Frequently Asked Questions about Classic Rambler

What is a Rambler car?

A Rambler is an American car built in Kenosha, Wisconsin, under three successive companies. The Thomas B. Jeffery Company sold the first production Ramblers in 1902, Nash Motors revived the name in 1950 for a compact car, and American Motors Corporation, formed in 1954, used Rambler as the badge on its U.S.-built passenger cars from 1958 through 1965. The name was last used on U.S. models in 1969.

Who founded Rambler and where did the name come from?

Thomas B. Jeffery founded Rambler, taking the name from the Rambler bicycles he had built earlier. He bought a former bicycle factory in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and his company began selling one-cylinder Rambler cars in 1902. His son Charles renamed the cars Jeffery in 1914, and Charles W. Nash bought the company in 1916. Nash Motors brought the Rambler name back in 1950.

Who made the Rambler station wagon?

Nash Motors, the car division of Nash-Kelvinator, made the first Rambler station wagon, a two-door model in the compact Rambler line built on a 100-inch wheelbase. Four-door Cross Country wagons on a 108-inch wheelbase followed for 1954. Nash-Kelvinator merged with Hudson on May 1, 1954, to form American Motors Corporation, which built Rambler wagons in Kenosha, Wisconsin, through 1969.

Where were Rambler cars built?

Rambler cars were built in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where the Thomas B. Jeffery Company started production in a converted bicycle plant and where Nash Motors and American Motors later built them. American Motors also assembled Ramblers in Canada at Brampton, Ontario, and arranged assembly abroad, including an agreement with Renault to build Ramblers in Belgium.

What was Rambler known for?

Rambler was known for compact, economy-minded cars built with unit construction instead of a separate frame. In 1961 Rambler ranked third in U.S. sales, behind Chevrolet and Ford. For 1962 every Rambler had a dual master cylinder brake system as standard, and Motor Trend named Rambler its Car of the Year for 1963.

What was the Rambler American?

The Rambler American was the compact model in American Motors' Rambler line, sold from 1958 through 1969. The first version reused the 100-inch-wheelbase Nash Rambler design of 1950-1955, was restyled for 1961, and was replaced for 1964 by a new car on a 106-inch wheelbase styled under Richard A. Teague. For 1969 the American name was dropped and the car was sold simply as the Rambler.

What was the 1969 SC/Rambler?

The SC/Rambler was a limited-production performance version of the 1969 Rambler, developed by American Motors with Hurst Performance. It was based on the Rogue two-door hardtop and fitted with AMC's 390-cubic-inch V8, a four-speed manual gearbox and a Hurst shifter. American Motors built 1,512 of them, finished in two red, white and blue paint schemes known as A and B.

When did AMC stop making the Rambler?

American Motors stopped building Ramblers for the U.S. market in 1969. The company had begun moving its cars to the American Motors name in 1966, and by 1969 only the compact, formerly the Rambler American, still carried the badge. The last U.S.-produced Rambler came off the line in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on June 30, 1969, and the AMC Hornet replaced it for 1970.