The Ambassador was American Motors’ fanciest passenger automobile from 1958 to 1974. In the first half of the 1960s, it was more like a swanky Classic that rode on a mid-size platform in 1963-64. But for 1965-66, AMC would treat the Ambassador to a longer wheelbase and stacked vs. horizontal headlights. This ’66 Ambassador 990 is a driver-quality survivor that’s not perfect but should present well enough at Cars & Coffee. Located in Colton, South Dakota, this 4-door sedan is looking for a new home here on Facebook Marketplace. This asking price? $7,500. BTW, thanks, T.J., for the AMC tip.
AMC redesigned the Classic/Ambassador in 1963, and those changes enabled the company to snag Motor Trend’s coveted Car of the Year award for both nameplates. However, other than upgraded trim, the Ambassador was still just a snazzy Classic. Sales dropped from 37,000 to 18,000 Ambassadors from 1963 to 1964, as buyers may not have seen the extra value. But styling changes and a four-inch longer wheelbase helped AMC to better differentiate the two cars, and Ambassador sales shot up to 64,000 units in 1965 and 10% more to 71,000 in 1966.
At 73,000 miles, this ’66 990 (the top Ambassador model) wears its original paint and interior. The latter seems to be a bit faded, but no sheet metal damage has ever afflicted the AMC (per the seller). What we see of the interior appears to be nice for a car that is nearly 60 years old. The vintage car has a set of aftermarket wheels onboard, but the factory rims and wheel covers are in the trunk.
Under the hood is a 327 cubic inch V8 and an automatic tranny. Both are said to do their jobs well. A 4-barrel carburetor adds a touch of performance, but 327 may have begun life with a 2-barrel, and those parts should also be in the trunk. The “Ambo” came with factory air, and we’re told it still works. The carpeting is new, and there is no mention of any outstanding work needed to continue forward as a driver.
Pretty close to my other grandpas car, only his was a ’65, and more blue green and no a/c, of course. While my “Packard” grandpa was a more flamboyant man, drove a Packard, you know, my other grandpas was from a poor family, and his 1st car after the war, was a slightly used ’51 Chevy. They lived their lives differently in that way. After the Chevy, he had Ramblers. A ’58 Super, then a ’61 Classic, and his last car, was the ’65 Ambassador. The Ambassador was his zenith in cars, even though it was mostly relegated to listening to the Milwaukee Braves and smoking cigarettes in the back yard.
He was very proud of the fact Ramblers were made in his hometown, and wasn’t alone. AMC was the premier place to work then. There were waiting lists to get in. Having a family member helped, and many workers were 2nd and 3rd generation AMC workers, not uncommon in the auto industry. Personally, I never cared for the stacked headlights, and didn’t last long, thankfully, but these were the best cars, a culmination of all the great cars before combined to make this car what it was. Thanks, Russ.
This is a really nice car. Very well appointed in its day. I really wouldn’t change much other than possibly mounting the original rims and white walls and wheel covers back on. This is something that would be great to take the kids / grandkids out for ice cream. Howards post struck a chord with me. Years ago it could be a struggle to get a ” good job” working for a ” good company”. Years ago it wasn’t uncommon for multiple generations to work for the same company. Knowing someone, or having a relative was your best shot at getting that job. And you appreciated that job too. Times have changed. Great write up Russ, wonderful find too T.J., and thanks for your insight too Howard. You always get me thinking!!!
Thanks Dave, you know the mind is a bit like a machine, if it doesn’t get used, it gets clogged and rusty. I look at this site as a portal into our past, and it’s good to hook up with those old thoughts, or they’ll be lost. The interaction between us is better than any therapy, and well worth the membership fee.
By the way, I added that ” since 2014″, not so much to be a big shot, but to show folks I’ve been here 11 years, and only 9 more and I get the BarnFinds helicopter for a weekend, 1st stop, Vegas to pick up Angel,,,,,,
I wonder how long I’ve been here – I have no idea how to even find out. Never really gave it much thought, honestly. But I do like that there are some long timers here who have stuck around for a long while.
Just for the helluvit, I checked my emails and the first year I signed up to be a member was 2017, but I was a freeloader for several years before that.
Looks like we’ll be sharing that helicopter joyride, Howard.
I feel like such a Newby right now compared to you two…. Actually, I was a freeloader too for quite a while, never posted any comments. Then, I finally decided to join and I’m really glad I did. The articles are great, everthing that goes on here is interesting. And I enjoy reading the comments and back stories and memories. That, and I start remembering things too that haven’t been on my mind for sometimes decades.
The design of this car is peak 60s American classic that reminds me of a Chevy II Nova. Nice car for the money.
I found one of these in the boneyard years ago and it was in fantastic shape. I couldn’t stand to watch it all go to the crusher and even though I didn’t need it I snagged the grill, the center console and believe it or not, the red houndstooth pillow that came with the car.
I still have all three. The grill is hanging in my carport, the console on the wall of my Man-Cave (it is a really heavy fiberglass piece) and the pillow is still in a plastic tote. One side is really faded from the sun but the other is still bright red & black.
We had a 65 990 . it was a really nice car. The front seat backs reclined all the way down making the whole interior a giant bed.
I’ve been a sucker for this car since I was a kid. Dad drove a 61 Classic Cross Country before we became missionaries to Bonaire in the Caribbean. The year after we arrived, the Lieutenant Governor of the island traded in his ‘62 225 for a 1965 990 in glorious black, befitting a limo. Shaded windows and everything. Coolest car on the island.
I never heard of Bonaire till my son had to attend a conference there.It’s next to Aruba.
Back in the early 70’s I found a ‘65 Ambassador very similar to this sitting near the back of a local used car dealership. I asked about it and was told it had a bad automatic transmission, I asked what they wanted for it and they said $250 so I bought it, went to the junk yard and found a transmission for $50 and I was in business. Drove it for a couple of years trouble free, then sold it to an acquaintance who gave me a down payment and then disappeared.
My hat’s off to you taking on the transmission replacement what with the torque tube drive on these cars! Many mechanics even back then didn’t want to deal with those things. (The torque tube was one of AMC’s 1940s tech holdovers along with upper trunnions in the front suspension and vacuum windshield wipers.)
Almost called you out on that, but silly me, you’re right. I thought the torque tube was manual trans specific, but the automatics did use one too. I read, they were used on the bigger cars 1956-1966. Apparently, 1966 was the last year for them and went with a conventional driveshaft. I think ’69 was the last year for the trunnions. I was surprised to read, electric wipers were an option starting in 1964, along with vacuum ( seen here) but most still went with vacuum wipers and were probably upset in the 1st rain, they didn’t go with the $11.35 cost for electric ones.
@Howard A – I have personal experience with the larger Ramblers that have automatic trans and torque tube, most recently wrestling with it in a ’65 Marlin about a year ago. That setup is a royal pain to deal with!
You are correct that 1969 was the last year for trunnions but vacuum wipers held on through 1971. Most buyers though would only notice the vacuum wipers. Towards the end it may actually have come as a surprise. I don’t think in 1971 most of the car buying public would consider that their new Ambassador with standard AC would have vacuum wipers unless they paid for the optional electrics.
Boy great memories . id almost forgot someone ran into dads 65 990 right in the dogleg. My best friends dad had a body shop and let me help fix it. There are like 4 body lines in that little spot. I worked it over and over and over until he said it was good. That was my start to 50 years as a collision tech. Thank you Mr. lee
Oh and that car was faster than 289 mustangs and 307 camaros. I outran several but dont tell dad.
They’re even quicker with manual transmission. That Borg-Warner M8 automatic was not the most efficient thing around even at the time.
In the 1970s a high school friend had a 1965 Rambler Classic (essentially the same car as the Ambo) with 327 4bbl and Rambler’s “Twin-Stick” manual transmission. That thing surprised a lot of people at the stop light drags.
My neighborhood chums mom had a ’59(?) 4 door Classic with a 287(?) 4 barrel, and that car was the car of choice for the stoplight drags. Embarrassed quite a few 289 Mustangs or 283 Chevelles with that car. Mopars, not so much,,,
59 would have had a 250 cu in in a classic, then called a Rebel and the AMbassador would have had a 327. 287 came out in 64.