'61 Rambler American Convertible

[Chuck Most]

Here's a bit of an oddball I built this summer-

It's the AMT/Ertl Snap Fast Slammer RamBlur kit. I cut open the hood, and removed the pocket for the snap in blower, and filled the resulting gaping hole. I cut out the molded in grille insert (it had receptacles for a Moon tank to snap into), and replaced it with an AMT parts pack '60 Olds insert.

The interior is a narrowed JoHan 'Pro Street' Rambler part, narrowed to fit. The dash and steering wheel also came from the JoHan kit. I think the seats are from the '39 Wagon Rod. The stereo equipment is from Bandit Resins, and a '50 Ford coughed up it's top boot.

Again, I raided the JoHan kit for it's 390 engine. I used some modified big block Chevy parts to hop it up a bit. You may have noticed the engine compartment- it's from the AMT '66 Nova Pro Streeter, along with the chassis. Sheez- never noticed the epoxy ooze over the firewall- guess I'll have to go back and cover it up! Or just leave the hood on!

So... who says snap kits are completely useless?

Edited December 3, 2009 by Chuck Most

[Harry P.]

Hey, that's cool! Now there's a model you don't see every day!

[Jeff Sauber]

Thats real nice......I've always wondered how that kit would look with a little extra attention.

[Modelmartin]

Nice model but the pic in your sig CRACKS me up. Jabba the cat!

[Chuck Most]

very cool build! funny that you've been relatively quiet as far as posting projects or finished builds and then, POW! a bunch of really cool builds keep it up, you build some interesting stuff!

Dave

'Fittzinstartz' is my middle name, Dave! I just posted two other builds a few seconds ago, incidentally! May be years before I post something else!

Thanks for the kind words, guys.

[Eshaver]

Most ineresting car . You certainly never see these every day . I'm curious though as Jo- Han once kitted such a car back in 1962 . Sure looks like A M T managed to salvage the body mold from the old Jo- Han tool . I may be wrong though ............. Ed Shaver

[charlzrocks]

A cool looking classy build! I am really digging the grape paint too!

[rustybill1960]

that some sweet kit bashing dude

really awesome

great little build man

thanks for sharing

[Sixties Sam]

Great model of a really rare car. I have a photo of a real 61 Rambler convert at a local car show in 2005. It's the only one I can remember ever seeing!

Quick old guy rant - That whole genre of cars is long gone. In the mid 1960's you could get modestly priced compact convertibles from nearly all the American car marques: Ford Falcon, Merc Comet, Dodge Dart, Plymouth Valiant, Chevy Corvair & Chevy II, Olds F-85, Buick Special, Stude Lark, and, of course, the Rambler American. Maybe more that I can't remember. Now the converts are all luxury or sports cars. times have changed, I guess!

Well, anyway, that's a cool model!

[Lownslow]

awesome turnaround

[charlie8575]

Great model of a really rare car. I have a photo of a real 61 Rambler convert at a local car show in 2005. It's the only one I can remember ever seeing!

Quick old guy rant - That whole genre of cars is long gone. In the mid 1960's you could get modestly priced compact convertibles from nearly all the American car marques: Ford Falcon, Merc Comet, Dodge Dart, Plymouth Valiant, Chevy Corvair & Chevy II, Olds F-85, Buick Special, Stude Lark, and, of course, the Rambler American. Maybe more that I can't remember. Now the converts are all luxury or sports cars. times have changed, I guess!

Well, anyway, that's a cool model!

And the rant of us younger guys who want something besides an over-priced idiot-mobile convertible!

Great job with this. I've often wondered if that could be made stock. Were you able to use the kit chassis-plate and interior or did you need to find suitable replacements elsewhere?

For me, add stock wheels, maybe a more Rambler-like color (yellow or light blue,) and it's pretty much how I'd do it.

Charlie Larkin

[crazyjim]

Cool model. Love the color.

[Peter Lombardo]

Pretty neat....you don't see Rambler Americans much any more...even for real...and a model of one is rare too. Nice job...that would be a very quick car...especially in a straight line. Nice choice of additional equipment.

[george 53]

Chuck, GREAT job on that lil snapper! Ya know, there WAS a time when ya couldn't GIVE me one of them old JoHan Rambler kits, But last year, at the Deeetroit Auto-Rama, I saw a 62 Rambler American full detail model goin for 200.00 bucks! Not that he got it, but THAT's what he was ASKIN for it! I bought 3 of them on clearance from K-Bee toys just for them smokin wheels/tires in it.I was thinkin of doin something similar, now that I've seen yours I just may! Thanks for the insperation, AND for postin that BAD Rascal!!!

[mr moto]

That's really cool! Sounds like you put in a lot of work and lot of thought to get it like that. Great job!

I tend to agree with Ed Shaver that it must have been based on the old JoHan tool but I don't really know either. It's just hard to imagine that somebody at AMT woke up one day and said "Hey! Let's tool up a Rambler snap kit from scratch!"

Edited December 4, 2009 by mr moto

[Chuck Most]

Most ineresting car . You certainly never see these every day . I'm curious though as Jo- Han once kitted such a car back in 1962 . Sure looks like A M T managed to salvage the body mold from the old Jo- Han tool . I may be wrong though ............. Ed Shaver

I'm not sure if it was the JoHan kit- I don't own a JoHan Rambler of this vintage, but I've seen a few, and the body on the RamBlur looks a bit, uh, well... chunky compared to the JoHan piece. Still, I can't rule it out.

And Mr. Moto- I agree it would be weird for them to do a new-tool Rambler, but hey, Lindberg did a Dodge Caravan! A @#$% CARAVAN!!!!!

And the rant of us younger guys who want something besides an over-priced idiot-mobile convertible!

Great job with this. I've often wondered if that could be made stock. Were you able to use the kit chassis-plate and interior or did you need to find suitable replacements elsewhere?

For me, add stock wheels, maybe a more Rambler-like color (yellow or light blue,) and it's pretty much how I'd do it.

Charlie Larkin

The '69 Chassis plate won't work with the RamBlur body without some major resizing, and it's so crude I doubt you'd want to use it anyway. The '69 interior isn't accurate for a '61-'63 American, not a big deal on a hot rod like this one, but for a rep-stocker, it sure wouldn't cut it. I had to narrow it a good 1/8 inch to fit the RamBlur shell.

If you wanted to do a stock '61-'63 Rambler American from the RamBlur kit, you're probably best off scratchbuilding your own chassis plate, dash, etc. And I can't comment on how accurate the RamBlur body is in relation to the 1:1, so you might have a little work to do there.

[voljeepx]

I like it, Chuck. Cool, different subject! But since you mentioned it, I think you oughta find a Caravan kit and work your magic on it! Nice work!