Established in 1954 following the Nash-Hudson merger, American Motors Corporation soldiered on through 1988, when Chrysler purchased it. And even though it failed to keep up with the Big Three, AMC left a few iconic vehicles behind. The Rambler American is one of them.
Launched in 1958, the American was a spiritual successor to the Nash Rambler. The latter arrived in 1950 as America's first compact car. Revived on Nash underpinnings, the Rambler American got significant makeovers in 1961 and 1964. The nameplate was discontinued in 1969.
Like most US automobiles built in the 1960s, the American became part of the muscle car wars thanks to a high-compression 343-cubic-inch (5.6-liter) V8 engine rated 280 horsepower. But AMC didn't stop there. In 1969, it teamed up with Hurst to create a race-spec yet still road-legal Rambler. I'm talking about the SC/Rambler.
Developed specifically for NHRA F/Stock class racing, the SC/Rambler rolled off the assembly line with a 390-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) V8 sourced from the AMX. It delivered 315 horsepower and was the largest engine ever fitted in an AMC compact. While nowhere near as potent as the HEMI Mopars and the LS6-powered Chevys, the lightweight SC/Rambler was just as quick down the quarter-mile.
And while the stock version needed about 14.4 seconds to cover the distance, a few bolt-on modifications were enough to put it into 12-second territory. The SC/Rambler became a successful race car.
The production version was short-lived, and just 1,512 were built before the Rambler nameplate went into the history books. AMC produced the compact in two liveries. The "A scheme" version is more colorful, thanks to thick red stripes across the sides and blue lines across the hood and roof. A more unassuming "B scheme" variant was made with thin red and blue stripes on the lower side body panels.
The "A scheme" SC/Rambler was the most common choice, with 1,215 units made. The "B scheme" compact saw daylight in just 297 examples, a number that makes it one of the rarest AMCs out there. And because some "B scheme" cars were eventually converted to "A scheme" liveries, these rigs are even scarcer today. The SC/Rambler you see here is one of those vehicles.
Showcased in the Barn Finds section at the 2023 Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals (MCACN), this SC/Rambler may look like an "A scheme" model, but it actually started life as a "B scheme" car. How do we know? Well, the current owner found traces of the old and more subdued livery on the rocker panels.
Unfortunately, this SC/Rambler has had a rough life. Not only did it lose its original engine, but it was also parked for a very long time in a barn. It emerged back into the light with significant rust issues, including rotten frame rails. It's not exactly a rust bucket, but it needed extensive work to run and drive again.
The 343-cubic-inch V8 engine it was found with was replaced with a 390 unit. It's not a proper SC/Rambler lump, but it appears to be period-correct and does the car justice as far as the exhaust note goes.
Will this SC/Rambler get a complete restoration? I don't have that information right now, but I hope the owner is planning a refresh. Sure, the car is in bad shape, and a restoration will cost a pretty penny, but it's one of fewer than 100 "B scheme" examples that are still around. And that's enough to make it worthy of a rebuild.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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