If you like your vehicles on the unusual side, or maybe more obscure than unusual, it’s hard to beat a 1969 AMC Ambassador SST 390! Well, other than this one doesn’t have its drivetrain anymore, so there’s that. So, if you’re looking for a winter project, we give you this SST roller, posted here on craigslist in beautiful San Diego, California, and they’re asking $2,000. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Rocco B. for sending in this tip!
I got excited seeing this listing that Rocco sent in and then I saw the price, $2,000 for a ’69 Ambassador SST with a 390?! Then I scrolled through the photos and saw the empty cavern formerly known as Prince… I mean, formerly known as the home of a sweet 390 and now it’s empty.
There’s a fair amount of work to do on this car aside from mechanical work, as you can see. It looks pretty good compared to a lot of 53-year-old cars, though. Or, 54-year-old cars, depending on if you read this today on the 31st, or tomorrow the 1st of 2023. 1969 was the first year of the seventh generation Ambassador for AMC, and they were made until the 1973 model year. The seller says that the body is mint and they have every part that’s shown missing.
They were ready to do some body and paint work so they started stripping the car down a bit, including taking the tattered seats out to check the floors. The floors ended up being “perfect”, and the trunk floor also looks rock solid. The seats could use help and SMS Auto Fabrics has matching fabric, which is great. They also have carpet and headliner material.
The real bummer is that missing 390-cu.in. OHV V8, which would have had a healthy 315 horsepower and an even healthier 425 lb-ft of torque. So, if you can somehow track down an AMC 390 engine somewhere and a transmission, you’re in business. How would you restore this SST?
I really like the looks of these.I saw one about 10 years ago,
just West of Cave Junction,Oregon.I kept meaning to stop and
check it out,then one day it was…..gone.
Eeep,,remember the ex-forest ranger Ambassador the old man had? The “Burnout King”? It was this type, but a 4 door and bare bones,,and green. It had the “pursuit” package, same as a patrol car, “AMX” 390, ( said so on the air cleaner) but not sure if the “pursuit” 390 was the same as the passenger 390. Anyone? Regardless, that car did the best burnouts, posi, 2 strips for a block, EASY. I think this car was a bit more sedate. It WAS a nice car. Anyone that bought AMCs, this was as good as it got. My grandfather had a ’65 Ambassador, and was the nicest car he ever owned.
This? No cigar. It’s obscurity will interest some, but it has to be nice for any attraction today. AMC parts aren’t exactly plentiful, of which you’ll need. They were great cars, sadly, I don’t see any hope for “projects” like these.
Yes indeed, the burnouts were great with these even when dad left the snow tires on.
no such thing as an AMC “pursuit” 390. Over the years, Ford has had PI motors, such as the 428, that were advertised as 15-20 more horses than the standard engine. In general, the idea of “cop motors” has been perpetuated by Mad Max, the Blues Brothers movie and MoPar chatter about the “Purple Cam.” It is basically a myth that police cars had/have radical motors. This is because the Po-Po need a car that can start easily, idle smoothly, operate with A/C & not overheat and have reasonable fuel efficiency…. any Ambassador with a 390 is a very rare car to say the least, whether or not it was a fleet vehicle.
Service manual has a section for heavy duty equipment for fleet vehicles. Mostly it is about a higher amp alternator and better cooling along with some text about sturdier drivetrain components. No mention is made of hopped up motors with higher horsepower ratings. One person who worked in AMC parts dept. mentioned that the cars destined for police service may have had engines that were assembled to a higher standard, similar to what Olds did for the W30 & perhaps the W31: select fit pistons. However, there were no factory aluminum manifolds like the W30. As for a Forest Service Ambassador with a 390 i am a bit dubious of such an expenditure, even to catch poachers. For better info than i have, a call to the Rambler Ranch might provide some more accurate info about Ambassador fleet vehicles.
Better look again,AMC performance dept was group 19 and they did things that No one else imagined like putting the piston in with dot to rear of the block-allowed higher rpm..Just look it up and for the gentleman above you has it all wrong interceptor motors of all manufacturers had anything from bigger carbs, radiators,and yes they also used better then average production line cams-have had special Pont 389 10 3/4cr and a 74 9-1cr Chev 350 not factory plain Jane motors by any means and both were tire shredders and former cop car engines…not to sound argumentive just trying to share some cool car history
The writer this as an empty promise, but I see it as a canvas opening to a world of possibilities.
Super-clean body shell — heck, even the roof under the ripped away vinyl top is clean. If all the interior hard parts are there, they’re either the perfect starting point to a faithful restoration or the spot where you creatively shoot off in a whole different direction.
And that open space under the hood can hold all kinds of possibilities, from a fresh and stoutly-built 390/401 (AMC’s sturdy V8 short blocks can handle a whole lot of boost) to big block Ford/GM/Chryslers as well as (of course) just LSing the dang thing. If I didn’t put another AMC powerplant in it, I’d have to change those 390 fender badges for a set of 290s.
Shame I’m all the way across the country and lacking a garage. My first psycho street rod was a boosted ’63 Rambler Classic, and I’d love the chance to screw together a new-tech revival.
Sweet ride!!!
Nice home for a 500 cubic inch Cadillac and turbo 400 transmission.
I like this thought. So much torque there’s no real need to hi-po the engine.
I concur this would be a 401 screamer well you know as much as you could winder up ! Ive heard stories of secret crankshafts & cylinder heads work wonders according to the dyed in the wool faithful & i always loved the look of these & the rebel body ( i know same unit frame but different panels) & if you’ve seen them hot rodded up I really like the stately sleeper look a lot! I’m thinking 2 couples going to the steak & shake rumbling around and there is a pack of Hondas like last night nipping at my heels but at the stop light the Ram 1500 with a fresh non cylinder deactivation grenade but still VVT & holley sniper fabricated manifold, larger injectors, accel coil packs with muffler delete , B&M rear end cover (you can do that in Florida guys)took off the wolf pack was shredded because once that intake hit 4 cylinders was not enough without a turbo & I’m 40 years younger! Back to the car that’s what I slap in her except a hellcat motor then look out baby! God bless America & thanks for keeping the cops blind last night!
I certainly hope you aren’t referring to drinking & driving
on New Year’s Eve.Aside from being stupid (cops are out-
in force,& looking for things like that)it’s totally irresponsible.
What if you’d hit,or killed somebody?
I think he was referring to the stop light to stop light Gran Prix. Which is also terrible, illegal, not nice, irresponsible, blah, blah, blah.
I had one of these 2 door ambassadors with a worn out 343 auto. Found a 401 in an international travelall with a bad transmission. Dropped that engine right in and had a real sleeper. Was a fast car, but transmission didn’t hold up for long.
Would be a unique cruiser. If you can’t find an AMC drive train, a Mopar combo would be nice. Anything but a bellybutton sbc.
This would be a great restomod. Factory big block car means big block suspension and drivetrain.
For us that can’t afford a Charger/Camaro/Mustang project, this is a great opportunity to build something that is not common. Rare in fact. FOR just 2k!
Since Chrysler ultimately purchased AMC, I’m thinking a 5.7 Hemi is a worthy substitute for the 390.
Ambassador Hellcat anyone?
I’m the guy who actually purchased the car summer of 23. Had it shipped from Peoria AZ to Akron, Ohio. Pd 2,000. car as shown. 2,100 for shipping. Sitting in Ca and Az for probably 30 years. Very solid with no rust except for a little surface rust. Undercarriage like new. I had a car like this in high school circa 1977. Which everyone still talks about. It is destined to have an SRT 392 hemi per earlier mentions and hell cat if I can find at a decent price. I figure I’m going to spend 35 to 40m to put it back to original looking as in 1977. I tell all of my friends this is the dumbest thing I will do in my life. There is no way I will ever get my money back. I’ve had a lot of great cars currently a 61 Cadillac convertible and a 66 Lincoln Continental suicide door convertible is in my inventory. Recently sold my 56 Corvette and 2006 corvette that has never been in the rain. Original HS car was White, Blue interior, with deep dish Vintage Cragers for the back and regular up front. It was very powerful. It was an automatic and chirped the wheel going into second gear when I would get on it. Not a smart move on my part but I really loved that car. Anyone have a Hellcat out there. There easy to find people everyday are rapping those cars around trees. Thus a lot of supply.