cost, not anything to consider car. But then “times changed”. Here we are in 2026, so many cars look like carbon copies no matter whose nameplate is on them, overloaded with gadgetry and subscription services, require a six year loan if buying new. Somehow “the transition” took place and now this Rambler has become a desirable and easy to use and maintain automobile. I wouldn’t want it then but would love it now, of course like the Rambler I’m 63 years older and possibly had a change of opinions.