Remembering Ferrambo: The Epic Ferrari-Powered Rambler Wagon by Divers Street Rods

When I first saw the Ferrambo, I could hear Enzo Ferrari shouting Perché?! (Why, in Italian) and could almost see him rolling in his grave. Yes, I’m a huge fan of the Italian brand and to some extent, I can even call myself a purist. Whether it’s the 250 GT SWB Berlinetta, 250 GTO, 288 GTO, or F40, Ferrari has built some of the finest cars of all time. Since these models are nearly perfect in terms of both performance and beauty, I see no reason why someone would dare to modify them or not attempt to restore a wrecked one to factory specifications.

On the other hand, I can also appreciate a well-built custom and, if it’s meticulously assembled around a less-glamorous Ferrari model like the wrecked 360 Modena underneath this reshaped 1960 Rambler Wagon, I’ll give it the thumbs up. Don’t get me wrong, the Modena was (and still is) a terrific Ferrari but it wasn’t built during Enzo’s lifetime, nor does it live up to the same levels of perfection-bordering awesomeness as the aforementioned models.

With that in mind, Il Commendatore’s voice started fading away and I was free to examine the finer details of this epic build. Shortly after that, dread was replaced by excitement, which rose to the ceiling when I understood how much work and creative brilliance went into this thing.

At first glance, its low stance and modern wheels make it clear that it’s a custom, but, unless you’re a Rambler connoisseur, you’ll never guess it is based on what was once one of the cheapest American-built cars. Instead, its ample curves, front fascia, and bright red paint will have you wondering whether you’re staring at a long-forgotten 250 GT Lusso two-door wagon prototype that has been slightly modernized.

But no, Ferrari never did such an experiment. This is unquestionably a Rambler American from 1960, although one that’s now powered by an authentic Ferrari V8 mounded in the middle of the chassis.

Its story starts nearly two decades ago when a white Rambler Wagon arrived at Tim Divers shop in Startup, Washington. Tim, his brother Scott and their crew had made a name for themselves over the years for building some terrific hot rods, and the Rambler was set to be added to their resumes, but the original plan was to transform it following a far more classic recipe.

But, at some point, someone jokingly suggested that they should put a Ferrari engine in it. That joke ended up changing the course of the project and in no time, Tim was researching the feasibility of transplanting a 360 Modena V8 into the old wagon. It all snowballed from there and with a wrecked 360 on their hands, the crew started modifying the Rambler’s unibody.

To accommodate the 400-hp, 3.6-liter V8 as well as its transaxle, the whole floor had to be gutted out and redesigned. The original plan was to use an Art Morrison chassis with air suspension and mount a modern, American-built V8 in the front, but with that out of the question, the team had to build a bespoke frame. They ended up using the front half of the Art Morrison structure, but the rear end was fabricated from scratch to snuggly fit underneath the Rambler body and also house the 360’s suspension without dramatically altering the factory setup. Moreover, the Ferrari’s stock braking system was retained while the new steering box was another component sourced from Art Morrison.

Next up was the body which received extensive modifications as well. Tim and his crew didn’t settle on just powering the Rambler with a Ferrari engine but decided to make it look like one too. Thus, the front fascia was masterfully redesigned, taking inspiration from the timeless 250 GT Lusso. The fenders were also completely redone. They featured wider wheel wells and the areas around the headlights were lengthened to emphasize the Ferrari look.

The two-door design of the original Rambler helped make the job a bit easier when it came to modifying the rear portion of the body, but Shawn McNally, Jim Lykken, and Russ Divers, the guys behind the sheet-metal magic still had to redo the wheel wells and make a bunch of other subtle changes that were all but easy.

In the end, the painstakingly modified structure was fittingly painted Ferrari Rosso Corsa Red by Shawn and Jim.

It was then adorned with custom chrome trims, new headlights, and LED taillights, as well as a set of bespoke wheels fabricated in-house by the Divers Street Rods team. Finished in a beautiful combination of black and chrome, the spoked masterpieces measure 18×8.5 inches at the front and 20×10 inches at the rear.

Just as impressive as the custom chassis and body, the interior was also intricately redesigned by Tim’s brother Scott. The dashboard retains much of the original Rambler shape which fits marvelously with the whole theme of the build. It was decorated with fine leather-upholstered panels and a beautiful gauge developed by MoTec.

Apart from the dash, the fine saffron Scottish leather was used throughout the cabin to bolster the exquisiteness of it all and give it an Italian luxury feel, akin to what an authentic Prancing Horse has to offer. Even the steering wheel with its wooden rim was shaped to look like a 1960s Nardi.

With the backseat and traditional trunk removed to make room for the drivetrain, Scott had the brilliant idea of designing a Ferrari-like luggage compartment under the hood. He designed a cover with room for three suitcases and upholstered everything with the same tan leather used for the interior.

The Ferrambo took about three and a half years to build and when it was finished, it blew people’s minds. An insane combination between a 360 Modena and Rambler, all put together flawlessly, it won the 2008 Ridler Award which is the equivalent of an Oscar for the hot rod culture.

Fourteen years later, the gorgeous custom is just as captivating and deserves to be remembered. It embodies passion, creativity, and craftsmanship taken to heights that few builds have ever reached.