1967 AMC Rambler American

The American Motors Corporation (AMC) produced the Rambler American from 1958 to 1969, and was the second incarnation of the company's forerunner Nash Motors' second-generation Rambler sold by Nash and Hudson Motors in 1954 and 1955. It offered affordability and practicality and was often the lowest-priced automobile built in the United States. A second-generation AMC V8 engine was added in 1966, transforming the Rambler American into a potent compact performance model.

All-new styling and a completely new design were applied to the Rambler American in 1964 and would continue through 1969. Designed by Dick Teague, it had slightly rounded bodylines, tunneled headlights, and a simple horizontal grille. The wheelbase measured 106-inches, six inches longer than the previous platform, which accommodated more interior space, with the station wagons having a 17-percent increase in cargo space. The previous 195.6 cubic-inch inline-6 cylinder engine with 90 horsepower continued to be the standard powerplant. 1965 was the final year for the venerable six and the last flathead engine to be used in a domestic U.S. car. An entirely new 232 cubic-inch overhead-valve straight-six engine was introduced that year, offering 155 horsepower, and was available on any American model equipped with an automatic transmission. American Motors would employ this engine through 1979.

Styling improvements for 1966 came in the form of a more squared-off design to the front and rear. An additional three inches was added to the front to accommodate the optional air conditioning with the new 199 and 232 inline six-cylinder engines. The mid-1966 Rogue models came equipped with a new 290 cubic-inch 'Typhoon' V8 engine which developed 200 horsepower with two-barrel carburetion or 225 horsepower with higher compression and a four-barrel carburetor. The Rogue came with a three-speed automatic transmission or a floor-mounted four-speed manual.

The 1967 Rambler American
The 1967 AMC model lineup included the compact Rambler American priced from $2,050 to $2,600, the Rambler Rebler (previous called the Classic) priced from $2,300 to $2,900, sporty Marlin hardtop fastback priced at $2,700, and the top-of-the-line Ambassador ($2,600 to $3,150). The Rambler American had a 106-inch wheelbase, the Rebel measured 114-inches, and the Ambassador and Marlin shared a wheelbase size of 118-inches.

AMC offered two inline-six-cylinder engines with overhead valves, with the 199 CID offering 128 horsepower at 4,400 RPM while the larger 232 CID had 145 horsepower at 4,400 RPM. Both had seven main bearings, an 8.5:1 compression ratio, hydraulic valve lifters, and a Carter or Holley one-barrel carburetor. The 287.2 cubic-inch OHV V8 had 8.7:1 compression, five main bearings, a Carter WCD or Holley two-barrel carburetor, and delivered 198 horsepower at 4,700 RPM. For a single year only, a new high-compression (10.2:1) 343 CID V8 with a four-barrel carburetor with 280 horsepower and 365-pound feet of torque at 3,000 RPM, was optional in the Rogue and 440 models. A mere 58 examples were installed and the Rogue and 55 in the 440 models, with seven of them being in convertible configuration.

Trim levels included the American 220, American 440, and the American Rogue. The American 220 trim was offered as a two-door sedan ($2070), a four-door sedan ($2,140), and a station wagon ($2,430). The most popular was the two-door sedan with 24,834 examples built, followed by 10,362 of the four-door sedan and 2,489 of the station wagon.

The American 440 trim was offered as a two-door sedan ($2,190), a four-door sedan ($2,260), a hardtop coupe ($2,280), and a station wagon ($2,530). The four-door sedan was the most popular with 7,523 examples built, followed by 4,970 of the hardtop coupe, 4,135 of the station wagon, and 3,317 of the two-door sedan.

The sporty American Rogue trim included a hardtop coupe ($2,430) and a convertible ($2,610) with 4,129 examples being the former and just 921 being the convertible. 1967 was the final year for the Rambler American convertible body style.

The 62,680 Rambler American vehicles produced in 1967 represented approximately 21-percent of AMC's total automobile production. Production of the AMC Rambler American continued through 1969 when it was replaced by a completely redesigned model named the AMC Hornet.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2022