Tuesday, December 21, 2010

The Sensible Spectaculars: '65 Rambler Lineup

This is a small AMC brochure featuring its full lineup for 1965, eight-pages, 10 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches. It was probably a car show piece, which frequently were smaller, cheaper and featured all of a makers car in one brochure. I've always liked the typography used in this piece, with the word "spectacular" printed in a full rainbow of colors—truly spectacular! The cover image shows the familial resemblance that Edmund Anderson brought to AMC that year, with all three lines featuring segmented horizontally-ribbed grilles and simple bumpers with amber turn signals located at the other edges.

The Ambassador for 1965 was redesigned and once again gained length and prestige with a 4-inch stretch in wheelbase to 116". This compared with the 108" of 1962 and 112" of the 1963-'64 models, but still an inch short of the 117" span of the '58-'61 models. Vertical headlamps, first seen on the '57 Nash, and later on the '63 Pontiacs, gave the Ambassador an upscale appearance. It's too bad that bodystyles didn't include a 4 door pillarless hardtop, as Nash offered them as far back as '56 for sedans and even wagons. Technical features included "Double-Safety" brakes with optional front Disc Brakes, V8s and a new inline 6, adjustable steering wheels, reclining bucket seats and new "miracle" fabrics. I love that sliver of woodgrain on the wagon, and that dark blue sedan is elegant!

The '65 Classics featured a 112" wheelbase, and sported new and larger-looking facelifted bodies. Bodystyles included a 4 door sedan, 2 door pillarless hardtop, convertible and wagons. Engine choices included a Six and several V8s, and the wagon could be had with 2 different tailgates, one that folded down and one that swung out. For '66 Ford offered its first "Magic Tailgate" that could do both, but AMC gave you one or the other.

Ah, the Rambler American, the direct descendant of the first 1950 Rambler. Offered only with sixes this year, the American had features such as curved side glass, a standout feature in the low-price class. Available in a full spectrum of bodystyles and trim levels from basic sedans to sporty and luxurious hardtops and convertibles, a Twin-Stick transmission was also available, which included a separate overdrive lever. Those red vinyl reclining bucket seats are glorious, aren't they?

Update:
Both the Classic and Ambassador were available as 2-door sedans as well, for both '65 and '66, in various trim levels. They weren't included in this brochure, but as they weren't considered "sexy" I can see why they left them out of this very small car show edition. Thanks to loyal, and erudite, reader, Paul for this clarification! See the comments section for the details. I think this is the best part of my blog—the dissemination of information from "both sides" of the keyboard! Thank you.

Coming Up Very Soon by Popular Demand:
I've just found my 1975 AMC brochure featuring the first wide small car, the fishbowl on wheels, the Pacer. Scanning as I type this!

16 comments:

  1. I love these cars. Mr.Anderson added just the right 'Continental" touch to them . Fun with a hint of formality .

    Bring on the Pacer !

    I am trying to remember: is Pacer the name of one of the Reindeer?

    AP
    Malibu

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  2. I believe (I checked Wiki and it was inconclusive -- I have to check my Standard Catalog or Car Spotter at home) that both the Classic and the Ambassador were also available as 2-door sedans. I've always really liked the 65 Ambassadors (well, I like ALL Ambassadors) and I was delighted that they were taking them up market in appearance and size, if not in price over the previous few years. Of course, car prices stayed pretty level all through the 60s. The dark blue ssedan is pretty elegant and they were powerful and quite distinctive in their time.

    The Classic I was never that fond of, but I thought the American was adorable and a nice step up from the 64. I don't know if you recall a road test of a 64 American hardtop in (I believe) Car and Driver, where they picked it apart mercilessly and basically said that car is a piece of...well, you can imagine. They criticized everything about it. The one think that has always stood out to me from that road test is that the manual steering was six turns lock to lock.

    In 67, the Ambassador took another jump in size -- to 118" wheelbase I think and the Rebel moved to 114". And at some point the Ambassador jumped to 122" and stayed that size through the bitter end, and boy was the end bitter!

    Paul, NYC

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  3. There was no Pacer reindeer, although I like that idea! There was an Edsel Pacer, the fancier of the 118" Edsels in 1958.

    The reindeer are Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid, and Donder and Blitzen.

    Paul, NYC

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  4. Thanks, Paul.

    It's been some time that I chanted that reindeer roll call.

    "On Duster ! On Charger ! On Swinger ! On Pacer !



    AP

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  5. Paul: I think you're right about the 2 door sedans. CA had an article I was re-reading a few weeks ago. Perhaps they were dropped for '66" I'll have to dig it out and update the post. and thanks for the reindeer names, I have to admit I wasn't sure of any by Rudolph!

    I was going to mention the Edsel Pacer in the AMC Pacer post. I thought I remembered a Hudson Pacer too, but I guess it was the Pacesetter.

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  6. AP: I like your reindeer names better! we can add:
    On Demon! On Cuda! On Fury and Hemi!

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  7. On Hornet ! On Pinto ! On Lancer and Valiant !

    AP

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  8. GOOD NIGHT CASEY GOOD NIGHT

    GRANNY

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  9. on Gremlin, on Pinto and Vega
    (my Santa is on a budget!)
    mare

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  10. Well, the Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975 had answered my question viz a viz 65 and 66 two-door sedans. The Classic was available as a two-door sedan in the 550 and 660 series in 1965 and as a 550 in 1966. The Ambassador was available in both 1965 and 1966 as an 880 two-door sedan.

    Production figures:
    1965 550 7,082
    1965 660 4,561
    1965 880 1,801
    1966 550 5,505
    1966 880 not available but probably about 1,000 or less

    Paul, NYC

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  11. I love my peeps, lol. Thanks for digging up that information. I should really look for a copy of that book. Awesome!

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  12. Yay! The Pacer cometh!

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  13. i had to draw the suspense out a while. I haven't been a tease in a long time, lol.

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  14. I just looked up the Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-75 and I was flabbergasted to find that on e-Bay it has one with a reserve of $37.99 and others with buy-it-now prices STARTING at $150! I guess it must be out of print! I'm glad I got mine a long time ago. I have them all -- 1805-1942, 1946-1975 and 1976-1990. If there are newer ones, I don't know, but I'm also really not that interested in 1990 and up!

    Paul, NYC

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