Rambler on the Runway
This ride may not be your typical "eye candy" with its factory corral cordovan brown paint job, but it sure gets your heart pumping as she screams down the runway in the eighth-mile! At 98.25 miles per hour, it only takes her 7.2 seconds to reach the finish line. Most people associate drag racing with the quarter mile, so to be fair; 7.2 seconds in the eighth mile translates to 11.3 seconds in the quarter mile. Although she's rather plain looking, it really is what's on the inside of this baby that counts. This muscle car pumps a good 400-horse power even before she swallows a one-seventy shot of nitrous to the AMC 401 V8 engine.
It's not what Richard A. Teague had in mind when he designed this third and final generation Rambler American. At a time when the "Big Three" domestic automakers (GM, Ford & Chrysler) were the dominant car designers, Dick Teague brought this non-conforming competitor on board as the lowest priced car built in the US with the best fuel economy proven through numerous wins in the Mobilgas Economy Run championships.
Gord MacKay purchased this pre-cut gem in May of 2009 for a mere $800 ready to run at the turn of a key. This was not good enough for Gord. He wanted more power. Gord ripped out the stock 232 cu in (3.8 L) overhead valve straight-6 engine to fit his new 401 in preparation for drag racing. The Rambler won second place in its' first race at Rumble on the Runway in Port McNeill of 2010. This was before she even started using nitrous! Gord still holds the crystal trophy on display, but the winning payout has long since been re-invested in the car itself.
When we imagine a hot rod, the Rambler wagon isn't a typical one that comes to mind. Perhaps this is because of its rarity. There were only ever 313 of these produced in 1965 and one is right here in Nanaimo! Interestingly enough, this particular Rambler was born and raised in Vancouver, B.C. and even passed air care in 2008. The rear Mickey Thompson ET Street Slicks work just as well on Nanaimo's city streets for use as a street legal grocery getter as they do on the track as a racing machine.
I personally benefited from a ride down the runway as a passenger in this powerful beast. What a rush! I tried to video tape the event, but as smooth as this unibody on front coil springs with soft rear leaf units is, I really only caught the ceiling after we launched from the start line. I was lucky to ride in that race because it was apparent that the Rambler went beyond the limit of allowable speed for passengers to be safe by the racing liability guidelines.
So, needless to say, she has a few secrets hidden under the rear chassis...Gord made some good ol' handmade custom modifications: Sub-frame connectors stiffen the body, traction bars to prevent axle wrap, the addition of a 4.56:1 posi narrowed rear end and 50/50 rear drag shocks. All this allows the car to perform a 1.57 second, zero to sixty foot launch. AKA, head snap! This last race, Gord won a perfect light meaning he launched on the green light at exactly the right time. Not bad for a 46 year old station wagon.
View this car at Active Motorsports on Bowen Rd. in Nanaimo as I can't add pictures here. :( read more