kalve Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 I just traded a 85 Dodge Ram B350 van for a 1970 AMC Rebel SST Wagon. I cant find much on these cars. Was wanting to know if anybody could tell me anything about these cars? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frantz Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Sure, they are awesome! If my memory serves me right the '68 sales lit say something along the lines of "what does SST stand for anyway? Is it super sonic transport, or super sport touring, or just plain SST. Whatever you want". I'm paraphrasing, but I'm not far off. AMCs are great vehicles! SST started as a uptrim from the base model. It did eventually become the base model, and I'm not sure on the '70 rebels which way it was. After 1970 the Rebel became the Matador. A Rebel Wagon is a really neat ride! Rebel started in 1957 as the second fastest 0-60 car on the US market (behind a fuely vette). It went away for awhile and came back as the name for the 2 door Classics in 1966 and then replaced the Classic name completely. Classic is a bit arbitrary for a car name IMO. The motors were all AMC designed and I think they were into the TorqueFlight transmissions at that point. If not it's a BW... either way parts are easy to come by. The only stuff you'd have trouble getting is wagon specific stuff, but there are a fair number of them out there too. The AMC crowd is very fun and very loyal. If you for some reason change the motor to something non-AMC tell no one. We get touchy on that. Really strong Facebook presence too with several ongoing pages. I have a 65 Marlin and 68 Javelin but have really not givin the brand enough of my attention the last few years so my details aren't as sharp as they once were! Certainly better than an '85 van! Do you have pictures of the Rebel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Yes, pics would be great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 AMC were competing against the biggest auto companies in the world and had to offer something pretty good, and a little different to entice the public. Their specialty was economy cars, and large cars with the best ride, economy and durability. They got new engines, drive trains and bodies in the late sixties which lasted, with modifications, to the end of production in the late 70s to mid 80s. If your station wagon is in good shape you should have no trouble using it regularly. There are plenty of people on here who can answer any specific questions you have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John348 Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 5 hours ago, kalve said: I just traded a 85 Dodge Ram B350 van for a 1970 AMC Rebel SST Wagon. I cant find much on these cars. Was wanting to know if anybody could tell me anything about these cars? Sounds like a real cool car, good luck with it. I too would love to see pictures. I know Frantz said that they are few of them out there I can't recall seeing one in 40 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalve Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 SST is Super Sport Touring & its in pretty good shape needs some body work but not bad just floorboards. Its 360 2bbl 3 speed column p/s p/b factory A/C & original color was Matador Red & Frost White it has black vinyl seats not bench. An original owner added blue to the bottom section of it so it is red white & blue. Red on top white on center & blue on bottom. I know 70 was last year for Rebel & according to www.classiccardatabase.com there were 6846 made in Rebel SST Wagons for 1970. How many with my options & color dont know. The car is not in bad shape needs little work to get it back on the road. The guy I got it off of said guy he got it off of took the trim an stuff off of it need to put that back on & get a driver side rear window & replace front floorboards, battery, alternator, filler neck & A/C compressor. Everything else looks good on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frantz Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Check out "AMC Cars & parts buy sell trade American Motors Corp" on facebook. Lots of AMC guys are parts hoarders, like most orphan folks, but most are pretty willing to sell anything they have to keep another car rambling along. So there is a good chance someone has the parts you need, is willing to sell them, but isn't bothering to post them on ebay. The 360 is a great motor with lots of support! Actually that survived into the 1990s as the last carbureted American V8 in the Wagoneer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalve Posted November 22, 2017 Author Share Posted November 22, 2017 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 Great car! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Phillips Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 Ambassador and Rebel wagons use the same body for most of these years, so when searching for parts, don't limit yourself to Rebels only. My parents had a 1974 Matador station wagon when I was young, and the doors, glass, and roof of your car look exactly like that one. Pete Phillips Leonard, Texas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Novak Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 Kalve check out Potomac Rambles AMO Car Club which might be close to your location. They just hosted the AMO National in Gettysburg Pa.this Summer with a huge turn out, about 250 plus Cars, Parts and information. AMO stands for American Motors Owners Club, a National Club specific to AMC cars including Rambles, Nash and American Motors cars, all years all models. Go into You Tube and search AMO National Convention, Gettysburg 2017. Also to find PARTS for your new Classic go online and visit Kennedy American www.kennedyamerican.com and also American Parts Depot www.americanpartsdepot.com . Lastly the leading authority for AMC information Parts and information is Eddie Stake at Planet Houston AMX, www.planethoustonamx.com . Eddie is very receptive to providing expert information and has recycled AMC parts. Now as for "SST", it is mostly an upgrade for trim and accessories, not so much for high performance upgrades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalve Posted November 23, 2017 Author Share Posted November 23, 2017 yea I found all the parts I think I need just need to see if mine came with windshield washer jug & also noticed it did not have a over flow jug for the radiator. i don know if these were not available in 1970 for my car or they are just missing. Need to get a build sheet & brochure & research what the car came with as far as factory options & what accessories were available for it. Also like to check about changing out the AM radio later on to a AM/FM radio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pont35cpe Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 Didn`t American motors also make the Grimlin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John348 Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 1 hour ago, pont35cpe said: Didn`t American motors also make the Grimlin? Gremlin yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalve Posted November 23, 2017 Author Share Posted November 23, 2017 yea Gremlin Hornet Eagle crossover Javelin AMX Rebel & lot more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mssr. Bwatoe Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 (edited) Toledo Ohio, home of AMC Jeep for years, they were all over, I went to elementary school next door to Valiton AMC, great family dealership My bud had a gremlin with manual floor shift and a 304--lots of hornets and Javelins, occasional AMX, in the latter days, the great big amxs were plentiful, and lots of Eagle 4wd crossover cars, complex vacuum control transfercases etc..In earlier days, Toledo was a Rambler town all shapes and sizes, occasional ragtop, lots of wagons and pacers..The Matador got funky with its prow, grill extended out.. Edited November 23, 2017 by Mssr. Bwatoe (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Novak Posted November 24, 2017 Share Posted November 24, 2017 22 hours ago, kalve said: yea I found all the parts I think I need just need to see if mine came with windshield washer jug & also noticed it did not have a over flow jug for the radiator. i don know if these were not available in 1970 for my car or they are just missing. Need to get a build sheet & brochure & research what the car came with as far as factory options & what accessories were available for it. Also like to check about changing out the AM radio later on to a AM/FM radio. No radiator over flow jug back then, possibly because there was a sticker near the fill cap that says to keep the fill level 1 1/2 when hot to 2 inches when cold below the rear of the filler neck. Don't fill it any higher. The Cap will vent water through the escape hose on the neck to the ground if over filled. The windshield washer fluid uses a bag with a pump that mounts on the passenger inner front fender . I've never used mine but have it for judging. they're possibly hard to find. Try the vendors from me previous message. They have online catalogs. It's good you're interested in all this, that's what makes the Old Car Hobby interesting and fun, searching for info, parts and ideas never ends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalve Posted November 24, 2017 Author Share Posted November 24, 2017 yea found all the parts I need but that so far as well as all the books on it. Plan to get it on the road & drive it. Then plan to buy a International Travelall in a 6 cylinder 4wd to use for my dogs an haul stuff in general. Those 2 will be my daily drivers when done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheezestaak2000 Posted November 24, 2017 Share Posted November 24, 2017 19 hours ago, Doug Novak said: No radiator over flow jug back then, possibly because there was a sticker near the fill cap that says to keep the fill level 1 1/2 when hot to 2 inches when cold below the rear of the filler neck. Don't fill it any higher. The Cap will vent water through the escape hose on the neck to the ground if over filled. The windshield washer fluid uses a bag with a pump that mounts on the passenger inner front fender . I've never used mine but have it for judging. they're possibly hard to find. Try the vendors from me previous message. They have online catalogs. It's good you're interested in all this, that's what makes the Old Car Hobby interesting and fun, searching for info, parts and ideas never ends. it seems to me that the overflow on amc and many gm's were a dealer installed item around that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalve Posted November 25, 2017 Author Share Posted November 25, 2017 On the windshield washer pump would mine be electric or Vacuum? Also missing the windshield wiper arms. On the windshield washer pump would I want to upgrade it to better system or keep factory setup? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frantz Posted November 26, 2017 Share Posted November 26, 2017 I'd check a sales brochure and see if it was standard with your trim. Otherwise it could have gone either way I think. My '68 Jav is an SST and has the vacuum pump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalve Posted November 28, 2017 Author Share Posted November 28, 2017 yea I am going to buy one & see if I can get a build sheet for it an go from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Novak Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 On 11/25/2017 at 11:55 AM, kalve said: On the windshield washer pump would mine be electric or Vacuum? Also missing the windshield wiper arms. On the windshield washer pump would I want to upgrade it to better system or keep factory setup? Not sure but think it depends on which Wiper your' Rebel has. There were two versions, one Wiper worked from a vacuum hose that came off of the Fuel pump and the other worked from an electrical motor at the washer I think. My 68 AMX wipers are run by an electrical Motor. There were two different Fuel Pumps also. The Electric Wiper fuel pump did not have a vacuum hose connection point where as the Vacuum Motor Fuel Pumps had a connection point specificly for the vacuum hose to connect to the wiper motor. Good luck sorting it out. You might want to join the AMC Form where you can ask for help on this one. http://theamcforum.com/forum/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalve Posted November 30, 2017 Author Share Posted November 30, 2017 I am on the AMC forum to & I am going to buy some books on it & already wrote Chrysler Historic & see what they say. Going to get all the parts I need this winter an plan to have it on the road by spring. The guy I got it off of said everything was in the back when I got the car home found several things missing so got to see what all I am missing. Also this is a factory A/C car & somebody took all the A/C setup off the car so I am going to put it all back on next year as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Novak Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 Looking forward to seeing your Rebel when you get it going. Potomac Ramblers have an All AMC Day at the Mason Dixon Drag-way in Boons Borrow Md, which is South of Frederick Maryland. It's usually in the Fall each year. Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania AMC Cars gather on the Show Field and the Guys with the AMC Drag cars Race all day. Venders with AMC Parts will be there also. I drive down from Pa. each year. Check your area for a club, AMC people help each other. I Video most Shows I attend and post on you tube.. Below is a 3 part Video I made of the 2016 gathering at Mason Dixon Drag way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff_a Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 Didn´t know there was a Rebel wagon. Yours looks a little like the ´67 of ´68 Ambassador wagon we had in 1970(ours had a 290 in it). I made a trip to Clear, Alaska once in a ´59 Rambler Cross-Country wagon...3,700 miles in February, including crossing the Nenana River on the ice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Novak Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 On 11/21/2017 at 9:44 PM, Pete Phillips said: Ambassador and Rebel wagons use the same body for most of these years, so when searching for parts, don't limit yourself to Rebels only. My parents had a 1974 Matador station wagon when I was young, and the doors, glass, and roof of your car look exactly like that one. Pete Phillips Leonard, Texas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalve Posted December 3, 2017 Author Share Posted December 3, 2017 yea hope to be to the shows with the car by then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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