Many today bemoan how out of control the old car hobby has gotten thanks to exorbitant pricing. I look at a lot of car listings, as well as “sold for” prices and I have to agree. It seems that old auto anything, which has been trending continually upward since the 2008 recession recovery occurred, stepped into overdrive about two years ago. The pickin’s for a good deal can be slim. But, all is not lost, it just depends on how brand-conscious one might be. And with that thought, may I present a 1959 American Motors Rambler, in excellent condition, and available, here on craigslist for $12,295. Located in Westchester (L.A.), California, this Rambler’s condition is not to be denied and the price is still reasonable.
Rambler did pretty well for itself in 1959, coming in sixth place in the domestic production race with 374K units assembled. They beat out better-known marques like Buick, Dodge, and Mercury. Technically, our subject car is a “Rambler American Super” but there was also a more basic “Deluxe” model but just two body styles, a two-door “Club Coupe” and a two-door station wagon.
The seller states, “Rust Free, California Original Car ” but doesn’t elaborate much beyond that as far as aesthetics go. I would assume a repaint has occurred but it’s not stated, and that claim of a California original car could have limiting extents but nothing more is advised. What the images do state, however, is, “I need nothing”. They all portray a nearly perfect example of a compact model made by a too-often-overlooked manufacturer. The only unusual thing that I noticed about this example is the position of the rear wheels within wheel wells, they both look like they’re perched too far forward. However, if you review AMC publicity images from 1959, that’s how the American was assembled – it’s a bit ungainly looking though. Finally, a continental spare is appended to this Rambler’s rear end but it looks OK. It’s not as outsized, with the extreme jutting overhang found on domestics like Oldsmobile and Mercury.
Power, in this case, amounts to a 90 HP, 196 CI in-line, six-cylinder engine. The seller adds, ” Top End- Valves – Head Gasket – Carburetor – All Redone / Rebuilt Last Summer“. He further adds that the engine starts easily and allows the car to cruise nicely. The transmission is a manual three-speed with O/D.
Nothing is said about the interior but its condition is in keeping with that of the exterior. It’s a simple black vinyl/black painted affair and is endearing in its austerity. In a nod to modernity, or at least to the mid-sixties, seatbelts have been installed front and back.
OK, so it’s not a Dodge Charger, or a Pontiac GTO, or a Mustang Boss 302, or anything else that trades at absurd price points for examples that are often in only so-so and suspicious condition. But this Rambler American was still an important piece of the American automotive landscape and in this condition? Get out of here! As stated earlier, it’s not really a bargain but it’s pretty darn reasonable, especially considering its condition. What do you say, any takers out there?
On the plus side: the black plates indicate an authentic CA car. The minus for me would be the odd color combination.
I had a ’58 American, great little car and relatively trouble free. Eventually the “a” pillar on the drivers side rusted through and the door would no longer close. A problem with the unitized body.
Oh well, that’s what Wisconsin weather will do.
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The guy across the alley, who had the motorcycles, during the winter, it was common practice to buy an old beater for $100 bucks, drive it until spring, and junk it. The guys 1st car, was an American like this. It was yellow, and had an automatic, and remains one of the slowest vehicles, cars, anyway, I’ve come in contact with. Flooring the gas pedal, only the engine noise changed, but no real increase in speed. VWs were faster, but again, strictly cheap transportation, a “beater with a heater”, as it were, it’s an incredible find. Someone in town has a wagon like this, I’ve seen, but you won’t find many. It kind of amazes me, yet saddened, in a way, all this stuff is coming out, not sure of the appeal outside of California for this money.
You know, HoA, some 20 something thin black tie, Buddy Holly rimmed glasses wearing Hollywood 8th generation wannabe hipster will buy this. To them. why twelve grand is like a thousand bucks! And that color! You’re gonna get the chicks…..though which ones is the question :)
My Mom bought a 60 American with an automatic In 64 for $300. It needed seat covers. It was basic transportation and it was sloooooow. The radio was always fun to tune in ;).
Cute little car but the rear wheel spacing hurts my head. Wonder why they never fixed it at the factory. Resto rod?? Heavens. good luck and happy motoring!
Cheers
GPC
My father had a ’61 American with the new body style (really just a reskinned version of this car) and the rear wheel openings were till that way.
This could cure my OCD. Or I might end up going in the other direction. I can’t tell to be honest which is what you would expect from someone with OCD. GLWS
I carpooled with a school friend for two years in a darker green one of these. My friend updated it with Mustang bucket seats, a Foxcraft floor shifter, Crome lug nut caps and redline port-a-walls, making it marginally cool for the 1968 Huntsville High School south parking lot. David got a new Charger for graduation and the ‘salad bowl’ went away.
This has to be one of the nicest anywhere. If it was a wagon I’d be buying a plane ticket…
Oh, the rear tires being too far forward always drove me crazy on these cars! Ugh!
Maybe it’s just me, but I will never understand why people list a really clean vehicle like this and leave a mountain of corrosion on the battery terminals!?
Ramblers are cool. I own a 63 wagon myself. I agree with some of the other statements though. I would have to extend the wheelbase on this one.
I actually like this generation better than the 61 to 63s. The stick with overdrive is a good selling point, especially when keeping up with today’s traffic. That little flathead needs all the help it can get.
I had a 59 Rambler American station wagon. My first car. I called it the Baja. This could be Baja II.
I had a 60 American like this. I bought it in 67 for just $125, and the only thing we ever fixed were the ball joints. It ran well in addition to getting great gas milage. Indeed, the best money I ever spent on a car.
My 63 American still has the rear axle way too far forward. Something AMC didn’t fix up until the body restyling in 1964. One of these days, I swear I’m going to slide the rear end back about 5 inches.
My first car was a ’60 American with a 3 speed auto. The shift indicator was one notch off, so when it indicated D1 it was really in D2, which started the car rolling in 2nd gear. I never could explain that to my dad, so whenever he drove, it was REALLY slow — never using 1st gear to get going. 0 – 60 must have taken him 30 seconds, or so it seemed. I was offered $35 as a trade-in on a new ’70 Beetle since the old girl had “piston slap” by that time….so I sold her for $75. Miss her today!
The reason the rear wheels look like they’re pushed forward is because the chassis was still the old Rambler platform from the 50s , which they resurrected and put a newer body on it.
My mother had a 58 American , two tone baby blue with a dark blue roof . It must have been a lower deluxe model and it had a conventional spare tire , dog dish hubcaps and i believe no chrome side trim. It did have an automatic and a radio , which is all my mother needed to go for groceries every other week. My sister and I would fight as to who would ride on the rear speaker deck while she was driving – try that today with your kids and you’d get arrested ! She had it until 1968 when it started having overheating issues and sold it for 25 bucks to a neighborhood kid , and my parents bought a year old Matador red 67 American 2 door . she had that until the late 1990s when she stopped driving .