I take it your Rambler has a stock 6-popper in it. That would make it probably the old 232 inch. There's nothing wrong with running the six for awhile, and keeping an eye on your local salvage yards for an AMC v-8 and trans. There's really not much for performance gear for the AMC's but there is some. If you want something that can give your more power, and more readily available parts, go find a late 70's Dodge or Plymouth 4-door car and get the 318 or 360 out of it. The Mopar specific crowd will accept you in thier shows, as AMC has been sort-of adopted due to the sale of AMC and Jeep to Chrysler some years back. As was already mentioned, make sure you can drop an "other brand" power plant in before laying out the green. You may not be able to due to oil pan, steering linkage or other clearance problems. Roger
Why not go with a 287 or 327 Rambler V/8? Can't remember if they put them in 59 ramblers but I think so. If not, it couldn't take too much to fit it to your car. Buy a complete parts car..an early to mid 60s rambler full size.
I had a 1970 360 in my amx for a few years. It had a comp 292 cam headers a intake etc. It would out run damn near every 5.0l mustang in my area. At the street races downtown they all thought it was a big block chevy. They were always disappointed when I opened the hood and told them it was a jeep engine
Your car is closed driveline so a new rear end is also needed. An engine with carb and distributor is so old it will need rebuilding or a newer one will need the intake and carb so start with rear end width and see if you can pluck the whole deal from an S10 or similar and add parts to do away with EFI and computer controlled spark.
Not to get off topic.......A few years back I was at a car show where the participants voted for winners. One category was "best Jeep". There weren't any Jeeps so I voted for an AMC Javelin. I was the only vote in that category and they gave him the trophy.
Am I the only one insulted down to their eye teeth that a person who who buys a Rambler then tells those whom he asks for help in figuring out how to help him spend One Thousand Smackers of his money on a decent, running V8 engine, that he doesn't want a Chevrolet V8 with a certain displacement because of blah blah including gas mileage? Am I the only one who suspects this same person is still playing with marbles that came out of his own head? Really. Does it peeve others that, after several good suggestions, he has the balls to tell us how much money he still has, and THEN betrays the fact he obviously does not know enough about the history of the AMC line to properly acknowledge those who suggest keeping it brand homogenous. SO, with all this in mind, and after reading all the previous suggestions, in all candor, I have opened my Rube Goldberg Engineering Index, and going to suggest that you install a set of bicycle pedals with a large motorcycle sprocket and the appropriate chain linked to a Harley Davidson Service Cycle rear end. This certainly fits within the parameters of your request, Not only that, it will give you excellent gas mileage, especially if you add large quantities of beans to your diet, and will make your heart stronger by the fart, as you whiz past every darned old gasoline pump in sight; and you can grin like a possum when folks ask what you're running in it. "Not no ol' Chebby for sure!" You can say. For Sure!
I don't know what sort of prices they go for in the US but we're seeing Lexus and BMW V8's being installed over here. Cheap as chips to buy and excellent gas mileage. But not, of course, HAMB-friendly....
HEY!; Fortynut. Have a Snickers.....You're not yourself when you're hungry. That being said, I'll concede to your point. There's a lot to be a bit upset about from this guy. But; if he's new, or maybe crossing over from the tuner bunch, it might be a good idea to show a little patience, rather than driving him away. Roger
Don't know how a SBC fits in these early Ramblers. But I saw an early Rambler wagon with a 302 Ford and C-4 in it. Looked like it came from the factory that way. And the guy said it fit really easy. Question, if I remember right, some of those early Ramblers had a closed drive line. Does that one?
============= When I was in high school they just bragged on it being a "Vette" motor. The horsepower claims didn't come in 'till I was in my 20s. Everybody that threw a few speed parts on their 350 had 400 HP. Now it appears we are up to 500 HP at the rear wheels and 450 lb-ft of torque.
Only the Ambassador came with torque tube drive and coil springs in back. Lesser models had conventional leaf springs and open drive. I vote for the Ford 302, or newer 4.6 V8 as the best choice for low cost, good power, and fuel economy. Most convenient and economical way to get one is to buy a whole car. If you can find an old man's rusted out Crown Vic, Mercury or Lincoln with not too many miles buy the whole car for $500, remove the engine, trans, motor mounts, drive shaft, rear axle, wiring, computer, radiator, and whatever else you need. And sell the hulk for $200 for scrap iron. Or, if you really want to squeeze some pennies, run your own "parts for sale" ad and you may actually make a profit and get all your parts for nothing.
I'd leave it stock- if you spend $15 grand on a Rambler, how much do you think the re-sale value is going to be??? Not trying to be a dick, but if you're a penny pincher............
Ramblers were available with V8 from 1957 on. So, if you could find a good AMC V8 and auto trans from the 1957 - 1966 period it would bolt in.
Took a while, but you can finally get a ford engine looking good again with a bit of effort. Might blow your budget
I hate to say it but late model GM truck LS based engines are getting more reasonable. With the GM ERod computer, you will have a smog legal reliable and efficient package. It may cost more up front but even my truck can get 20 MPG or better.
There's just no way to beat a 5.3 swap, except on a traditional board Or if you actually want to look at it If those 2 aren't important a 5.3 swap is hands down the best. That coyote engine will be the swap fav of the future though IMO & They are in trucks as well, 30 less hp and way cheaper. It will fool you unless you are really paying attention. I doubt anyone here would have a problem looking at one There's always the northstar, and it looksright at home in a fenderless car with a bit of dolling up.
There's a elephant in the room, so I guess I'll call it out and ask the question. Why in the world would you want to dump $15k into a Rambler? I'm not trying to be a ass, I'm just wondering. If that's your dream car then build it, but with that kind of budget you have a lot of options. It would certainly be interesting...I guess. And maybe it's my age, but for the life of me I can't understand why you are worried about putting a 327 or a 350 in a Rambler, of all things. Are you afraid it won't be cool?
No I had a 312 out of a thunder bird though. 302/5.0 Fords are out there and can be had cheap as a rule. You don't have a lot of room but I'll bet if you worked at it you could stuff a big ol caddy in there and they are usually cheap as dirt. those 3 options are ugly as butt but they are cheap options. I see nailheads cheap some times as well as olds motors. For cheap factor though you really can't beat an old chebby. Sorry to be so honest but you really can't beat an SBC if you are budget building a car.
If it was new enough to be AMC it could be stock with a chebby motor. Sometimes we take dare to be different to a whole new level. It would be impossible to find one but if I had the money and the inclining to build me a rambler I would look for an International 304 (also an American motors engine at some point) they are different and make good torque stock out of the box.
I bought a 93 Caddy for a donor car for $450, it has a 5.7 chevy ,700r4 and instead of tearing it apart I have been using it as a daily for 3 years. Around here 88-98 chevy pickups are rusty and cheap. You can buy one and use the engine and 5 speed and piece the rest out ,keep the throttle body and it will get great mileage in your Rambler.Just my opinion.