We’ve all been warned about the dangers of tearing apart a car for restoration; once you do, there’s no going back. This is why we see so many abandoned projects on the pages of eBay, Marketplace, and craigslist. Whether it’s because life gets in the way, or because we overestimate our abilities, underestimate how hard it is to fully restore a car, or simply have been watching too many TV shows, people will find themselves in possession of a 3,000-pound doorstop that’s taking up twice as much space as it did when it was still in one piece. This 1960 Rambler American that’s been posted on craigslist in Lacey, Washington (Thanks, Curvette!), is going to be a test of the market. It’s mostly solid and mostly complete, but it will need assembling. Even at a bargain-basement price of $1,000, will anybody bother? I hope so!
The seller admits from the top that “this project…was a failure,” and it doesn’t sound like it’s due to any fault of the car’s. We can’t really blame the current owner, however, as it sounds as if they bought it in this state. A previous owner mentioned that the engine is a rebuilt unit with 40,000 miles on it, and the seller is “told it has an automatic transmission,” which doesn’t really give us a lot to go on. If the engine is indeed original, it is an L-head 195.6-cubic-inch six, which produced 90 horsepower and 150 lb.-ft. of torque. With a 22-gallon gas tank, it’s clear that American Motors built the American for maximum economy and cost savings, as I can imagine that such a combination could easily travel almost 600 miles on a tank.
Although it’s a solid car, there is some rust, namely in the front floors. This is not a car that will likely be the subject of a rotisserie restoration, so some homemade patches would be par for the course. A day or two of cutting and welding would handle the job nicely if the damage hasn’t permeated too deeply. The seller mentions that they have all the parts for the dashboard and interior, so it’s a life-sized puzzle.
The car will also come with “several different extra parts, such as carburetors, generators, starters,” in addition to a full exhaust system and four new tires that have been “kept in the garage and out of the elements.” The Rambler has been power washed inside and out, so the best course of action would probably be to fix the front floor, assemble it, and just drive it. But is anybody that interested in putting the effort into a ’60 Rambler American? They were very popular when new (over 120,000 were sold in 1960), but has their day passed? I hope someone is looking for an economical old daily driver that they don’t have to put too much money into, and this is clearly a perfect candidate for that.
Assembly you say? We could ask Goober ( George Lindsey), but he’s gone. He dismantled a Rambler American( 2 door) in the courthouse, much to Andys dismay. In fact, it was one of the 1st times we actually saw Andy pixxed off.
The 1960 American was riding high on its Mobil Economy Run, where it averaged just over 23 mpg. I know it doesn’t sound like a lot today, but coming from that era that had single digit mileage, it was a stark improvement.But with that, however, comes a down side. This had to be the most gutless thing, a neighbor had one. The gas pedal was bent from being floored all the time. I’m not sure what’s in store for this car. Certainly very few are willing or have the resources to put it back together, so that’s an issue. Its bargain, to me, price hasn’t attracted any buyers, and for any hope of a sale, it probably should be running and driveable. For that there would be a much better calling.
here we have another example of somebody with really little skill to put this back together now somebody else is charged with doing it. cheap enough but if the motor was rebuilt with 40k on it why is on a stand. at this point it would be a good parts car. real shame
My beef with the Rambler, right from its introduction as a roll-back convertible in 1950, was just that, its “beef.” For the amount of room available for shoulder room inside to the max external width is laughable by most standards, then and today.
Other than that, I think the concept was brilliant… for 1950. Today, it simply urges a warm fuzzy feeling for a time when warm and fuzzy was okay or even desirable.
It really should be re-assembled if for no other reason that to preserve it as a tangible proof of a former, less hectic time.
A 60 American4 door in red with white top was my grandfathers car and then my first car in high school, 1967. Gas mileage was great and we got 9 teenagers in it once. Went from this to a 59 New Yorker.
This looks like a good project for 2stroketurbo in Portland, Oregon. He could probably reassemble the critter in his sleep.
love the pininafarina inspired lines (’58/60), sm size and again, would seek the wagon for daily. Too bad this aint the vert.
I hada (’61/4?) that was just a reskin of this (mine in blk on white not white on red):
https://www.hotrod.com/features/1961-amc-rambler-early-iron
Yup, the switch from Nash to AMC was just skin deep! 😱 Mitt Romney’s (Utah US senator/MA governor) idea when in automotive industry?
Again, as I said a couple of months back, this engine, as small as it is, was able to pull the back half of a Ford pickup, as trailer from CA to PA, loaded with stuff in my 59 Rambler American. Not bad. The little engine that could.