American Motors Corporation

1954-1970




 TimeLine Gallery




A sidebar on AMX styling exercises





from  Jan. 69 Car Life Magazine






Here is an article, called "Welterweights Fight Harder", from June 2005 Hemmings Muscle Machines
.  This is a brief  4-page summary by Jim Donnelly of various AMC racing efforts , based on the photo archives of Gordon Chilson and Pat Foster.




 AMC Web Linkage




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Lost America Lives On...






 American Motors Corporation

1954-1970

 



On May 1, 1954, Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company, after merging in a January 14 stock deal, incorporated as American Motors Corporation.

 

On the left is A. E. Barrit, CEO of Hudson, in the middle is George W. Mason, head of Nash-Kelvinator and on the right is George Romney, Mason's protege', and later, governor of Michigan.
Romney is seen holding a representation of the new corporate logo.






Hudson production was discontinued in Detroit, MI and moved to Kenosha, WI.  Both divisions shared engineering and styling platforms from 1955 until 1957.  From the 1958 model year through 1965, Rambler became the product name.

Some fans derisively refer to AMC-built Hudsons as "Hash" cars, or Hashes, to suggest that they were simply a Nash product with a Hudson Badge(and therefore somehow inferior to other Hudsons).  In fact, there were many similarities in concept, design, engineering, and target markets between the two concerns before the merger.  Nash was simply better capitalized and possessed more modern facilities and equipment.  Hudson had many talented people that contributed greatly to the overall development of AMC.

Beginning in 1966, AMC began a progressive "de-Rambler-izing" process, beginning with the Rambler Ambassador, changing the name presentation to "Ambassador by AMC".  The Marlin was also de-Ramblerized in 1966, with the lettering spelling out "Rambler" on the rear of the car being changed to spell out "Marlin".

In 1967 this process continued when the name of the Rambler Classic was changed to Rebel "by AMC".

The American continued to be known as the Rambler American through 1968, but became simply Rambler by AMC for 1969.  The little car had come full circle from the 1950 Nash Rambler, through the 1958 Rambler American, and back to the AMC Rambler.  In 1970 the platform was redesigned with different front suspension and other refinements, and re-named Hornet.  This basic design spawned the Gremlin, Spirit, Concord, and Eagle.  The earlier American had generated the Javelin and through it, the AMX.

I submit that the basic 100-inch wheelbase concept of the 1950 Nash Rambler, carried through into the 106-inch  American and 107-inch Hornet, is the single most important vehicle design ever created by American Motors Corporation.

This is the car that most makes me say, "Rambler".






This looks like a Jeep, but it is actually a miniature version known as the Mighty Mite. These vehicles began production by American Motors in January 1960, ten years before AMC acquired Kaiser Jeep.  These were a special version of the Jeep for the Airborne Corps and the Marines.






Mighty Mite page on GeoCities' World of AMC -->  A few nice pictures of a Mighty Mite on e-Bay.

The Mighty Mite Page --->

Mighty Mite M422 --->

Mighty-Mites --->













 Route 66 Rambler 

  MollyBlue@Route66Rambler.com