American Motors Corporation produced the Ambassador starting in 1957 and ran it for eight generations until it ended in 1974. This made it the longest-running nameplate in the corporation’s tenure. Nash used the Ambassador nameplate before this, from 1927 to 1931, for its top trim level. This beautiful Rambler/AMC nameplate is on a 1966 Ambassador 880 4-door, available here on Facebook Marketplace in Wellington, Florida, for a mere $5,000. Thanks very much to Rex Kahrs for this all-American tip. Also, what a great name for a tipster.
Under the hood is AMC’s 287 cubic-inch V8. This 4.7-liter motor produces just shy of 200 horsepower, plenty for this 4-door to cruise comfortably. The engine bay photo shows a new carburetor and an aftermarket air cleaner. The rest of the equipment looks original, including power steering, power brakes, and air conditioning. It doesn’t look like it would be too hard to make the engine compartment as nice as the exterior and interior. The owner says they have no space or time for it. The engine idles roughly and sounds like it is backfiring when accelerating. They also say the gasoline smells bad, though it has been parked for a long time.
As for the interior, the seats, belts, carpet, and dash all look new. I would think the seats have been reupholstered, but there is no mention of that. The trunk shows the same level of originality, including the spare tire. It also looks immaculate, like the interior. The odometer shows just over 52,000 miles, which appears to be correct and not a roll-over. The owner also has a clear title.
Over its eight long generations, the Ambassador came in several different models. It came in station wagons, convertibles, hardtops, and sedans, including this 4-door. This AMC seems like the perfect project for an AMC collector who wants to add a clean, probably easy-to-repair, easy-to-maintain 4-door to their collection, or for someone who just wants to enjoy a 1960s family car that is almost ready to go. I don’t think the engine issues would stop me from finding out more about it. On the cover of the ’66 AMC Ambassador sales brochure, they said, “Suddenly there’s a luxury car that isn’t oversized, overweight, or overpriced”. What do you think?
Better deal & in much nicer shape than the lasdt one posted.
This is a beauty, I agree. $5,000 isn’t much for a six-decade-old vehicle for weekends and car shows, and it’s hard to beat that 1966 design for me. Nice work, Kevin, and nice find, RK!
Thanks Scotty. I have a fond place in my heart for Rambler/AMC. I had a ‘74 Matador X with the 401 that I raced in Enduro in Fremont California. But my dad drove a Rambler American and an AMC Hornet. Both Telephone Company cars. The Rambler was Bell System green and the Hornet was Ameritech white with yellow and blue stripes. Great memories.
Here it is, my grandfathers Rambler. Not literally, of course, I think his was a ’65, but close enough for the old memory bank (blowing dust off). His was teal and I don’t ever recall him driving it, relegated to the back yard listening to the ball game , smoking cigarettes, with my grandma glaring from the bedroom window, and it surely didn’t have that monstrous a/c unit, sheesh, a York(?), I think, it could cool an office building. A/C , especially in cars, was unheard of in Wisconsin, like a heater in Phoenix. That’s what “wing” windows were for.
A great find, and keep in mind, this still uses a trunnion front suspension, in a warm climate, and kept greased, it shouldn’t be an issue, and don’t expect “Camry” gas mileage here, even with a 2 barrel, teens, if lucky. But this isn’t the kind of car where fuel is an issue. Fun stuff, and $5grand, well, I don’t think we need many more examples to see what’s going on here. Shame, isn’t it?
Howard, for 5Gs you should buy this Ambo, fly down here to crazy FLA, stop by ol’ Rex’s compound for some beverages, and OTR this car back to CO!
Well, not sure what to correct 1st, plane tickets have doubled, gas has doubled, and have you seen the price of coolant? I could save a buck on motels with the reclining seats, but sounds like a backache. I would enjoy visiting your place, been a while since Florida, I get sick every time I went.
Now, if this was in my back yard, which they never are, I’d love to have it.
“The engine idles roughly and sounds like it is backfiring when accelerating.”
First thing I’d do is replace the points and condenser. Neat car, you seldom see Ramblers with options. And you seldom see anything reasonably priced.