It was in a car much like this that I was squired around as a kid. My earliest car memory is of being in the “way in the back” while going to my grandparents’ Montreal home from the apartment where I lived with my parents on Trans Island Blvd. Later, it was from suburban Brossard, as we did what a lot of 1960s families did and moved out of the city for the chance to own a home. Coming on sixty years later, just $3250 keeps me apart from reliving those memories firsthand. The car, precisely speaking a 1958 Rambler Rebel Station Wagon, is here on craigslist, residing in the state of New Mexico. Barn Finder TJ brings us this delicious little nugget.
This one is special for a bunch of reasons. First, it’s air conditioned, a point made very clear by the chrome badge and the seller’s words. Second—look at this beauty: chrome accent spear on the front end and another running down the body. Full wheel covers. Tiny roof rack. Vestigial fins, a sign that nobody really wanted the 1950s to be gone. It doesn’t even matter that wagons are having a late renaissance of interest amongst collectors—this car is flat-out cool without anybody’s help. And it’s got a V8, which is said to be complete, if non-running.
What would I do with this ‘58 if I snagged it? I’d get the engine running, see to the A/C, and drive, drive, drive. The body may have been repainted, or maybe not. Who cares? It looks fantastic in its patina. One does wonder, of course, about the integrity. Is it rusty? Are some of those bumps filler? How thick is the paint? The inside, too—how beat up with a supposed 50,000 miles on the clock? And can you get interior kits for such a car? Oh, you know what, for three grand, who gives a darn about any of these doubts?
Still, it would have been nice to see shots underneath, inside, and, naturally, in the engine bay. And if you decide to plunk down for this one, you would have to reconcile the lack of a title, which, depending on your state, could be a big-ish deal. But if those issues are no object, I rather think that this Rambler is underpriced by at least a couple of thousand bucks. Look at some of the frightening starting places people are going in the hobby these days and you might agree: This Rebel needs to ride again. Heck, at that price, it would even be fine to grab it up now and let it rest in your yard while you find the time to put it back to right.
Many consider the Rebel to be the first “muscle car” — a big v8 in an intermediate size car. Absolutely worth bringing back to life. An active, if small, community to help.
Aw, just love any vintage Rambler post. Reminds me of my growing up years in Milwaukee, when Wisconsin was a hummin’ place. Milwaukee was a family town. People from all over the world, came to Wisconsin because it had opportunity up the ying-yang, and a perfect place for a family. Rambler, and all the related industries were the biggest employers. And what better car to have to take that said family to a Braves game( that’s right, it was MILWAUKEE Braves until 1970) was the Rambler wagon shown here. It was one of Ramblers biggest sellers. Couple things here, good luck finding an original grill, that looks like an older Nash grill, and tail lights are probably unobtanium. This car clearly was destined for warmer climates when new. Even though Rambler was a leader in A/C, considered the best in the business, very few “northern” cars had it. It cost an extra $395 bucks, on a car that listed for maybe $1,800, it was a hefty option. Besides, A/C in Wisconsin was just unheard of then. I never recall seeing that “A/C” badge, EVER, and I saw’r a LOT of Ramblers! Rambler had the only “5th door” tailgate, that I see this doesn’t have, a novel idea that Ford kind of copied. As obscure as a Rambler is to most today, I doubt anyone would restore one. They have to be a lot better than this for any attraction, and there just weren’t that many sold, so you probably won’t find one “in a barn” with the plastic on the seats. Nobody ever kept a Rambler. Besides, most people that have any connection with Ramblers, are pushing up daisies by now. Too bad, they were great cars.
The side door wagons were ones w/a third seat. Not sure if they were even offered in 58, but they were later. ALL AMC cars w/AC had that emblem from at least 55-62, maybe longer.
I would stack this w/one of the great cars, if it just didn’t have that ‘cheveron’ in the factory roof where the ‘sedan’ joins the ‘wagon’. I hada ’62 American vert that also hasa styling surpass in the 3rd gen (shown in turquoise a day or so ago). I also like the Nash as having some pretty smooth lines (in the Rambler name). These are pretty boxy (late 50s – early 60s) even tho thru 2 companies.
Gas monkey garage on their TV show anyway took one that was more rusty and crusty than this one put a powerful engine and transmission in it did some interior work and sold it for a Ridiculous price, being a reality show I’m not sure its 100% believable they got that kind of money for it
Not to rain on anyone’s parade, but back in the day, folks who drove Ramblers were regarded as “L7”–make an “L” with your left thumb & index finger and a “7” with your right thumb & index finger. Put the two together to make a “box”. It would form a “square”, indicating someone who was not “hip”–an insult at the time. While I never owned a Rambler, the fact I liked unique cars and not the run-of-the-mill muscle cars at the time was enough for some of my peers to label me as “L7”.
My how times have changed! Huey Lewis said it best in his song, “Hip to Be Square”!
Well folks, there you have it. It’s okay, we were used to living with that stigma, and traded places yearly with Studebaker for that title. For many, a Rambler, or a Studebaker, for that matter, was usually a used beater while the “nice” car sat out the winters in a garage, or more accurately, working for $1.77( my 1st job), doesn’t get you much. Ramblers fit the bill. They still got you to that penny-ante job, that you thought you were going to work there forever, at least until you die (another great HL song) and had a great heater. The reclining front seats were just an extra,,,quite frankly, I never got lucky in a Rambler,,,:)
The v8 in this should be the 250 cid with 215 horsepower. The 327 was a 1957 only affair in the Rebel.
Granny’s ’60 was an Ambassador wagon, rose colored with a burgundy roof. 327 4bbl.
She used to leave tire marks when she hit the gas.
So yeah, good memories. The rear facing seat hooked me when I started bleating over her 50 Pontiac being gone.
The folks had a 62 Rambler Classic wagon as well.
This is a beautiful car.
I bought this car, along with 49 more, in 1998 while in Amarillo, TX from a defunct Buy-here Pay-here used car lot. This and the other cars had been repossessed in the 1960’s, and parked in a fenced in lot. This was the one I wanted to restore, with factory AC, 3-on-the-tree plus overdrive for towing [there should be a trailer hitch visible]. This was a transition year from Nash to AMC, the rear bumper guard still read “Nash”. One end of the three-piece grill was damaged; and the passenger side rocker panel showed some tiny rust-through holes. The carpet was toast, but the floorboards were good, no rust through; everywhere else was surface rust. Dash pad was beyond toast, and peeled away. Cherry Avenue Junkyard yielded some needed missing parts, At the Daytona Turkey Run I found NOS tail lights, some other bits, & repair manual. A friend found NOS plastic AC/speaker vents for me in Michigan treasure trove of Nash/Hudson/Rambler parts. All were safely stored in the wagon for the future restoration, but were stolen along with the missing pieces from the dashboard while I was out of town. Other car parts met the same fate. I liquidated the cars in 2005. I still have the tiny owner’s manual. The original color, Cimarron/Cinnamon Bronze Poly [metallic], was paint matched by polishing the upper windshield surround. I want to say the it was contrasted with a Colonial white. These are sharp well engineered cars for their day. As I recall, it has a Dana 60 rear axle, so Jeep Wrangler alloy wheels would fit. I am tempted, but it also brings back other bad memories.
Here’s the brochure: https://xr793.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/1958-AMC-Rambler.pdf
As a native montrealer, my whole security technician years were in the greater montreal region and i had never heard of Trans island boulevard
I looked it up and i certainly drove on it to get somewhere
I am a semi retired burb guy now and these ugly duckling station wagons are NEVER seen in our area
The exchange rate plus the shipping fees and the taxes and border fees make this a bad choice but it really would make a statement while driven …
I wish it good luck
Yolo