This really looks like a sleeper, doesn’t it? I always expect to read about a car that looks like this as having a built 401 V8 and a four-speed or something like that. But, this 1969 AMC Rebel SST Wagon is a standard, albeit really nice, wagon. It’s posted on Craigslist or here on the CL archive in Goodyear, Arizona with an asking price of $11,900. Thanks to Michael for the tip on this Rebel!
AMC buyers could up the ante from the base Rebel a bit and spring for the “Super Sport Touring”, or SST, model which gave them a higher trim level but they also got a bigger engine. Who doesn’t like a bigger engine? I didn’t think I’d see any hands in the air. This car is still wearing its original paint but it has received new “weather stripping and door felt.” The best of both worlds! I personally would not change one thing about this car inside or out.
The interior looks really nice in this wagon. The seller says that it has new “carpet and sound deadener.” Again, it’s hard to go wrong with that unless a person is going for 100% originality. The front seat looks great but I can’t quite tell if it’s been redone in a more of a teal color or not? There’s sort of an unusual photo not quite showing the rear cargo area fully but what is visible looks tight and clean.
This is one clean engine and engine compartment! This is AMC’s 290 cubic-inch V8 which would have had around 220 hp. This one has a “rebuilt top end. Rebuilt trans. Rebuilt front and rear suspension. New master and brakes. New tires Anything that was removed, was replaced or restored.” This really sounds like a great car and it “runs and drives like new.” Have any of you owned a Rebel SST?
love it store the original motor and stick a 401 in there!
Sure, they’re fun, but not everything has to be a raging monster. Why would anyone bastardize such a clean original car? I’d be ecstatic with this wagon exactly as it is, and several years ago, came this “.” close to buying a ‘68 Rebel wagon with a grocery-getter 290. My family has a ‘78 AMC Concord with a 110 hp 258 I-6 that my Mom bought brand new, and it’s so much fun to drive and just plain enjoy.
I may have seen one before, but I was completely stymied by trying to identify this car from the rear quarter. It looks like a nicely kept car that was tastefully rejuvenated. I was never an AMC fan, but they did make some nice looking cars.
Great looking car!
I have the Ambassador version of this wagon, same basic car with wheelbase stretched ahead of the firewall.
Looks like this car has the standard vacuum windshield wipers. Upper front suspension for 1969 is still via trunnions rather than ball joints. (Full ball joint suspension and standard electric wipers would have to wait until 1972.) Steering gear is GM-Saginaw so you can liven up the steering with a quick-ratio Trans-Am steering box if desired.
A PITA on AMC large wagons from 1967-1978 is that the back seat has two separate latches, not linked, that need to be released at the same time to fold it down. Long arms are a real help. Lots of room for hauling with the seat folded but I would not want to beat this car up that way.
Can’t tell if the front seats have recliners, the handles would be just outside the photo frame of the interior shots.
One of the CL photos shows two latch handles on the inside of the tailgate, meaning it’ll open two ways at least if everything is working. I don’t think there’s a 3rd-row seat though, it’s hard to tell but it looks like there’s covered storage under the cargo area carpeting. There would also be a spare tire cover up against the right-hand side of the cargo area if the rearmost seat were present.
Judging by the master cylinder it looks like this car has manual drum brakes. The new owner might want to do something about that, especially if considering installation of a larger engine.
Trunnions will last forever if kept greased. I liked the vacuum wipers as they were infinitely adjustable, just install a vacuum can in line before the wipers. I did on several of my Ramblers and never had a bit of problem. Having been around 12 of the them model years from ’59 to ’66(including 3 1963’s)in the ’60’s & 70’s I still find a lot of people criticizing then unfairly.The V8’s had 10″ Delco Remy brakes and if you installed semi metallic linings you would be surprised how well you could stop. I had one I did a bunch of mods to and made it from Seaside OR to Portland,OR on the east side in 55 minutes once. Go look at a map and you would be hard pressed to beat that time in the fastest car today.
That’s true, however, the problem lies in rust. The trunnions are fastened to the unibody, and once rust sets in, pretty hard to fix. My grandfather’s ’61 Classic had 40K miles, clean body, but the trunnions rusted clear of the body. Nobody would fix it, and he junked the car.
My mother had a 69 SST with a 6 in it and that car was very peppy for a car that size and only a six. It reminded me very powerfully of my dad’s 56 Chev Belaire. We used to bury the needle in that car all the time. The Rebel was no different other than it handled way better. I’d say this station wagon would be the same. I wouldn’t change thing either.
On the other hand I do have a Rebel SST that I’ll likely be selling and posting here. It’s a two door hardtop and a former military car that spent a good portion of its time at an airport. It has the original drive train and the motor runs beautifully. This car has a really interesting story that I’ll post here soon if the moderators agree to it.
Any idea on a price?
Sweet looking cruiser. Love it!
But it’s a wagon not my cu of tea but still a great car hoe it sells
Nice looking car. That asking price seems like a stretch, maybe $8,000-8,500.
Steve R
Another AMC rocking vehicle…
Had one for awhile, sold it, an art class painted it, was used as an album cover for an 80’s punk band.
Great rig – Grew up in and around these wagons. I was told SST was coined from the “Super Sonic Transport” planes from the era. I have never found an advertisement / explanation from AMC. Where did you come up with Super Sport Touring?
“Maybe”—‘ Semi-Spacious Transport ‘ ?!
Does this have one of the tailgates which swings open (hinged on left) or drops down? Kind of looks like it, and that’d explain the double release handles seen in the photo.
Cool car, really clean engine compartment!
i had 2 68 sst 2 dr. daily drivers. the 290 was pretty much bullit proof except for sugar.
For a pretty scarce wagon and all the work apparently put into it, the price seems fair. I’d love to have it.
Most may gawk at the price. Anybody that grew up during this time knows, nobody ( except this person) thought of saving one of these. So I suppose that in itself makes it worth it. I’d be happy with the 290, or even a six, regardless the nicest color for a motor, I thought.
We used to call AMC’s SST models, ‘Super Slow Transport’, but that was just what gearheads did when poking fun at their buddies’ cars, back then.
The 290 is a nice engine, but a 390 Go-Pack/four-speed would be more the sort of thing I would want (along with some suspension/braking upgrades to improve the handling over 1969 levels).
I suspect the market will decide whether or not the price will dictate whether or not it’s realistic.
A bit of SoCal AMC history: In 1972, the local AMC Club challenged the Royal GTO Club (both based in the San Fernando Valley) to a drag race. Seems the Rambler guys and gals were getting tired of their Goat brethren knocking their cars, so a date was set to meet at Lion’s Drag Strip and prove once and for all who had the better cars…
…needless to say, the Kenosha Kadillacs kicked some serious backside on the Poncho crowed that Sunday. I was there and took photos of all the action.
Those of you who were reading the likes of Car Craft back then might recall an article about young fella who swapped a four-speed behind the warmed-up 258 six-banger in his Gremlin (his dad owned an AMC dealer). It was one of the cars that competed, along with a very quick, fully-loaded Ambassador SST that would run in the fourteen-teens all day.
Like it a lot. The only downside is that is too nice and original to drop a real high horsepower engine in it but I would own it and drive it as is in a minute.
This is the type of car you turn into a swapmeet or garage sale cruiser.
Trunnions need to be oiled, not greased. Grease clogs up the threads.
Super car.
And +1 for the vac wipers.
V8
Lovely looking car. The only serious problem with Craigslist ads is that there are never enough pics posted of the cars advertised.
Nice one, Scotty! Love the 401 / 4 sp comment. I learned to drive on a Plymouth wagon my folks ordered with V8, wood grain, and 3 sp floor shifter.
Is this the same car from four years ago ?
https://barnfinds.com/mid-sized-sleeper-amc-rebel-sst-wagon/