The seller of this 1966 AMC Rambler American has provided a healthy amount of information about the car in the listing. That is always a good thing for buyers to start to get an idea of what they are bidding on. There is also a link to more photos of the car as well. It is located in Canyon Creek, Montana. The 31 people bidding on it have increased the price to $2,191 with no reserve. Only a partial VIN is listed but there is a photo of the door tag and the mileage is posted at 100,307. You can find it here on eBay.
While the car currently does not run or drive, the 290 cubic-inch V8 is original to the car. What isn’t original is the 4-speed manual transmission. Originally, the car came from the factory with an automatic transmission. The seller says the car could quickly become a Hurst/SC Rambler clone. It has an AMC 20 rear end and has “pebble grain” AMC magnum 500 wheels. If you swap in a 390 V8, which should bolt right in, you are well on your way to having that clone. The car comes with some paperwork including the original warranty materials and a supplemental, special, mid-year manual for the 290 V8.
Being an original interior, it is in rough shape. But, the original, black bucket seats are at least still there even though they are bursting at the seams. The carpeting will need to be redone as well. The steering wheel doesn’t look original. One of the things the seller notes is that the headliner is still in decent condition, which they provide a photo of. Once you take the seats out to reupholster them, you can redo the carpets, clean everything up, and be good to go on the interior quite quickly.
At the current bid price, this car might be a great deal. Even without it running and driving, it might not take much to get it that way. Some seat covers can work for a temporary fix to drive it around once it is running and it can be a rolling project.
Here’s another outstanding find. This was one box away on the order form from being a Rouge. At the Kenosha reunion couple years back, a guy from Ohio, also named Howard, had a blue ’67 Rouge, 343, 4 speed, aside from the SC, the Holy Grail of Rambler Americans, as if. His was spotless and one of my favorite cars at the show. There are so many SC’s and SC clones ( at the show, there was a whole section of them) I’d leave it as is. They were so rare like this. Fact is, the only person that would have ordered an American like this would have been a dealers kid, 98% of the Americans I saw( and owned) were plebeian 6 cylinders or wagons. This is what I’d stick my money into.
Howard, I think you mean a “Rogue”…rouge is makeup! :-)
Ha! It was 3:30 in the morn. His name is Howard Crum and HotRod wrote his car up a while back.
https://www.hotrod.com/articles/1967-amc-rambler-rouge-sleeper/
I wouldn’t turn it into a “clone” of anything. Just restore and drive. This fits my idea of what a “sleeper” should be: innocuous outside, but with some added suds. Howard Crum had the right idea, bumping up horsepower slightly, but not messing with the stock appearance.
This would certainly be as much fun as (but a more practical proposition than) an IKA Torino, which has long been on my wish list….
This is one car that should be in my driveway! Replace the 290 with a 401, some 3.73 gears and enjoy the ride!
Way too cool to clone!
My first thought was clone as well, but the sleeper idea is much more interesting. I always liked the b code paint scheme of the scrambler, much more subdued.
I think it needs that red, white,and blue, scheme from what I think was the Rebel. I’m not that up on AMC history, but I remember seeing AMX,Javalin, and Americans with that paint. Art
Sweet steering wheel. Where can I get one of those gems.
Wow, cool car! Funny, if you squint at the engine bay, it says falcon/mustang all over it.
thats because ford copied american motors suspension design, nash introduced the spring tower unibody design in 1952, nash and hudson merged in 1954 to form american motors, ford introduced the falcon in 1960
Almost reminds me of a Chevy II at a quick glance. Pretty darn cool, especially with those wheels.
I had this exact same model from 1990-2007. I replaced the 290 with a 401 and a 69 Scrambler rear end, also added disc brakes from a amc Concord. Ran 12:50s all day long. Fun car,I miss it
Remembering 343 Rogue from high school days, brand new. It was crazy fast, whupped on many bigger motor cars. Metallic gold, located near Bakersfield Calif. Wonder whatever happened to it.
My grandfather had a 1968 American 2 door sedan the same brown color. I think it was one of the lower trim models, but it was a nice little car. The one thing I didn’t like was that the rear windows were stationary.
Looks like a fun little car. Somebody will have fun restoring this one.
Any body see rust ? It looks pretty clean from what I see – maybe why it’s being bid up….
First of all why can’t I ever find cars like this closer to my location, Secondly freshen up the drive train upgrade the suspension redo the interior and preserve the patina on the body, what a great weekend car would it be!
IIRC, Rogues were Rambler’s version of what Pontiac was doing with the GTO, an option package for the base cars. Rogues were available on the American and Rebel platforms, I’m not sure if it was an option for the Ambassador models. The ones I’ve seen were all 343 powered.
No matter what, this is a rare survivor and if one is so inclined it’s not tough to get nearly 300 hp out of that 290. If you’re gonna fix it up and drive it that’s all it really needs.
The Rogue was a model option in the Rambler American line only, not the Rebel. And considering that it came standard with the 199 cid straight six, a comparison with the Pontiac GTO is hardly apt.
the rogue was offered on the rambler american only, never offered on rebel or ambassador
T hats a rare find! Someone should simply restore as is, great sleeper. And, what a surprise to pop the hood and see a v8. I know nothing about that 290, someone please provide feedback on how that motor was.
Looking back, I wonder why these cars were not more popular. Sure, I had customers with them and they were in for repairs but so were Fords/Chevy/Dodge models. The styling is really clean and holds up well. The Javelin? Not so much and the Gremlin X is just funny. This is the real Montana deal. Anyone notice the block heater spliced into the heater hose? Yup plug ol’ Betsy in and you’re going to work in the morning. Honest car.
Mostly, at that point their ads were weak and the dealer network was pretty lame.
The American hardtop, ’64 and up, was AMCs prettiest car until the Javelin appeared.
I wonder if any of the Mark Donahue Javelin or AMX suspension bits would work on pne of these??? Heh heh. Sleeper deluxe!
AMC cars were always the ugly duckling outsider car, like Subaru , very few people wanted one, they were just cheaper most of the time, except for The AMX Javelin, now that was sharp,
Cute car.
Interior ruined the effect
I CAN’T BELIEVE HE LET IT GO FOR $4000!
I found and opened the newsletter just 2 1/2 hours after the vehicle was sold…
I WOULD HAVE PAID MORE.
Wow, leave the outside as is
Redo all of the car as a protouring,
Ls engine , 6 speed stick , bigger brakes all of from donors to keep it on a budget and drive it like you stole it …
The headliner is original ; they were fiberboard . My mothers ’67 American had the exact same thing in hers.
This car is cool just the way it is!! A 4 speed American motors grand ma driver!! Would be the ultimate sleeper!!!
My first new car: 1966 Rambler American 440. Sticker price $2700+, off the lot at Chapin Sales and Service, Greenville MI for $1927 in March of 1967. Equipped with 290/4speed, vinyl top, ww tires, reclining seats in front, AM radio. Fried rear tires off in 6000 miles(replaced with Cheater slicks). Early 1971 my Dad sold it as I was overseas with USAF, and my sister did not like driving 4 speed. UGH!!!