If you’re looking for an inexpensive ticket to the collector car universe, many vehicles under the American Motors umbrella will fit the bill. Models from the compact division (the Gremlin, the Hornet), the mid-sized range (Ambassador, Marlin), or even its muscle cars come at a discount to similar cars from Ford or Chevy. Proving the point, this 1969 Rambler 440 sedan is available here on eBay for $7500 or best offer – about half what a ’69 Falcon will sell for, and not even in the same vicinity of a Nova. This Rambler is a running, driving machine, and it’s located in Dallas, Texas. The tip comes to us courtesy of Curvette – thanks!
The Rambler American was launched in 1958 on the Nash platform, looking very Airflyte-y just like its predecessor. This first generation of AMC’s compact was equipped with a six-cylinder, 90 hp flathead. Its low price and fuel-thrifty ways helped sell over 200,000 copies in just three production years. The second-gen version, made through 1963, retained the same flathead but gave it a couple extra ponies, available as options. More than 335,000 were sold. For the model’s swan song, Dick Teague redesigned the exterior, losing the last vestiges of its “dumpling” appearance. The flathead’s final year was 1965 – marking the last year a flathead was available in any American production car; now the base engine was a 199 cu. in. OHV six, with 128 hp on tap, but customers could also order the 232 cu. in. six. By the time 1969 rolled around, several sixes and two V8s were on offer. The expansion of choices spurred sales to 700,000. This car’s VIN registers a “B” in the engine code slot, translating to the base-model 199 cu. in. six. Gear changes are handled via an automatic transmission.
I’ve always appreciated Rambler interiors, with their jazzy patterns and wide variety of tones, no doubt the remains of Helene Rother’s influence. Rother worked for Nash until the mid-1950s, one of the few women in the industry at the time. This car could use new carpets and fresh upholstery – the passenger’s side seat fabric is separating, showing the foam underneath.
Rambler offered three trim levels in 1969 – the base model, the 440, and the hardtop Rogue. The 440 came with enhanced upholstery choices, more armrests and ashtrays, wall-to-wall carpet, and chrome trim all the way along the flanks. This example’s paint is still in decent condition, and the body is straight; hand buffing and waxing might make her shine. That said, the seller will need to be more reasonable price-wise: this ’69 with a V8 also in gold sold for only $5350. What do you think of this final-year Rambler?
Very nice little car. That said, some elbow grease would do it wonders. And I agree with you Michelle. The fact that it’s a 6 cylinder and a four door, they’ll probably need to cut the price a bit.
The 4 doors don’t bring the money. I saw a very nice 2 door base model on Facebook last night with a 16K asking price. I don’t know if they are worth that much, but a lot more than the 250 bucks I paid for mine in 1980. Mine was a 2dr. with a 199 and auto. trans. The base interior was shredded, so I put seats in out of an Olds. Drove if for a year and sold it for 250. They were good cars.
I have to disagree, these cars are easy to work on, not very expensive either to buy parts for and they’re available in pretty much all the auto parts stores. Four door car have a smoother ride. The seat fold down to form a bed, the trim on these cars too is easy to remove to buff out, repair. So, for that price it’s a good buy, the condition it’s in also makes it a good buy.
Hey Curvette, you seem to be the “personne de son choix”, do us truck nuts a favor and submit an old 359 Pete, hey? Mine never make it.
While I never knew the ’69 “American” was the last Rambler, I also did not know, and somewhat disappointed they dropped the “American” and just went with Rambler. What, “American” wasn’t good enough? Well, it was the late 60s, with all the mishigosh going on, I suppose not. I was surprised to read that, as I figured “Rambler” went out in the mid 60s. “Rambler” just sounds so old for late 60s, when “AMC” had a lot more clout. It shows to go ya’, they were still “fishing” for those old timers that had Ramblers, and loved them. They found one here.
To pull out all the stops, I have to ask thatAMCguy, does this still use trunnions? Sure looks like it. Appears solid and when greased regularly, which many were not, they were adequate. I think this was the last car to use them and in 1970 went with a conventional ball joint setup. Great find.
What do you think of this final-year Rambler?
Enjoy it for what it is, a fun little car for simply going out for a drive.
You don’t have to have 300 horsepower to have an enjoyable time out
cruising. Any way, those sixes are pretty powerful.
Remember Clifford Research? (6=8) ? This was their specialty hopping up sixes.
My grandfather had a 68 2 door sedan this exact color. The rear windows were stationary and it was a good car,just basic.
one mistake in the despriction, yes the flat head was avalable in 1960 thru 1965 but the overhead valve engine was standard in the upper models.
All the standard “Ramblers” later called Classics had over head valve sixes
as standard starting in 1956: the 195.6 cu in.
My ’59 Cross Country has this engine and it runs smooth and strong.
I say it runs smooth like a sewing machine.
Has good power for all normal driving.
I like it.