This 1968 AMC Ambassador is a tidy survivor that needs very little to take it to the next level. It is an attractive proposition for potential buyers, and addressing its few shortcomings would be a satisfying way to kill time during the colder winter months. Adding to its appeal, its engine bay houses its original and healthy V8. If you’re finding yourself sorely tempted, you will find the Ambassador located in McMinnville, Oregon, and listed for sale here on eBay. The owner has set the No Reserve auction to open at $5,600, but there hasn’t been a bid submitted. However, with ninety-nine people watching the listing, you would have to think that the situation might change fairly soon.
Finding a classic car from this era that hasn’t developed a few rust issues can be challenging, but this Frost White Ambassador shows plenty of promise. The panels look extremely clean, with no evidence of exterior rust. Delving below the surface reveals an equally impressive undercarriage. There is no evidence of penetrating rust or prior repairs. It appears that this gem may have managed to remain rust-free since Day One. The paint has some marks and flaws, and while none of these are horrible, a cosmetic refresh would do the overall presentation wonders. There are a few minor dings and blemishes, with the worst of these being just behind the rear wheel arch on the driver’s side. Once again, there’s nothing that should cause major headaches, and addressing these shortcomings would be a great way to occupy the colder months. The exterior trim is in good order, and I can’t spot any problems with the glass.
AMC offered potential Ambassador drivers several engine choices for 1968, but the original owner of this car chose to tread the middle ground. That means that the engine bay is occupied by a 290ci V8 that should produce 200hp. The rest of the package includes a three-speed automatic transmission and power steering. This combination should allow the Ambassador to cover the ¼ mile in 17.6 seconds, and while that may not appear fast, it was still respectable for a car from this era that could comfortably seat six people. For potential buyers, there’s plenty of good news here. The owner has recently installed new valve cover gaskets, an oil pan gasket, along with a transmission pan gasket and seals. He has replaced the belts and hoses and fitted a new heater control valve. The engine bay is as clean as you are likely to find in any Ambassador of this age, and it appears that its mechanical health is equally impressive. The owner says that the vehicle runs, drives, and stops well, suggesting that it is ready to hit the road with a new owner behind the wheel.
If this Ambassador has a highlight, that honor has to fall to the interior. The owner has recently splashed plenty of cash inside this car, leaving potential buyers with little to do. He has replaced all of the original Red vinyl upholstery and has added new matching carpet. The impact is quite striking, and you need to look closely to spot any issues. The headliner is torn around the dome light, and I think it has reached the point where it’s irreparably damaged. Sourcing a replacement will not be challenging, but it will hit the buyer’s wallet to the tune of $230. More worrying are the cracks in the dash pad. The one on the passenger side is pretty small, but the one in the center is a genuine whopper. I performed a brief internet search but failed to locate a replacement. The buyer might have more luck with plenty of time at their disposal, although I suspect they may have to settle for a cover or restoration to find the right solution. It looks like the owner may have upgraded the radio, but the rest of the interior remains unmolested.
If considered purely as a survivor, this 1968 Ambassador is an attractive package. The buyer could choose to maintain the status quo, but performing the work required to lift it to the next level would not be difficult or expensive. Like many offerings from this period produced by AMC, Ambassador values aren’t sky-high. However, if the bidding remains subdued, it could represent a great buy. With no bids at the time of writing and No Reserve to consider, somebody could potentially score a great classic at a bargain price. Is that enough to tempt you to pursue this one further?
This is a really a nicely styled car, the front and rear are clean and similar to the ’66-’67 Ford Fairlane GT IMHO. For some reason, the roof line says AMC to me though, the lines are a little too rounded compared to the crisp lines on the rest of the car. It’s a cool car, I’d drive it. I think AMC’s still had kingpin front ends in ’68 though.
Not kingpins, but trunnions, sometimes referred to as “Satan’s idea of ball joints”. (That’s on the upper control arm, lower has a ball joint.) This car will also have vacuum windshield wipers if the option for electrics wasn’t checked off when it was originally ordered.
No AC on this one which is kind of interesting since AMC made air conditioning standard on the Ambassador for 1968. (It was a delete option though where skinflints or fleet purchasers could save a few bucks by doing without.)
This car has electric wipers. The driver’s side corner of the electric motor can just be seen in the under-hood photo.
I owned two ’67 Ambassadors and a ’66. I’d like to make this car my first ’68.
Fun fact: The 1968 Ambassador was the only American car with standard air conditioning. The a/c could be deleted for credit, as is apparently the case here.
That’s true, only Rolls-Royce had a similar offer. At $213 ( or a whopping $1,837 bucks today) it was a pricey option. Naturally, in the midwest it was seldom ordered. One of the only US cars to offer reclining seats too.
Great way to get into the classic car scene without breaking the bank…..nice clean motor and interior, heck, whole car is clean, and not very common!
It DOES remind me of a 66/67 Ford Fairlane!
Also the ’65-67 Galaxie, which had a similar stacked-headlight treatment, as did the prior-generation ’65-66 Ambassador, tho’ IMO both of the Ambassadors were more neatly styled, esp. for ’68 when the taillights were restyled to match the headlights.
Side note, I’ve always wanted to see someone hotrod one and alter the badging to read Ambadassador.
Every Rambler/AMC posting, I take personal. It’s as if, the staff says, “let’s post this one for Howard”. I know, that’s a bit vain, but they, more than any other make, says “home” to me. Colorado will NEVER be my “home”. This car is done exactly like it should be, all stock, unlike the Marlin featured. I never cared for stacked headlights and was glad to see them go, but while the Ambassador might not have had the glitz the others had, it was the nicest car a Rambler fan could buy. I’d bet the buyer of this car originally, walked right past a Marlin in the showroom, with little if any interest, other than curiosity. Great find for a car nobody ever thought of keeping.
Worth it…pretty car
… and a little 401 will slip right in between the front fenders.
Naw…..worth way more stock.
I can’t believe there’s only ONE bid on this CLEAN V8 Rare, 2 door sedan!!
Somebody is waiting in the wings to snipe it at the last minute…….wish I had 6K laying around I’d bid!!!
I’ve slways liked most of the AMC stuff, never owned a AMC……I liked the GREMLIN and 68-70 AMX the most, JAV was ok,, wouldn’t mind a Rebel.
Not a sedan. It’s a two door hard top. No “B” pillar though there was a two door sedan version in ’67 with the identical roofline of the hardtop.
Oregon never salted the roads which has helped a lot of old cars survive there. This would be a nice daily driver that would stand out.
Why do people immediately think of dropping a huge V8 in these unmolested classics? Leave the car as-is!
Steve Clinton
Thing is an AMC 401 v-8 is physically the exact same size as the 290 v-8, all external dimension are the same. So it’s not exactly stuffing some huge v-8 under the hood, but an easy upgrade. And if you didn’t know you’d never know, unless you checked the numbers.
Believe it’s the second time around on
Ebay for this beaut. A/C delete is quite
the initial savings, but I do want a/c as
it’ll be driven specifically fair-weather
days. Unlike Howard, stacked h’lights
work for me and look great here! First
I need to check shipping costs!
I live in the South and would be very interested in this fine car from AMC if it had A/C. These were good cars.
You’re not gonna DD it r u?
Why u need AC?
Cool car and a great platform for someone wanting a nice clean original two door coup. If I was not on the Gulf Coast I would bid on this car. Shipping may be a bit much ro get it back to my area. Cool car.
PS – Did they delete the grille mounted parking lights in 1968? Our ’67 has them and they compliment the car nicely.
That is really nice. We had Rebels growing up so this brings back nice memories. That interior is perfect.
All this needs is a ’67 Marlin roof, and I’d be all over it. What Marlin did I miss, Howard? Only about 3,500 made in ’67.
There were 2,545 Marlins made for the ’67 model year.
Definite AMC sleeper car, it has the right look. Yeah, like the earlier comments, I see a bit of Ford Fairlane-maybe Galaxie in this body style. Like the cool wheels which give it a vibe….I know, don’t mess with such a well kept classic. I’ve seen an early Machine prototype in a book, with this body. It looked tough.
In 1982, I needed a quick beater after my car was hit, and I bought a 68 2dr Ambassador SST for $50. Mine was dark green with a white vinyl top, had a 343, automatic, and working AC. It needed almost everything, but got me to and from work. Also, mine had the parking lights in the grill. I continued to drive it until the timing chain slipped and bent some push rods. I pulled the good tires off of it and junked it. It never occurred to me that I should fix it up or it would ever be worth more than I paid for it. Restored, it would have been a beautiful car. If only…
I had a 69 Ambassador with the 343 auto and a/c bought it from a customer in 77 for $50 with bad trunnion’s fixed the trunnions and drove it a number of years. Never should of sold it great car
Maybe a set of old school torque thrusts and a nice day exhaust set up and DONE!
grill mounted lamps were for SST models.
I owned 67 for 12 years with the DPL package, Disk brakes, 343 V8. Over the years I put a 727 torque flight with stall converter and shift kit, Rebuilt the motor, installed cam, heads (dog legs) edelbrock torquer manifold, holly, Headers, and numerous other goodies. I got this car in the high 12″s in the quarter. But time and circumstances change and the car went to some one in Washington state.