I got a chance to pick up a 1960 rambler American. The problem is the engine has a dead cylinder. What engines are interchangable with this bell housing? I do not have to much info on this car yet. Is there any adapters out there that any of you know about?
I don't know of anything that will just bolt in, you're in for a real engine swapping experience with that one.
They came with either a flathead or OHV six. I doubt that anything else will bolt to the stock pattern, but you could always fix the dead cylinder for now. Burnt valve, bad piston, blown head gasket, or......bad spark plug!
Yeah, those cars have an enclosed driveshaft, so an engine swap requires replacing the rear axle and driveshaft too, unless you get another Rambler motor. I would think you could get a 258 I6 with an early style tranny to use the enclosed driveshaft with. A 258 has tons of aftermarket goodies you can use on them since the Jeep guys like to build them up. Otherwise, you're best off figuring out what's wrong with the current motor, could be somethign simple.
If the car is a manual, couldn't you shoehorn in an AMC V8? Might need to swap in a trans from the bigger Rambler. I don;t have my Motors manuals handy or I'd look and see what's different from one to the other. It's a faint possibility that the platform these were built on was the same through the '69 models, I'd look into that for parts-swapping. On the bright side, it's a Rambler, what's another original motor going to cost you? $50?
If I recall what those engine compartments look like, there isn'r much rtoom for any V8 swappin' without a lot of work.........seems like to original engine just fits.
engine compartment is narrow........ it has been so long since I actually worked on a Rambler , i have no idea of the pattern on the bell housing.
Yeah yorg I know a rambler. I am looking at getting it real cheap and if it doesn't take much work I am looking at using it as a commuter for work. Eric
i just finished rebuilding and installing a flathead 6 for a '63 Rambler,and it was a GIANT pain in the ass it's got an E-Stick too i recommend you figure out a way to install a 194/230/250 Chevy inline 6 or maybe a 170/200/250 Ford.
Please, don't. There are enough people that would love to have a Rambler with an AMC engine in it. If you don't want to rebuild the engine, swap to an AMC V8, either the 327, 390 or 401.
If I had a dollar for every time I have used the phrase: " if it doesn't take much work" LOL good luck , I like Ramblers of the late 50's early 60's
Maybe go over to a jeep forum and post this. I used to have an AMC forum to recommend, but it's user only now and I forgot my logon... That said, why not find one of those Comanche pickups with a 4 banger or I-6, and swap in the entire drivetrain? Then you'd have decent pickup, an easier source for parts, and if you really wanted to hog wild, Fuel Injection! Too bad you didn't post this last weekend, it was the local AMC swap meet and I coulda asked around there! Good luck. Jay
I had a '63 American that I was lookin' to do a swap in. Truth of the matter is that only a fairly short inline or a narrow-angle (Chevy) V-6 will fit. You only have about 23" from shock tower to shock tower in width. Even later model 232 CI AMC sixes will be too long to fit without some real modification. I would suggest a Ford 2.3L four with a five speed. Maybe buy a whole Ranger that's been wrecked and use the entire driveline so you can run an open driveline. My '63 had a regular open driveshaft, but I think '60s may still be closed. The larger Rambler Classics were closed until the mid-sixties. The plan for mine was to cut out the entire front end, replace it with rectangular tubing, and run a straight axle and a 383 with a push-button Torqflite: I know the body looks different, but under the skin, these cars were all the same stuff. Purely a cosmetic update.
My aunt had a 61 Rambler Station Wagon with the flathead with a three speed. That engine is a gutless anchor with no power or torque and it got only marginal gas milage to boot. Twer it me, I'd be looking for the 4 cyl running gear out of a Wrangler, Cherokee, or Commanche. 2.5 Liter, probably easy to put a carb on. decent 5 speed and likely a limited slip 3.55 or 3.73 rear end. Look for 2wd drive stuff, for an automatic look for postal jeeps.
I found this while looking for responses on your post... hmmm.... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106436&highlight=rambler+engine+swap Jay
enjenjo has the right idea! The small Ford 144/170/250 (250 is a tall deck 170, not related to the way to long 240/300 Ford six!!) is the only other six short enough to fit the engine bay of the American. Small block V-8s have been shoehorned in, but they are TIGHT! AA SB Ford fits a little better because it's an inch or so narrower than an SBC and the spark plugs are at a better location. With an SBC you have to cut access holes in the fender wells or take the engine out to change plugs. If you have the OHV engine, it's got as much power as a Ford 170, but the 250 would be a nice swap. The 196 is a long stroke slow turner, but delivers good mileage and low speed torque (think "nice small tractor"!!). Parts are getting hard to find though. If something like a water pump goes out expect a few days wait while one is ordered in, and you might have to send yours out to be rebuilt to get the right one (there are six different ones -- two shaft lengths, three pump castings, two different bolt patterns -- you have to have the right combo for your car, and some idiot parts companies have changed the numbers to "one size fits all"!!). If you plan on making it a daily driver, the Ford six swap might be prudent (and probably the easiest). As suggested, an early model 2.3L (carbed) will fit with few mods. The EFI versions (and most other four cylinder EFI engines) have intake manifolds that stick over a bit far, but that hump can be cut out for clearance, and will usually allow enough (not the spring tower, just the hump in the inner fender well). The hump is a left over from the 50-53 upper shock mount design. The 58-63 American is a slightly re-worked 50-55 Nash Rambler. Mechanical parts interchange, and a few body parts. 58-63 American glass and mechanicals all interchange, but the firewall and all outer body panels are different. Americans have an open driveshaft, only 56-66 "big" Ramblers have the enclosed drive (torque tube). The rear axle is a 7-9/16" ring gear AMC 15, so it's about as strong as 8" Ford and GM axles. Okay for any six or four, and since it's a relatively light car and you cna't put big meats on the back without tubbing, it will hold up well with a stock small block. Nothing else uses that bell bolt pattern except 64-71 AMC 199/232/258 sixes. In 72 AMC changed the bolt pattern on the six to match their V-8. The early Falcons used the T-96 manual trans like the Rambler does. Rambler used an air cooled Borg-Warner auto. It's basically the same as early small Ford trannys and the FMX (which are licensed produced copies of the B-W). The early Ford tranny should even bolt to the bell of the Rambler.
with tlc you can gain some width in the engine compartment...the side sheet metal is double layered and you can cut out part of the first layer and replace with flat sheet metal ( the idea is to close the gap between the two layers)... i have seen this done more than one 58-60 americans... this allows room for a sbc and a sbf fits even better i happen to have a 59 in progress, these can be a low buck rod
I had a 64 American, that had the flathead 6. I recall at the time being told by several people that the 258 was a bolt on replacement for it. However I ended up selling the car and didn't attempt the swap.
I have a question, is the car an American or is it a full size Rambler? Why, because if I remember correctly the full size used the engine to mount the upper suspension. I know it sounds crazy (and I am not really sure) but I seem to recall someone telling me that and one of my old books kinda shows this to be true. I would just drop a 3.8L Buick V6 in there and go from there if it is an American.
The simplest fix or swap that would improve performance and might open up the chance of finding another engine would be to look at the OHV six engines from other Ramblers of the era. The 195.6 engine from the Rambler Classic is the same overall size, roughly, as the flattie you have now. These OHV sixes are found in Classics and some Ambassador models and use the same closed driveline as the American. These engines can be found in mid-'50s to mid-'60s Ramblers and sice they were generally not an engine you would find yourself beating on, even one from a junkyard car might still offer some service life. This link will take you to some photos of a '60 American with the OHV engine in it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/80984445@N00/358124695/
I own a 1960 Rambler Custom. From the research I have done. One way is to buy the engine rebuild kit they're a little more for the flathead engines. 1054.54 on ebay. If you plan to keep the orginal transmission I believe anything 71 and older will work. The 258 I know for my automatic would have to be 71 and no later. As the later models used the same bolt pattern as the v8 models. The only problem though is you'd have to make some new motor mounts and also would have to run the short water pump and hopefully you'll make clearence I know it's a tight fit. I know parts for the flatheads are harder to find then the over head valves engine. I don't believe the water pumps are different though the only difference I have noticed was the thickness of the pump as I had to remove the factory studs to install the new pump I picked up at autozone for shorter bolts. I believe your car has the open drive line mines the close one makes more difficult for me. I do know a guy that deals with american ramblers out here in california.
I have a 62 American Wagon powered by 2.0 Nissan and 4 spd. it works well but considered small blocking it .That would be a lot of work to do correctly !. Would need frame stub plus new suspension and steering .Keep it Simple .
'58 Rambler Six I have I don't remember the motor looking like suspension parts were bolted to it. It has a rotty unibody, so one of these days it will get a frame and floorpan donation from a newer GM G-body to save it.
The Jeep straight 6 [AMC] was built from 1964 to 2005 and reached 195 hp /230 #torq. 7 main bearings,with fuel injection from 242 cu. inches and direct relative to Rambler 6. Very stout motor, and can get over 200 + hp easy.many available in wrecking yards with automatics or 5 speeds. check em out.
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