It was the summer of 2000, and our work meeting had come to a close. Each of us came out with a list of archive photos and footage to gather, needed to finish the video project we were working on. As we reached our cubicles one of my workmates, a Gen-Xer like me, approached me. It was clear there was an item on the list that stumped him:
- Ric… What’s a Rambler?
The irony of the passing of time. How the common and normal fall into obscurity, with many everyday references turning into a mystery to new generations. But yes, there was a Rambler, as a model, and as a brand.
So let’s make it easier for the new generations, mine included. Here’s a brief gallery of Rambler dealers, proof that the brand/model indeed existed. Don’t you doubt it for a minute.
PK Williams, in Austin, TX.
Town and Country Rambler.
Jackson Motor Co., Walla Walla, WA.
Gil Ashcom, Berkeley, CA.
Jack Wall Rambler.
Dick Allen Rambler, Irvine, CA.
I guess Dick Allen Rambler was waiting to see if that new fangled AMC name would stick before changing his sign!
Nice old photos there. I always wonder if the buildings are still standing, and the Dick Allen Rambler building is now a furniture store.
Looks like the road has been widened so much there’s no longer much parking in front.
Love all that Hi Performance iron at Dick Allen’s!
I’d like a 1960 Classic, please!
No you wouldn’t.
I became a shade tree mechanic the day I brought this home.
And it was only 10 years old at the time 🙁
That one looks pretty nice Phil ;
It seems to me the really bad used cars were never taken care of when new .
-Nate
The older I get the more I like the looks and overall philosophy f Ramblers & Nash products .
The only Nash I’ve ever owned was a Metropolitan Nash FHC .
A good friend T.J. who maybe reads these pages is a die hard Rambler enthusiast who’s made himself a speedy little custom roadster from a Rambler American two door .
Why the retained the trunnion suspension and torque tube for so long baffles me but they do work okay .
-Nate
Well, Ford/Mercury/Lincoln kept its torque tube through 1948, Chevrolet through 1954, and Buick through 1960, so it may have been a case of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.
The original trunnion on mine came apart where the lower part screws on the upper part. The new, improved replacement was designed for this not to happen again.
The first of many unexpected, exciting situations while owning this vehicle.
I hope all here notice Phil said “exciting” and not _fun_ .
I’m three towns over and the generator blew on my way here before sunup .
I’m hoping the new battery I pre charged and installed yesterday has enough juice to get me home after the fog dissipates .
-Nate
The Gil Ashcom building is still there, at least last time I was in Berkeley but it’s been Toyota for many decades. The streetscape hasn’t actually changed that much but a lot of the dealerships on what used to be “auto row” are gone.
aka “Rumbler”. We had a ‘64 Classic and a ‘67 Ambassador.
Marlin = secretary’s hot rod.
I still can’t get over that heavy-handed revamp of the “electric razor” grille of the 1963 Classic and Ambassador to end up with the “filled-in” flat grille of the ’64.
The ’63 grille in my view is much more distinctive; ditto for the 63’s taillights.
I’m of *just* the right age that I don’t recall seeing a Rambler dealer. I remember Rambler as a model of car sold at AMC dealerships.
I’m not finding exact information as to when American Motors Corporation (the manufacturer) re-branded their dealerships from “Rambler” to “AMC”. Seems to be some time around 1967 (ish?). Which would have made me about 3-4 years old. No wonder I don’t remember Rambler dealers.
You are right! In ’66, they started moving away from the Rambler name, towards AMC or American Motors. In ’67, they still used the Rambler “R” on some of the wheelcovers. By ’68, it was all “American Motors”. But then, as crazy as it sounds-in ’69 they dropped the name for the compact “American” and just called it “Rambler”! (I guess calling it “The American Motors American” just didn’t quite work.) For the 1970 model year, the AMark, modern red/white/blue emblem was introduced and became the identifying ‘badge’ on dealerships. (And I imagine that even the smallest dealerships-and AMC had many-had to update their signage.)
The first car I ever drove was a ’58 or ’59 Rambler, 3 on the tree, like the one in front of the
P.K. Williams store; except it was a Wisc. Bell Tel car that my dad was using. After all he couldn’t “risk” his ’52 De Soto for such a task!! Such “logic”…….??
We went out on quiet back roads so I could practice driving a STICK. It was fortunate that I did learn to drive a manual as his next new car was a strippo ’60 Chevy Biscayne 4 door, 6 with a 3 on the tree. What a ughly, slow beast it was. The little Rambler, in relative terms, was more “fun” to drive!! DFO
Incidentally, the Rambler Town dealership in the lead photo was just down the street from Courtesy Chevrolet, which was featured in several photos last week.
Rambler Town was Phoenix’s first Rambler dealership, and it hung on until 1970. After that, the building became a Mazda dealership.
I worked for Gil Ashcom Rambler starting in September 1968. Soon added Toyota and we know the rest. I worked there a Service Manager until about 1978. Then went to work for a Toyota dealer in Livermore. What a mistake that was.
If anybody has an interest in Nash/Rambler/AMC cars you absolutely need to visit Rambler Ranch in Elizabeth, CO!
https://www.ramblerranch.com/about
My dad bought two Ramblers from Mack Massey in El Paso. Massey sponsored a badass 1969 AMX SS at regional drag races. It was one of only 51 production race cars of its kind. It packed a 390 and of course four on the floor.
https://www.southwestdrags.com/nostalgia/unclesam/unclesam.htm
My great grandfather sold Ramblers from the mid 1940s up until he retired around 1966. His dealership, Schritz Motor Sales, is long gone, but the stories from my grandfather and father sparked a passion in me for the brand. As of now, I own three ramblers, and it almost looks like a small dealership at my house!
My Parents bought 2 Rambler Classic wagons in a row, a ’61 and a ’63. The first one in Compton, Ca (we only lived in CA for 2 years) when he traded his ’56 Plymouth Plaza, the 2nd was a ’63 he bought probably at a dealer in Pittsburgh, PA. We have a great picture of my Mom in front of the ’63 at our house in Murraysville, PA.
Wonder how the “free gasoline” offer on the dealership window at PK Williams worked. Bet that dealership was downtown, but now there are none there, all relocated to the suburbs or the interstate.