I got a Station Wagon!

[Big_John]

I'm not a big station wagon fan, but I really like this one. The woodgrain is applied much more tastefully than others of that era.

Nice score!

 

[Snotty]

The 360 in my 1976 Plymouth Gran Fury Brougham was a good engine

I assume you now those are two different engines. Ford had a 360 too, also different.

 

[Snotty]

360-2V

Good engine, made into the '90s. Parts are readily available, as are aftermarket performance parts, if you're interested.

Since it's a '72, the transmission will be a 727 or 904 Torqueflight, going by the name Torquecommand in AMC parlance. The good news is the internals, as well as filter and gasket, are all the same. The bad news is, if it goes and you need another one, you can't go to a yard and pull any Mopar trans; it has to be AMC specific. The starter on an AMC is on the passenger side, opposite of a Mopar.

Nice score, have fun!

 

[JC68vert300]

What year is that , ‘72? So cool. Interestingly, to me anyway,AMC made A/C standard on all Ambassadors in 1968, the only way to get a non A/C Ambassador was to order it as option delete. Cadillac and Lincoln still had A/C as an option in ‘68 and the only other car with standard A/C in 68 was a Rolls Royce. I would like to have this wagon too, I am also a fan of the Ambassador SST coupe.

 

[Snotty]

What year is that , ‘72? So cool. Interestingly, to me anyway,AMC made A/C standard on all Ambassadors in 1968, the only way to get a non A/C Ambassador was to order it as option delete. Cadillac and Lincoln still had A/C as an option in ‘68 and the only other car with standard A/C in 68 was a Rolls Royce. I would like to have this wagon too, I am also a fan of the Ambassador SST coupe.

You are right! If I'm correct, they were also the first company to use dual-pot master cylinders before they were mandated by the Federal Government. AMC made good cars. If George Romney wasn't such a stick-in-the-mud, they may have been able to last beyond 1989.

 

[Snotty]

What year is that , ‘72? So cool.

Yes, prior to '72 they used BorgWarner transmissions. Autos that is, they still used BWs for manuals.

 

[tbm3fan]

I'm not a big station wagon fan, but I really like this one. The woodgrain is applied much more tastefully than others of that era.

Nice score!

My fellow Cougar Club member who was with me, and very much absorbed into the car, told me he knows how to replace the Di-noc which shows it's age when close. Helped another member do a 72 Country Squire and said this car is a piece of cake to do compared to that.

 

[tbm3fan]

You are right! If I'm correct, they were also the first company to use dual-pot master cylinders before they were mandated by the Federal Government. AMC made good cars. If George Romney wasn't such a stick-in-the-mud, they may have been able to last beyond 1989.

Funny, in that I only asked my friend to help take a look at the car some 5 days ahead. By the time he got there he had studied all that was available on the web. Options as there is one the wheels, how many made, what they cost, and so forth. He was the first one in the car, the first to open the hood, and the first to open the tailgate. Tells me the window works, the radio works, but lets me know he didn't check the wipers for function. You would have thought he was buying it. He did enjoy himself. He did have a sharp eye.

 

[Just Carbs]

You're going to like that car.
I owned and drove the same 72 from 82 to 85. I liked it. With only 60k miles on the clock and in excellent condition it didn't need any work.
It was the right size and weight with the right motor, trans and options.
A person would need to live with one to understand how good they are. Smooth and quite too.
It drove like a B body of the same year but without the rattles.

 

[6PKRTSE]

Very cool. I like it. I have always had a soft spot for AMC's. One would have thought that America would have done whatever it took to keep America Motor Company alive at whatever costs just because of the name itself.

 

[detmatt]

Very kool, congrats!

 

[MoparapoM]

I'm so envious... That is an absolutely gorgeous car! Try to keep it as original as possible, please don't 'improve it' into the scrap heap!

Bruce

 

[Vinny]

Sorry, it is not a Town and Country. In fact it is a very rare station wagon as only 5624 units were made and I cannot recall ever seeing one in my entire life. However, when I saw the front profile of the car I was taken and had to find out more. Only a few pictures now as the car is still at the seller's property. Oh, and the seller!!! Somewhere around 50-60 cars on the property and he does restore them all one at a time as it is his long time business. Took me and a friend around the property and it was like Americna PIckers looking at all the 20s-50s cars there. Did see a 1970 GTX and a 1969 Charger waiting. Th GTX was rough. Caddys, Willies, Husdons, Packards, Chevrolet, Ford not to mention some rare cars of his own. Never heard of a Fisker but have heard of Trabant and he has two running ones. You could spend all day there among the cars, parts, and memorabilia on the walls.

I subscribed to his youtube channel (rodneyracer) to see them. One short video on a beautiful Packard marine engine running. I saw it in person and just went WOW what is that? He is 74, me 70, and we spoke the same car language. Consequently I got a good deal on the car and the car sold to me as two others were turned down as he wasn't sure they would leave the car alone.

Web site showing the cars. Saw that Borgward Isabella in person.
http://www.rodsofthevalley.com/

The car: 1972 AMC Ambassador station wagon with all the bells and whistles. I won't pick up the car till next weekend when that friend can drive it down for me. He is a font of car knowledge, so also got along well with the seller and impressed him, and can't wait to drive his first AMC. He bought the car out of Washington state because he had to have it and admitted he had overpaid. So when I say I got a good deal it was because he really had to get rid of it, because he has too many drivers, and so it went for a loss. I noticed the true original owners registration strapped around the underside of the steering column.
View attachment 640324View attachment 640325View attachment 640326

View attachment 640323

Were the Road Wheels factory issue, or an add on? They really look good on there. Excellent looking wagon, with nice lines.

 

[tbm3fan]

"I'm so envious... That is an absolutely gorgeous car! Try to keep it as original as possible, please don't 'improve it' into the scrap heap!

Bruce"


The only thing that will happen is the Di-noc getting replaced. looks better in the picture than in person.

 

[tbm3fan]

"Were the Road Wheels factory issue, or an add on? They really look good on there. Excellent looking wagon, with nice lines."

Factory option.

Quote doesn't seem to be working all of a sudden.

 

[carguy300]

Love the wood grain! Very unusual and Nice! In owned a Matador once with 360, ran really good! I to have soft spot for old school wagons. Good catch.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

It will look amazing once it's all cleaned up and detailed. Congrats again.

I remember that a neighbour up the street had one similar to this new - likely around a 74 - 76 - his was a tan colour, and it had a fantastic vacuum performance gauge on the dash that I thought was excellent. Of course, I can't find a picture of it.

Here's a nice version with similar wheels (this one has full chromies rather than trim rings) that sold on BAT some time ago - like @Big_John says, nice woodgrain, and I like those AMC door handles.

 

[tbm3fan]

So I got period correct license plates for the car. Now I can go to the DMV and change out three sets of plates. Correct black/yellow "W" plates for the 68 Mustang. It's current blue/yellow "J" plates go onto the 73 Polara. Now blue/yellow "D" plates go onto the 72 Ambassador. As always they are never pristine but correct as I don't like these white/blue plates on vintage cars.

 

[tbm3fan]

Got it out for the first time today to clean and drive. The carb definitely needs a rebuild when driving on town streets. On the freeway the car is very smooth and you wouldn't think of the carb. Solid steering with zero wander. Battery turns out to be just 3 years old and the tires are only five so not on my to do list. First carb and cooling system. Also looks like a drip of fuel from the hose under the car connecting filler tube to tank.

 

[tbm3fan]

Interior