1958-60 American

1958-1960 Rambler American

1959 American Super Two Door Sedan

General Information Body Styles And Trim Levels Engines Transmissions Production Numbers Serial Number Decoder Unit Body Identification Plate Bibliography

General Information

In an unprecedented move, AMC reintroduced the 1955 100" wheelbase Nash Rambler in 1958 as the "new" Rambler American. This is the only time in automotive history that an old model has been successfully reintroduced to the general public. The U.S. was in a recession in 1958, and the American proved to be the right car at the right time. Not only was the body design reintroduced (AMC simply dusted off the old stamping dies), but the old L-head (flat head) six cylinder engine as well! This was to be a price leading economy car, what better way to get one out quickly? The new car wasn't quite an exact knock-off of the 1955 model. While the major components were identical to the 50-55 Nash Rambler, there were subtle styling differences:

• Rear wheel wells cut out (1950-54 models had permanently "skirted" wheel openings, fronts were enlarged in 1955)
• New wire mesh grille design
• Fake hood scoop removed
• Rear window enlarged
• Trunk lid smoothed and flattened
• Five lug hubs and wheels (1950-55 models used four lugs)

All major mechanical and body components were the same as the earlier model with the exception of the engine. The L-head had received some improvements when it was converted to an OHV configuration for the 1956 Ramblers. The main upgrade was moving the water pump from the left side of the engine (driven from an extension shaft off the back of the generator) to the front of the engine behind the fan (the older model had a fan shaft carrier bolted to the front of the engine block). Cooling was actually more even with the center of the block mounted water pump, but the long hoses required were troublesome.

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Body Styles And Trim Levels

There were three trim levels and three body styles available. The body styles and trim levels can be determined from the model number on the Unit Body Identification Plate. The body styles and trim levels are:

• 2 door sedan in "Business", Deluxe, Super, and Custom trim (Custom in 59-60 only -- business sedan was stripped model with back seat, for fleet sales only)
• 2 door station wagon in Deluxe, Super, and Custom trim (1959-60)
• 4 door sedan in Deluxe, Super, and Custom trim (1959-60)

Unlike the 1954-55 four door models, the 1959-60 American retained the wheelbase of the two door models (100 inch vs. 1954-55 four door 108 inch).

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Engines

The following engines were available:

• 196 cid L-head inline six, 1bbl (90 hp)
• 196 cid OHV inline six, 1bbl (125 hp - available in 1960 only; standard in Custom, optional in others)

There is a machined pad on the left (driver's) side of the engine near the front and just below the block/head division. This pad contains the 1958-59 Engine Serial Number or the 1960 Engine Day Build Code. 1956-59 Engine Beginning Serial Numbers A letter was assigned to each engine size with one barrel carburetor, a following "B" was used for two barrel models along with a different letter. The serial number listed was the first used that year. All possible serial numbers are included to help identify replacement engines. No OHV engines were used in 1958-59 Americans, but OHV engines from the Classic will fit as long as the short shaft American water pump is used. Likewise no 2 bbl OHV engines were used, but Classic versions can be retrofitted (entire engine or just manifold and carburetor).

• 1956 195.6 OHV 1 bbl - S1001
• 1957 195.6 OHV 1 bbl - D341001
• 1957 195.6 OHV 2 bbl - CB2001
• 1958 195.6 L-head 1 bbl - E101
• 1958 195.6 OHV 1 bbl - B145001
• 1958 195.6 OHV 2 bbl - CB9001
• 1959 195.6 L-head 1 bbl - E33001
• 1959 195.6 OHV 1 bbl - B227001
• 1959 195.6 OHV 2 bbl - CB36001

Beginning in late 1959 the six character Engine Day Build Code was adopted. The first digit indicates the calendar year the engine was built. 1959 = 1, 60 = 2, 61 = 3, etc. Numbers repeated, but no zero was used (1967 =9, 1968 =1; due to a change in the numbering system, 1980 and later uses the last digit of the year (1980 = 0, 1981=1 etc. The next two numbers will be the month the engine was made in. A letter code will tell engine size and compression. A is 195.6 L-head w/1bbl, C is 195.6 cast iron OHV w/1bbl (there was an aluminum version of the 195.6 OHV, but it wasn't available in the American -- only 1 bbl versions used). It is possible that the engine has been replaced with a newer or older engine. 195.6 cid six cylinder engines made between 1956 and 1965 are direct bolt-in swaps and are externally identical, though water pump design varies slightly on the 56-57 OHV engines. Note: Engine dates are calendar dates and not model year dates. Since model year production actually starts in the previous calendar year, it is possible to have, for example, an engine coded 1958 in a 1959 vehicle and be correct but an engine coded 1960 would not be correct for the same car since no 1960's were manufactured in calendar year 1958.

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Transmissions

The following Borg Warner transmissions were used in 1958-60 Rambler Americans. There is no way of knowing what transmission or type was originally installed in a vehicle made before 1966.

• T-96 three speed manual, available with an optional Borg Warner overdrive unit
• Borg Warner "Flash-O-Matic" three speed automatic (air cooled torque converter, cast iron case, vacuum modulator -- predecessor to model 35)

Production Numbers

Blank columns indicate that the body and trim style were not offered that year.

Body & Trim Style	1958	1959	1960
4 door sedan, Deluxe	-	-	22,593
4 door sedan, Super	-	-	21,108
4 door sedan, Custom	-	-	3,272
2 door sedan, Deluxe	15,765	29,954	23,960
2 door sedan, Super	14,691	28,449	17,233
2 door sedan, Custom	-	-	2,994
2 door station wagon, Deluxe	-	15,256	12,290
2 door station wagon, Super	-	17,383	15,093
2 door station wagon, Custom	-	-	1,430
2 door panel delivery, steel	-	3	-
2 door panel delivery, glass	-	3	-
2 door business sedan	184	443	630
Total	30,640	91,491	120,603

Dates of model introductions:

1958 - October 22, 1957 1959 - October 8, 1958 1960 - October 14, 1959

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Serial Numbers & Body Tag Decoder

Serial Numbers

Before January 1966, all cars had a manufacturers assigned serial number, not a VIN, which was mandated by the U.S. government for all cars built from 1966 (calendar year) on. The serial number is on a tag located on the top of the right side shock tower in the engine compartment. The serial number gives no information except year and model series. Technically, any changes can be made to the car that were available from the factory and it will be "correct". Serial numbers were assigned to the car when it was ordered from the factory. Numbers with a single letter are assigned to cars made in Kenosha, WI.

• 1958 M1001
• 1959 M32001
• 1960 B100001

Unit Body identification Plate

The Unit Body Identification Plate for a 1958-60 Rambler American can be located on the right side of the firewall under the hood. It can be decoded as follows:

Body

This is the number assigned to the body as it was being produced. It is different than the serial number. Bodies were produced in batches, so the numbers aren't consecutive to each series.

Model

This identifies the body and trim styles. The first two digits are the year, the last two or three identify the series, body style, and trim level. Blanks indicate that the body and trim style was not available for the year in question.

Code w/Body Style and Trim	1958	1959	1960
02 = 2 door business sedan	X	X	X
04 = 2 door station wagon, Deluxe		X	X
04-1 = 2 door station wagon, Super		X	X
04-2 = 2 door station wagon, Custom			X
05 = 4 door sedan, Deluxe			X
05-1 = 4 door sedan, Super			X
05-2 = 4 door sedan, Custom			X
06 = 2 door sedan, Deluxe	X	X	X
06-1 = 2 door sedan, Super	X	X	X
06-2 = 2 door sedan, Custom			X
04-7 = 2 door glass panel delivery wagon		X
04-8 = 2 door steel panel delivery wagon		X

Trim

1958-59 trim codes use three digits. The first digit is the last number in the model year (1958 = 8) and the last two represent the seat covering material and color. In 1960 a four character code that may be prefixed by a "T" was adopted. The first character is the last digit of the model year. The second character represents the seat type 1960-63, the model (first digit of series) from 1964 on. The third is the upholstery color, and the fourth is the upholstery material for 60-63 and seat type for 1964 on. Letters after the numeric code indicate the corresponding seat types that were available. Special order interiors were available for large orders (usually fleet vehicles) and will have a code of "00". 1958-59 Upholstery Material and Color Codes(colors not currently available) Cloth

• 00 - Deluxe and Business models only
• 12-15 - Super and Custom

Vinyl

• 01 - Deluxe and Business models only
• 02-05 - Super and Custom

1960 seat types are as follows:

• 0 - Standard Bench, Deluxe and Business
• 1 - Standard Bench, Super
• 2 - Standard Bench, Custom

1960 trim colors are not currently available.

Paint

The following colors were available in 1958-1960. The original color can be determined by looking at the Paint code on the Unit Body Identification Plate. If there are two codes separated by a dash, the first code is the primary body color and the second code is the upper body (sometimes roof) or accent color. For example, a car that was black with a white top would have a paint code of 1-72. Paint codes may also be prefixed with a P or suffixed with an A. Note that some cars were painted non-standard colors. These cars will typically have a code such as "00" or "SPEC". This was reserved for large orders in the special color, usually for fleet use.

Paint Code	Color	Years
1	Classic Black	1958
2	Kimberly Blue Medium	1958
3	Saranac Green Medium	1958
4	Alamo Beige Light	1958-60
5	Autumn Yellow	1958-60
6	Georgian Rose	1958
7	Mariner Turquoise	1958
8	Chatsworth Green	1959-60
9	Pine Ridge Green Metallic	1959
10	Placid Blue	1959-60
11	Nocturne Blue Metallic	1959
12	Alladin Gray Metallic	1959
13	Oriental Red	1959-60
14	Carmel Copper Metallic	1959
15	Aqua Mist Metallic	1959-60
16	Cotillion Mauve	1959
17	Hibiscus Rose	1959
18	Westchester Green	1960
19	Sovereign Blue	1960
20	Dartmouth Gray	1960
21	Harvard Gray	1960
23	Echo Green	1960
24	Auburn Red	1960
25	Festival Rose	1960
72	Frost White	1958-60
90	Mardi Gras Red	1958
94	Cinnamon Bronze Medium	1958, 1960
95	Gotham Gray Medium	1958
97	Brentwood Green Light	1958
98	Lakeshore Blue Light	1958
99	Frontenac Gray Light	1958-60

Instrument panels were painted body color (primary body color if two tone). Remaining interior moulding and trim was painted one of the following colors to harmonize with interior trim. Interior colors were usually semi-gloss to reduce glare.

• N-45 Satin Black (58-60)
• N-80 Metallic Medium Blue (58)
• N-81 Metallic Medium Green (58)
• N-109 Pine ridge Green Metallic (59)
• N-110 Nocturne Blue Metallic (59)

Color samples can be viewed at http://autocolorlibrary.com/aclns.html Sequential Assembly Number The unlabeled number at the bottom of the Unit Body Identification Plate is the Sequential Assembly Number. This number was assigned to the vehicle as it entered the final assembly line. Vehicles were assembled in batches as needed -- i.e., 10 Americans may be assembled then 20 Classics followed by 15 Ambassadors, etc. Minimum and maximum sizes of batches are unknown -- in some cases single cars may have gone through the lines. At this time there was only one final assembly line in Kenosha; the second line wasn't in operation until 1961. Brampton opened in 1960.

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Bibliography

The following sources were used to verify the information contained on this page:

• AMC Rambler Club 1958-1969 Production Handbook
• Standard Catalog of American Motors, ISBN 0-87341-232-X, Krause Publications
• 1958-59 American Motors Technical Service Manual
• The Compact Chronicles, copyright 1992, Frank Swygert
• DuPont Automotive Finishes book (1959-71)
  

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1961-63 American

1961-1963 American

1961 American Two Door Wagon 1963 American Hardtop

General Information Body Styles And Trim Levels Engines Transmissions Production Numbers Serial Number Decoder Unit Body Identification Plate Bibliography

General Information

The "new" 1958 Rambler American was a little dated looking when it was introduced. It didn't quite look old fashioned, but it only had a couple of years in it. AMC officials knew this -- if it sold well they would have to revamp the car soon after. There was to little time between the planned new models for 1963 and 1958 to build another new car, and the development cost would be to much. This meant that the American, in order to keep the sales momentum built from 1958-1960, would have to be restyled. There wasn't much money to restyle with -- most of the old car would have to be retained. Ed Anderson, Chief of Styling, was given the job of making the American look new, but at the same time retaining all of the mechanical parts and inner body panels. It was to be a reskinning with only minor changes to inner panels. Anderson worked a miracle! He came up with a car that retained the same glass, mechanicals, and inner panels, yet looked like an entirely different car. All outer panels were changed except the side window frames. This retention was hardly noticeable due to the new squared off roof panel. The only inner panel that was significantly changed was the firewall. This was necessary to improve the heater and get rid of the old fashioned floor mounted brake master cylinder. The inner fender panels, with their intruding hump in the center, were virtually unchanged since the 100" wheelbase car was introduced in 1950. The humps were originally required for the upper shock absorber mount, something that was redesigned as far back as 1954. They serve no other purpose -- the outer fender well panel was changed around 1954, eliminating the hump. The interior of the 1961-63 American also received some attention. The dash panel was redesigned and carried the same instrument cluster as the big cars. This gave it a much more modern look and saved on cost as well. The rest of the interior was pretty much carried over from the 1960 model, but the new dash makes it hardly noticeable. Mechanically (engine, transmission, suspension, rear axle, etc.), the 1961-63 models are identical to the 1958-1960 American. The lone exceptions are the instruments (sending units and operation are the same), brake master cylinder, and heating and air conditioning systems. This makes finding parts relatively easy.

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Body Styles And Trim Levels

he American line-up was increased to five body styles in 1961-63 in three basic trim levels. A sixth body style, a two door hardtop, was added in 1963. The trim designations changed every year during this transition period for AMC. Some models have more than three trim levels, some less. Levels are listed from lowest to highest. Body styles and trim levels can be determined from the model number on the Unit Body Identification Plate. The body styles and trim levels are:

• 2 door sedan in Deluxe Business (stripped model, fleet sales only), Deluxe, Super, and Custom trim (1961)
• 2 door sedan in Deluxe Business (stripped model, fleet sales only), Deluxe, Custom, and Custom 400* trim (1962)
• 2 door sedan in 220 Business (stripped model, fleet sales only), 220, 330, and 440 trim (1963)
• 2 door station wagon in Deluxe, Super, and Custom trim (1961)
• 2 door station wagon in Deluxe and Custom trim (1962)
• 2 door station wagon in 220 and 330 trim (1963)
• 4 door station wagon in Deluxe, Super, and Custom trim (1961)
• 4 door station wagon in Deluxe, Custom, and Custom 400* trim (1962)
• 4 door station wagon in 220, 330, and 440 trim (1963)
   
• 4 door sedan in Deluxe, Super, and Custom trim (1961)
• 4 door sedan in Deluxe, Custom, and Custom 400* trim (1962)
• 4 door sedan in 220, 330, and 440 trim (1963)
• 2 door convertible in Custom trim in 1961, Custom 400 in 1962, and 440 in 1963
• 2 door hardtop in 440 and 440H** trim in 1963

* Custom 400 models all had bucket seats and consoles. Console mounted shifters (manual or automatic transmission) were optional. * 440H models were similar to the 1962 Custom 400 described above. They had unique large armrests in the back seat and used the convertible bottom seat cushion with a unique back cushion, making it a four passenger vehicle. Normal seating for the 1958-63 American was considered three passengers in the front seat and two in the narrower back seat.

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Engines

The following engines were available:

• 196 cid L-head inline six, 1bbl (90 hp)
• 196 cid OHV inline six, 1bbl (125 hp, standard 1961 Custom, 400, 440; optional all others)
• 196 cid OHV inline six, 2 bbl (138 hp, 1963 only; standard 440H, optional all others)

There is a machined pad on the left (driver's) side of the engine near the front and just below the block/head division. This pad contains the Engine Day Build Code.
 

Beginning in late 1959 the six character Engine Day Build Code was adopted. The first digit indicates the calendar year the engine was built. 1959=1, 60=2, 61=3, etc. Numbers repeated, but no zero was used (1967=9, 1968=1; due to a change in the numbering system, 1980 and later uses the last digit of the year (1980=0, 1981=1 etc.). The next two numbers will be the month the engine was made in. A letter code will tell engine size and compression. A is 195.6 L-head w/1bbl, C is 195.6 cast iron OHV w/1bbl (there was an aluminum version of the 195.6 OHV, but it wasn't available in the American -- only 1 bbl versions used). It is possible that the engine has been replaced with a newer or older engine. 195.6 cid six cylinder engines made between 1956 and 1965 are direct bolt-in swaps and are externally identical, though water pump design varies slightly on the 56-57 OHV engines.

Note: Engine dates are calendar dates and not model year dates. Since model year production actually starts in the previous calendar year, it is possible to have, for example, an engine coded 1958 in a 1959 vehicle and be correct but an engine coded 1960 would not be correct for the same car since no 1960 models were manufactured in calendar year 1958.

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Transmissions

The following Borg Warner transmissions were used in 1961-63 Rambler Americans. There is no marking anywhere on the car that will determine transmission type.

• T-96 three speed manual, available with an optional overdrive (OD) unit, 1961-63.
• Borg Warner "Flash-O-Matic" three speed automatic (air cooled torque converter, cast iron case, vacuum modulator -- predecessor to model 35) used only in 1961.
• Borg Warner Model 35 (T-35 on transmission ID tag) "Flash-O-Matic" three speed automatic (air cooled torque converter, aluminum case, throttle valve cable instead of vacuum modulator) used in 1962-63.
• "Twin-Stick" T-96 three speed manual with overdrive. Transmission used different internal gear ratios than the normal T-96/OD. Shift mechanism was wired to provide five forward gears (along with different ratios) -- 1st, 2nd, 2nd+OD, 3rd, 3rd+OD. Normal three speed with OD shifted in this manner would provide little difference between 2nd+OD and 3rd gears. Available only with OHV engines, only in 1963.
• "E-Stick" with T-96 three speed (with or without OD). This was an automatic clutch that relied on a rather complicated mechanical and vacuum control system to automatically engage and disengage the clutch. It was meant to provide the ease of driving an automatic transmission car with close to the same economy as a stick shift. In practice, the clutch didn't last as long as with a standard stick shift, especially in city driving. Engine oil pressure was used to operate a servo that worked the clutch backs wards -- the more pressure on the clutch arm the harder the clutch was engaged instead of disengaged. As engine rpm went up, so did oil pressure, which meant a tighter clutch. It was only used in 1962 and 1963.

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Production Numbers

Columns with no number indicate that the body and trim style were not offered for that year.

Body & Trim Style	1961	1962	1963
2 door sedan, Deluxe Business (63 220 Bus.)	355	283	162
2 door sedan, Deluxe (63 330)	28,555	29,665	27,780
2 door sedan, Super (62 Custom, 63 330)	14,349	12,710	9,572
2 door sedan, Custom (62 400, 63 440)	4,883	4,840	1,486
2 door convertible, Custom (62 400, 63 440)	10,855	13,497	4,750
2 door convertible, Custom 400 (bucket seats)	2,063
2 door station wagon, Deluxe (63 220)	5,666	4,434	3,312
2 door station wagon, Super (62 Custom, 63 330)	5,749	4,398	3,204
2 door station wagon, Custom	1,417	-	-
4 door sedan, Deluxe (63 220)	17,811	17,758	14,419
4 door sedan, Super (62 Custom, 63 330)	15,741	13,884	9,666
4 door sedan, Custom (62 400, 63 440)	5,920	5,773	2,937
4 door sedan, Custom 400 (bucket seats)	1,629
4 door station wagon, Deluxe (63 220)	7,260	6,304	4,436
4 door station wagon, Super (62 Custom, 63 330)	10,071	8,998	6,848
4 door station wagon, Custom (62 400, 63 440)	3,679	3,134	1,874
2 door 440 hardtop	-	-	5,101
2 door 440H hardtop	-	-	9,749
Total	136,003	125,678	105,296

The existence of serial number sequences indicates that AMC produced Rambler Americans along with Classics  in Canada for the 1961 - 1963 model years.  There was a strong market in Canada for compact cars, so local production, based on exports of raw material from the U.S., made sense.  However, AMC published only total production figures of 4.168 , 17.343 and  27.411 units for 1961, 1962 and 1963 respectively, with no breakouts by car line.  An approximation of American production at Brampton would be  1.389 units for 1961, 5.817 units for 1962,  5.344 units for 1963.

Dates of model introductions:

1961 - October 5, 1960 (Custom 400 late April 1961 -- only produced three months) 1962 - October 6, 1961 1930 - October 5, 1962

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Serial Numbers

Serial Numbers

Before January 1966, all cars had a manufacturers assigned serial number, not a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), which was mandated by the U.S. government for all cars built from January 1966 on. The serial number is on a tag located on the top of the right side shock tower in the engine compartment. The serial number gives no information except year and model series. Technically, any changes can be made to the car that were available from the factory and it will be "correct". Serial numbers were assigned to the car when it was ordered from the factory. Numbers with a single letter are assigned to cars made in Kenosha, WI. If the first letter is followed by a "K" the car was built at Kenosha as a "knock-down" kit intended for final assembly in another country. These kits usually lacked tires, belts, batteries, and sometimes interior upholstery. Those items were supplied from local sources at the assembly point. If the first letter is followed by a "T" the car was built in the Brampton, Ontario, Canada plant. The first serial numbers used for that year are listed.

• 1961 B221001, BK10701 BT 100001
• 1962 B375001, BK13001, BT102001
• 1963 B515001, BK15001, BT110001

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Unit Body identification Plate

The Unit Body Identification Plate for a 1961-63 Rambler American can be located on the latch edge of the driver's door. It can be decoded as follows:

Body

This is the number assigned to the body as it was being produced. It is different than the serial number. Bodies were produced in batches, so the numbers aren't consecutive to each series.

Model

This identifies the body and trim styles. The first two digits are the year, the last two or three identify the series, body style, and trim level. Blanks indicate that the body and trim style was not available for the year in question.

Code w/Body Style and Trim	1961	1962	1963
02 = 2 door business sedan (63 220 business)	X	X	X
04 = 2 door station wagon, Deluxe (63 220)	X	X	X
04-1 = 2 door station wagon, Super	X	-	-
04-2 = 2 door station wagon, Custom (63 330)	X	X	X
05 = 4 door sedan, Deluxe	X	X	X
05-1 = 4 door sedan, Super	X	-	-
05-2 = 4 door sedan, Custom (63 330)	X	X	X
05-5 = 4 door sedan, Custom 400 (62 400, 63 440)	X	X	X
06 = 2 door sedan, Deluxe (63 220)	X	X	X
06-1 = 2 door sedan, Super	X	-	-
06-2 = 2 door sedan, Custom (63 330)	X	X	X
06-5 = 2 door sedan, 400 (63 440)	-	X	X
07-2 = 2 door convertible, Custom	X	X	-
07-5 = 2 door convertible, Custom 400 (62 400, 63 440)	X	X	X
08 = 4 door station wagon, Deluxe (63 220)	X	X	-
08-1 = 4 door station wagon, Super	X	-	-
08-2 = 4 door station wagon, Custom (63 330)	X	X	X
08-5 = 4 door station wagon, 400 (63 440)	-	X	X
09-5 = 2 door hardtop, 440	-	-	X
09-5 = 2 door hardtop, 440H	-	-	X

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Trim

In 1960 a four character code that may be prefixed by a "T" was adopted. The first character is the last digit of the model year. The second character represents the seat type 1960-63, the model (first digit of series) from 1964 on. The third is the upholstery and trim color, and the fourth is the upholstery material for 60-63 and seat type for 1964 on. Special order interiors were available for large orders (usually fleet vehicles) and will have a code of "00". 1961-63 seat types are as follows: *0 - Standard Bench, Deluxe, 220, and Business *1 - Standard Bench, Super, Custom, and 330 *2 - Standard Bench, 400, and 440 *3 - Reclining Bucket, Pleated Vinyl, Convertible only *4 - Reclining Bucket, Custom 400, 400, 440, 440H 1961-63 colors are as follows: *2 - Silver *3 - Blue *4 - Green (Aqua, 1963) *5 - Red *6 - Copper (1963: Ivory for 220/330, Gold for 440/440H) *7 - Maroon *8 - Aqua (61-62) *9 - Gold (61-62) 1961-63 material types are as follows: *C - cloth inserts, vinyl trim *V - all vinyl (porous vinyl, 61-62) *P - porous vinyl (1963 only)

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Paint

The following colors were available in 1961-1963. The original color can be determined by looking at the Paint code on the Unit Body Identification Plate. If there are two codes separated by a dash, the first code is the primary body color and the second code is the upper body (sometimes roof) or accent color. For example, a car that was black with a white top would have a paint code of 1-72. Paint codes may also be prefixed with a P or suffixed with an A. Note that some cars were painted non-standard colors. These cars will typically have a code such as "00" or "SPEC". This was reserved for large orders in the special color, usually for fleet use.

Paint Code	Color	Years
1	Classic Black	1961-63
4	Alamo Beige	1961
8	Chatsworth Green	1961
15	Aqua Mist Metallic	1961-62
23	Echo Green Metallic	1961
26	Valley Green Medium Metallic	1961
27	Sonata Blue	1961-62
28	Berkeley Blue Medium Metallic	1961
29	Whirlwind Tan Medium Metallic	1961
30	Briarcliff Red	1961-63
31	Inca Silver Metallic	1961-62
32	Waikiki Gold	1961
33	Jasmine Rose	1961-62
34	Fireglow Red Metallic	1961
35	Baron Blue Metallic	1962
36	Glen Cove Green	1962
37	Elmhurst Green Metallic	1962
38	Algiers Rose Copper Metallic	1962
39	Villa Red Metallic	1962
40	Majestic Blue Metallic	1962-63
41	Corsican Gold Metallic	1962-63
42	Sirocco Beige	1962
43	Sceptre Silver Metallic	1963
44	Bahama Blue	1963
45	Cape Cod Blue Metallic	1963
46	Palisade Green	1963
47	Aegean Aqua Metallic	1963
48	Calais Corral Metallic	1963
49	Valencia Ivory	1963
50	Concord Maroon Metallic	1963
72	Frost White	1961-63

Instrument panels were painted body color (primary body color if two tone). Remaining interior moulding and trim was painted one of the following colors to harmonize with trim (seat) color. Interior colors were usually semi-gloss to reduce glare. *R-154 Ravine Medium Gray Metallic (1961) *R-155 Fairbanks Dark Blue Metallic (1961) *R-156 Delmar Dark Green Metallic (1961) *R-157 Whirlwind Dark Tan Metallic (1961) *R-210 Inca Silver Metallic (1962) - used with all colors except blue, green, aqua, and gold trims. *R-213 Aqua Mist Metallic (1962) - used with all aqua trims. *R-214 Corsican Gold Metallic (1962) - used with all gold trims. *R-215 Elmhurst Medium Green Metallic (1962) - used with all green trims. *R-217 Algiers Medium Rose Copper (1962) - used with copper trims. *R-260 Cape Cod Blue Metallic (1963) *R-261 Aegean Aqua Metallic (1963) *R-262 Briarcliff Red (1963) *R-263 Concord Maroon Metallic (1963) *R-278 Black (1963) *R-352 Corsican Gold Metallic (1963) Color samples can be viewed at http://autocolorlibrary.com/aclns.html

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Sequential Assembly Number The unlabeled number at the bottom of the body tag is the Sequential Assembly Number. This number was assigned to the vehicle as it entered the final assembly line.Vehicles were assembled in batches as needed -- i.e., 10 Americans may be assembled then 20 Classics followed by 15 Ambassadors, etc. Minimum and maximum sizes of batches are unknown -- in some cases single cars may have gone through the lines. At this time there was only one final assembly line in Kenosha; the second line wasn't in operation until 1961. Brampton opened in 1960.

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Bibliography

The following sources were used to verify the information contained on this page: *AMC Rambler Club 1958-1969 Production Handbook *Standard Catalog of American Motors, ISBN 0-87341-232-X, Krause Publications *American Motors, The Last Independent; Patrick Foster, ISBN 0-87341-240-0 *Encyclopedia of American Cars, 1940-1970; Richard M. Langworth, ISBN 0-517-294648 *1961-62 American Motors Technical Service Manual *The Compact Chronicles, copyright 1992, Frank Swygert *DuPont Automotive Finishes book (1959-71)*Wards automotive yearbook*Wards Canadian Automotive yearbook*Guide to Canadian car ID numbers, Bill Watson, Amos Press, 2006.

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1964 -1965 American

 

1964 - 1965 American

1964 American Convertible

General Information Body Styles And Trim Levels Engines Transmissions Production Numbers Serial Number Decoder Unit Body Identification Plate Bibliography

General Information

The first generation American body (58-63) was essentially the same as the 1950-55 Nash Rambler. It had an extraordinary 11 year run due to Edmund Anderson's very creative restyling in 1961, but looked very dated by its last year. Nothing less than a totally new body was required to bring the American up to date. New bodies cost millions even in the early sixties, so the new small car was planned on a downscaled new for 63 Classic body. As many components as possible were to be shared between the big and small car. While some components are shared, it soon became apparent that the number of shared components would be limited. The suspension, or "frame" rails are shared, for instance, but the floor pan had to be narrower and shorter than the bigger Classic in order to adequately differentiate between the two. AMC ended up with a body that looked modern and up to date and put them back near the top of the compact car market in the US through the end of production in 1969. By the mid 1960s, the compact market had levelled off as intermediates and sporty cars such as the Mustang became more popular. However, there was a steady market for compacts and  the American continued to maintain its production levels against the Nova, Valiant, Falcon and imported entries. The American received  new base base and optional engines, including a V8,  for 1966, as these were now required even in economy cars. In its last year of production, AMC dropped the "American" name - the cars were Rambler, 440 and Rogue. And they did one  extraordinary thing to send off their dull economy car : they offered a 390 high performance V8 option in the Rogue hardtop.  Not many were built, but they are highly collectible today, along with the 1957 Rebel. The American, and the Rambler name went into history as the cars which created the North American market for compact economy cars, with an asterisk for those two models which did not quite fit that definition.

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Body Styles And Trim Levels

The American was offered in five body styles. There were four trim levels offered : 220, 330, 440, and 440-H (this would become the Rogue in 1966). Body styles and trim levels can be determined from the model number on the Unit Body Identification Plate . The body styles and trim levels are:

• 2 door convertible in 440 trim. This became the Rogue in 1967, its last year.
• 4 door wagon in 220 and 330 trim. The 330 was dropped after 1965.
• 4 door sedan in 220, 330, and 440 trim. The 330 was dropped after 1965.
• 2 door club sedan in 220 and 330 trim. The 330 was dropped after 1965, but replaced by a 440 2 door club sedan for 1966 - 1967.
• 2 door hardtop in 440 and 440H trim. The 440 H became the Rogue for 1966 - 1969, replacing the 440 hardtop after 1967.

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Engines

The following engines were available:

• 196 cid L-head inline six, 1bbl (90 hp, standard in 220)
• 196 cid OHV inline six, 1bbl (125 hp, standard 330, optional in 220)
• 196 cid OHV inline six, 2 bbl (138 hp, standard 440H, optional all others)
• 199 cid OHV inline six, 1 bbl (128 hp, substituted for 196 mid to late 1965, not optional)
• 232 cid OHV inline six, 1 bbl (145 hp, optional all, 1965 only)
• 232 cid OHV inline six, 2 bbl (155 hp, optional all, 1967 only)
• 287 cid OHV V8, 2 bbl (198 hp, optional all, 1966 only)
• 290 cid OHV V8, 2 bbl (200 hp, substituted for 287 at the end of 1966, base V8 through 1969)
• 290 cid OHV v8, 4 bbl (225 hp, optional V8 through the end of 1966 model year through 1969)
• 390 cid OHV V8  4 bbl (315 hp, available only on 1969 SC hardtop)

Note that the 195.6 OHV 2 bbl engine was mandatory when air conditioning was ordered. This was necessary because of the greater length of the 199/232 engine. The engine bay of the new body just wasn't long enough to accomodate the new engine and A/C condensor. To fit the 199/232 a special short water pump (later used on 1971 and later CJ-5 Jeeps) was used and the radiator moved forward very close to the grille.

On the 196 there is a machined pad on the left (driver's) side of the engine near the front and just below the block/head division. The 199 and 232 has a machined pad on the right side of the block near where head and block come together between #2 and #3 cylinder. These pads contain the Engine Day Build Code.
 

The first digit indicates the calendar year the engine was built. 1963 = 5, 64 = 6, 65 = 7, etc. Numbers repeated, but no zero was used (1967 =9, 1968 =1; due to a change in the numbering system, 1980 and later uses the last digit of the year (1980 = 0, 1981=1 etc.) . The next two numbers will be the month the engine was made in. A letter code will tell engine size and compression or carburetor type. A is 195.6 L-head w/1bbl, C is 195.6 cast iron OHV w/1bbl, L is the 232 w/1bbl, J is the 199 w/1bbl. It is possible that the engine has been replaced with a newer or older engine. 195.6 cid six cylinder engines made between 1956 and 1965 are direct bolt-in swaps and are externally identical, though water pump design varies slightly on the 56-57 OHV engines. The 199 and 232 cid sixes used in 1965 can also be directly replaced with any 199, 232, or 258 cid six made between 1964 and 1971. It should be noted that 1965 232 engines used in an American have a special short water pump and that air conditioning was not offered on these cars due to space limitations. A 1971-75 Jeep CJ-5 pump is the same as the 65 short pump. The bell housing bolt pattern changed to match the larger V-8 pattern in 1972.

Note: Engine dates are calendar dates and not model year dates. Since model year production actually starts in the previous calendar year, it is possible to have, for example, an engine coded 1963 in a 1964 vehicle and be correct but an engine coded 1965 would not be correct for the same car since no 1964's were manufactured in calendar year 1965.

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Transmissions

The following Borg Warner transmissions were used in 1964 and 1965 Rambler Americans. There is no marking anywhere on the car that will determine transmission type.?

• T-96 three speed manual, available with an optional overdrive (OD) unit.
• Borg Warner Model 35 (T-35 on transmission ID tag) "Flash-O-Matic" three speed automatic (air cooled torque converter, aluminum case, throttle valve cable instead of vacuum modulator).
• "Twin-Stick" T-96 three speed manual with overdrive. Transmission used different internal gear ratios than the normal T-96/OD. Shift mechanism was wired to provide five forward gears (along with different ratios) -- 1st, 2nd, 2nd+OD, 3rd, 3rd+OD. Normal three speed with OD could not be shifted in this manner -- standard gearing would provide little difference between 2nd+OD and 3rd gears. Available only with OHV engines.
   

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Production Numbers

Columns with no number indicate that the body and trim style were not offered for that year.

Body & Trim Style	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969
220 2 door sedan	32,718	26,409
4 door sedan, 330 trim	19,379	15,143
4 door sedan, 440 trim	6,590	5,194
4 door sedan, 220 trim	18,225	13,709
2 door sedan, 330 trim	15,171	9,065
2 door convertible, 440 trim	8,907	3,882
4 door station wagon, 220 trim	8,062	5,224
4 door station wagon, 330 trim	20,587	12,313
2 door hardtop, 440 trim	19,495	13,784
2 door hardtop, 440H trim	14,527	8,164
"Knock Down" (these are exported cars that were shipped unassembled)	3,340	(3,744)
Total	163,661	112.878

 An additional 11,731 Americans were built in Canada for the 1964 model year, 9,390  for the 1965 model year. No breakouts by body style are available, but for 1964 only 220/330 models were built in Canada. The 440 hardtop and convertible were added for 1965, with an additional 20 Americans shipped from Kenosha.

Dates of model introductions:

1964 -
1965 -

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Serial Numbers

Serial Numbers

Before January 1966, all cars had a manufacturers assigned serial number, not a VIN, which was mandated by the U.S. government for all cars built from 1966 on. The serial number is on a tag located on the top of the right side shock tower in the engine compartment on 64 and 65 models. The serial number gives no information except year and model series. Serial numbers were assigned to the car when it was ordered from the factory. Numbers with a single letter are assigned to cars made in Kenosha, WI. If the first letter is followed by a "K" the car was built at Kenosha as a "knock-down" kit intended for final assembly in another country. These kits usually lacked tires, belts, batteries, and sometimes interior upholstery. Those items were supplied from local sources at the assembly point. If the first letter is followed by a "T" the car was built in the Brampton, Ontario, Canada plant.
 

• 1964 - 650001 and higher
• 1965 - AMC started from 100001 and did not skip numbers based on body style as was done in 1965. Serial numbers starting with P indicates a 196 cid six was used, W indicates a 232, and Q indicates the 199.

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Unit Body identification Plate

The Unit Body Identification Plate for a 1964-65 Rambler American can be located on the latch edge of the driver's door. It can be decoded as follows:

Body

This is the number assigned to the body as it was being produced. It is different than the serial number. Bodies were produced in batches, so the numbers aren't consecutive to each series.?

Model

This identifies the body and trim levels. The first two digits are the year, the third the series, fourth body style, and fifth trim level. Base trim level is often left out (only four digits). Blanks indicate that the body and trim style was not available for the year in question. Replace "xx" with last two digits of year for complete model number.

Code w/Body Style and Trim	1964	1965
xx07-5 - 2 door convertible, 440 trim	X	X
xx08 - 4 door station wagon, 220 trim	X	X
xx08-2, 4 door station wagon, 330 trim	X	X
xx05 - 4 door sedan, 200 trim	X	X
xx05-2 - 4 door sedan, 330 trim	X	X
xx05-5 - 4 door sedan, 440 trim	X	X
xx06 - 2 door Club Sedan, 220 trim	X	X
xx06-2 - 2 door Club Sedan, 330 trim	X	X
xx09-5, 2 door hardtop, 440 trim	X	X
xx09-7, 2 door hardtop, 440H trim	X	X

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Trim

This identifies the interior trim style, color, and seat types. The trim code is a 4 character number that may be prefixed by a "T". The first character is the year, the second the trim level, third color, and the fourth is the seat type. Letters after the numeric code indicate the corresponding seat and fabric types that were available. Special order interiors were available and will have a code of "00". Codes are as follows:

Trim Level	1964	1965
220/330	422 - Silver/Black (220 only) 432 - Silver/Black 433 - Blue 434 - Green 435 - Red 436 - Gold 436 - Turquoise	522 - Black/Gray 532 - Black/White 533 - Blue 534 - Green 535 - Red 539 - Taupe 537 - Aqua
440/440H	441 - Black 442 - Silver/Black 443 - Blue 444 - Green 445 - Red 446 - Gold 447 - Maroon 448 - Turquoise	541 - Black 543 - Blue 544 - Green 545 - Red 546 - Cordovan/Taupe 547 - Aqua 548 - Black/White

The list of seat types is as follows:

• C = Cloth
• D = Cloth bucket
• E = Vinyl bucket
• G = Cloth bucket, optional
• H = Vinyl bucket, optional
• K = Cloth bucket, optional
• L = Vinyl bucket, optional
• P = Porous vinyl
• V = All vinyl

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Paint

The following colors were available in 1964-1965. The original color can be determined by looking at the Paint code on the Unit Body Identification Plate. If there are two codes separated by a dash, the first code is the primary body color and the second code is the upper body (sometimes roof) or accent color. For example, a car that was black with a white top would have a paint code of 1-72. Paint codes may also be prefixed with a P or suffixed with an A (A is Acrylic Enamel paint). Note that some cars were painted non-standard colors. These cars will typically have a code such as " 00" or "SPEC". This was reserved for large orders in the special color, usually for fleet use.
 

Paint Code	Color	Years
1	Black (Called Classic Black in 1965)	1964, 1965
3	Antigua Red	1965
4	Mystic Gold Metallic	1965
5	Legion Blue	1965
6	Viscount Blue Metallic	1965
7	Seaside Aqua	1965
8	Marina Aqua Metallic	1965
9	Atlantis Aqua Metallic	1965
10	Montego Rose	1965
11	Barcelona Taupe Metallic	1965
12	Corral Cordovan Metallic	1965
13	Solar Yellow Metallic	1964, 1965
14	Silver Metallic	1965
43	Scepter Silver Metallic	1964
51	Rampart Red	1964
52	Sentry Blue Metallic	1964
53	Forum Blue	1964
54	Woodside Green Metallic	1964, 1965
55	Westminster Green	1964
56	Aurora Turquoise	1964
57	Lancelot Turquoise Metallic	1964
58	Bengal Ivory	1964
59	Emperor Gold Metallic	1964
60	Contessa Rose Metallic	1964
61	Vintage Maroon Metallic	1964
72	Frost White	1964, 1965

Color samples can be viewed at http://autocolorlibrary.com/aclns.html
 

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Sequential Assembly Number

The unlabeled number at the bottom of the body tag is the Sequential Assembly Number. This number was assigned to the vehicle as it entered the final assembly line.Vehicles were assembled in batches as needed -- i.e., 10 Americans may be assembled then 20 Classics followed by 15 Ambassadors, etc. Minimum and maximum sizes of batches are unknown -- in some cases single cars may have gone through the lines. There were three assembly lines in operation at this time. There was an East and West line in Kenosha (these may be prefix by an E or a W to indicate which line it was built on) and a line at the Brampton, Ontario plant.

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Bibliography

The following sources were used to verify the information contained on this page:

• AMC Rambler Club 1958-1969 Production Handbook
• Standard Catalog of American Motors, ISBN 0-87341-232-X, Krause Publications
• American Motors, The Last Independent; Patrick Foster, ISBN 0-87341-240-0
• Encyclopedia of American Cars, 1940-1970; Richard M. Langworth, ISBN 0-517-294648
• Cars & Parts Catalog of American Car ID Numbers 1960-1969, ISBN 1-880524-11-2
• The Compact Chronicles, copyright 1992, Frank Swygert
• 1964-65 American Motors Technical Service Manuals
• DuPont Automotive Finishes book (1959-71)
• Standard Catalog of Independents, ISBN 0-87341-569-8, Krause Publications
• James C Mays. My private archives - 1964 Rambler. Old Autos, 7/19/04.
• 6500 series summary - U.S. production and options - passenger cars.  AMC interdepartmental letter, 1/5/66.
• Automotive news almanac, 1964, 1965
• Wards automotive yearbook, 1965, 1966.
• Bill Watson. Catalog of Canadian car ID numbers. Amos Press, 2006.

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1966-69 American, Rogue, and Rambler

 

1966-1968 Rambler American 1966-1969 Rambler Rogue 1969 American Motors Rambler 1969 American Motors Rogue   1967 American Four Door Wagon (shown in 440 trim) 1968 American Four Door Sedan (shown in base trim) General Information Body Styles And Trim Levels Engines Transmissions Production Numbers VIN Decoder Unit Body Identification Plate Bibliography General Information The Rambler American was restyled in 1966. The main reason for this restyling was to gain more clearance in the engine compartment so that air conditioning could be used with the new 199 and 232 in-line six cylinder engines ( 232 introduced in Classic in 1964, first available in the American in 1965, 199 replaced the 196 in 1966). 1965 Americans with A/C had to have the 196 because the 199 was longer, and there was no room for the A/C condenser with the longer engine. To solve this problem, the 66 models were made 3.8 inches longer, with three inches added to the inside of the engine compartment in front of the wheels, maintaining the same 106" wheel base. The extra length was obtained by reshaping the exterior body panels only -- the bare unit body is identical in all respects to the 64-65 unit body. This redesigned body was used through 1969 but there were several significant changes made for the 1967 model year that limits the body panels that can be shared with the later cars. This information is detailed in the 1966-1969 Series 01 Parts Swap Guide. Note that due to significant differences, 1969 SC/Ramblers are detailed separately. AMC began phasing out the Rambler name in 1966, selling the Ambassador and Marlin as AMC models without the Rambler nameplate. The Rebel was also sold as an AMC beginning in 1968, leaving just the Rambler American and Rambler Rogue. For 1969 "Rambler" was dropped from the Rogue name, making it an AMC model, and the American was simply called the Rambler. top Body Styles and Trim Levels There were three trim levels and five body styles available. The body styles and trim levels can be determined from either the model number on the door tag or the 4th, 5th, and 6th numbers of the VIN (see VIN Decoder and Unit Body Identification Plate for additional information on decoding the VIN and door tags). The body styles and trim levels are: 4 door sedan in 220* and 440 trim (66-68 American, 69 Rambler) 2 door sedan in 220* and 440 trim (66-68 American, 69 Rambler) 4 door station wagon in 220 trim (66-67 American) 4 door station wagon in 440 trim (66-68 American, 69 Rambler) 2 door convertible in 440 trim (66 in 440 trim, 67 in Rogue trim) 2 door hardtop (66-67 American in 440 trim, 66-69 Rogue) * 220 designation not used for 68 & 69 base models. top Engines The available engines are as follows. The 7th character of the VIN is the Engine Code and indicates original engine size: Engine Code J, 199 cid inline six, 128 hp, 8.5:1 compression ratio, 1 bbl, 1966-69 Engine Code L, 232 cid inline six, 145 hp, 8.5:1 compression ratio, 1 bbl (or 155 hp, 2 bbl), 1966-69 (2 bbl only in 66) Engine Code M, 290 cid V-8, 200 hp, 9.0:1 compression ratio, 2 bbl, 1966-69 Engine Code N, 290 cid V-8, 225 hp, 10.0:1 compression ratio, 4 bbl, 1966-69 Engine Code Z, 343 cid V-8, 280 hp, 10.2:1 compression ratio, 4 bbl, 1967 only If you are unsure of the size of the engine currently installed, you can check it's size by the following methods: For inline six engines, there is a machined pad on the distributor side of the engine between the first and second spark plugs. This contains the six character Engine Day Build Code. The first digit indicates the calendar year the engine was built. 1966=8, 67=9, 68=1, 1969=2, etc. Due to a change in the numbering system, 1980 and later uses the last digit of the year (1980 = 0, 1981=1 etc.). The next two numbers will be the month the engine was made in. A letter code (usually the same as VIN engine code) will tell engine size and compression. It is possible that the engine has been replaced with a newer or older engine. 199, 232, and 258 cid six cylinder engines made between 1964 and 1971 are almost externally identical as are the engines made from 1972 through 1983. The bell housing bolt pattern changed in 1972, so only 72 and later engines are direct bolt in swaps. There will also be a number of different mounting holes on the intake depending on the year as well as valve cover variations. If the original intake and accessories are used there should be few problems swapping in any 71 or earlier engine. For V-8 engines, the best way to tell size is to look at the size cast into the engine block near the first and second core (freeze) plugs on either side of the engine. Note that service replacement blocks do not have the displacement cast into them and tear-down to measure bore and stroke is the only way to positively identify the installed engine. The second way to identify engine size is from the tag attached to the valve cover. The valve cover tag will be coded the same as the inline six Engine Day Build Code (see above description).? V-8 Engine Notes. It is not unusual to find an American with a V-8 engine instead of the original inline six, or a larger or newer V-8 to replace the 290 (or rare 343) the car was manufactured with. See performance section for details. Note: Engine dates are calendar dates and not model year dates. Since model year production actual starts in the previous calendar year, it is possible to have, for example, an engine coded 1966 in a 1967 vehicle and be correct but an engine coded 1968 would not be correct for the same car since no 1967 models were manufactured in calendar year 1968. top Transmissions The following Borg Warner transmissions were used in 1968 Rambler Americans. The general transmission type can be determined by the third digit of the VIN. T-96 three speed manual (199 cid six) T-14 three speed manual (232 cid six) T-15 three speed manual (290 cid V8) T-10 four speed M36 three speed automatic (199 cid six) M37 three speed automatic (232 cid six) M40 three speed automatic (290 cid V8l) Note 1: All three speed manual transmissions were available with an optional overdrive unit. Note 2: All 1967 Americans with a 343 used T-10 four speed transmissions. top Production Numbers Columns with a '-' in them indicate that the body and trim style were not offered for that year. Body & Trim Style 1966 1967 1968 1969 4 door sedan, 220/base 15,940 12,078 15.144 16,234 4 door sedan, 440 14,543 10,083 11,179 11,957 2 door sedan, 220/base 24,440 26,196 39,480 51,062 2 door sedan, 440 5,252 3,317 - - 2 door convertible 2,092 921 - - 4 door station wagon, 220 5,809 3,667 - - 4 door station wagon, 440 6,603 4,407 10,414 13,233 2 door hardtop, 440 10,255 4,994 - - 2 door hardtop, Rogue 8,718 4,249 4,765 3,543 Total 93,652 69,912 80,981 96,029 An additional 9,314 Americans were built in Canada for the 1966 model year, 6,832 for 1967, 25.289 for 1968 and 24.178 for 1969. No breakouts by body style are available, but all body styles were built in Canada except for the 1966 440 2 door sedan and the 1969 SC/Rambler - Hurst. The surge in production for 1968 - 1969 represents units built in Canada for the U.S. market.            Dates of model introductions: 1966 - Oct 7, 1965 1967 - Oct 6, 1966 1968 - Sept 26, 1967 1969 - Oct 1, 1968 1966 - 1969 MSRP & Option Listing 1967 American & Rogue Detailed Options Listing 1968 American & Rogue Detailed Options Listing Notable low production number models: 1966 500 Rogues with the 290 engine. 2 tone yellow/black paint   28 440 converts with the 290 engine - 25 w/auto, 3 w/4 speed 1967 921 Rogue convertibles   58 cars had the 343. 3347 had the 290   986 Americans had the 4 speed   217 Americans had disc brakes 1968 116 4 door sedans with the 290 engine   2604 cars with the 290 engine 1969 33 4 door sedans with the 290 engine   14 2 door sedans with the 290 engine   1608 Americans had a 4 speed (and 1512 were SC/Ramblers) top VIN Decoder Model years 1966, 1967, and 1968 will have a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) tag located on the top of the right side shock tower in the engine compartment. Very early 1966 cars will have a serial number instead of a VIN. Model year 1968 cars manufactured after January 1st, 1968 will have a VIN tag in this location as well as on the left side of the dash board. This was due to a new federal law that standardized VIN locations for all manufacturers. This second location is visible through the windshield. Model year 1969 cars will have a VIN tag on the dash board only. The VIN is also stamped into the left frame sill behind the steering gear box. It is necessary to remove the steering gear box to view the VIN in this location. 1966 American Beginning Serial Numbers It is unknown how many early 1966 vehicles used serial numbers instead of VIN's. It is quite possible that only a few very early production vehicles used them, and they could have had the serial numbers replaced with a VIN before being sold. If you have a 1966 model with a serial number instead of a VIN, please e-mail farna@att.net. Engine Size   Beginning Serial Number   Beginning Export Number*   199 cid, 1 bbl   A100001   AK100001   232 cid, 2 bbl   B100001   BK100001   290 cid, 2bbl   C100001   CK100001   290 cid, 4 bbl   D100001     * The "K" indicates vehicle was a "knock-down" kit to be exported and assembled at destination. No 4 bbl 290 V-8 cars were exported.   top 1966 & 1967 VIN The VIN can be decoded as follows (sample VIN is a Kenosha built 1966 American convertible with column shifted 3 speed and 232 cid 6): Company Year Assembly Plant Transmission Body Type Trim Level Engine Sequential Serial Number* A 6 K S 7 5 B 100001 Note: Digit 1 is always an A (American Motors). Digit 2 - Year 6 1966 7 1967 Digit 3 - Assembly Plant B Brampton, Ont. Canada K Kenosha, WI Digit 4 - Transmission A Automatic column shift C Floor shift automatic F Four speed floor shift, w/console M Four speed floor shift, w/o console (1967) O Overdrive column shift, 3 speed manual S Standard column shift, 3 speed manual       Digit 5 - Body Type 5 4 door sedan 6 2 door sedan 7 2 door convertible 8 4 door wagon 9 2 door hardtop Digit 6 - Trim Level 0 220 trim 5 440 trim 7 Rogue trim Digit 7 - Engine A 199 cid, 1bbl B 232 cid, 2bbl C 290 cid, 2bbl D 290 cid, 4bbl E 232 cid, 2bbl (1967) X 343 cid, 4bbl (1967) *The last six digits are the numbers assigned to the car when it was ordered from the factory. Numbers starting at 100001 are assigned to cars made in Kenosha, WI. Numbers starting at 700001 are assigned to cars made in the Brampton plant in Ontario, Canada. Note: All 1967's with a 343 were only available with a four speed manual transmission.   top 1968 & 1969 VIN The VIN can be decoded as follows (sample VIN is a 1968 Rogue with a 4 speed w/console and 232 cid 6): Company Year Transmission Type Series Body Type Trim Level Engine Sequential Serial Number* A 8 F 0 9 7 B 100001 Note: Character one is always an A (American Motors) and character four is always a zero (American/Rogue/Rambler). Char. 2 - Year 8 1968 9 1969 Char. 3 - Transmission Type A Automatic column shift C Floor shift automatic F Three speed floor shift M Four speed floor shift O Three speed overdrive column shift S Three speed column shift Char. 5 - Body Type 5 4 door sedan 6 2 door sedan 8 4 door station wagon 9 2 door hardtop       Char. 6 - Trim Level 0 Base trim 5 440 trim 7 Rogue trim Char. 7 - Engine A 199 cid, 1bbl B 232 cid, 1bbl C 232 cid, 2bbl M 290 cid, 2bbl N 290 cid, 4bbl   *The last six characters are the numbers assigned to the car when it was ordered from the factory. Numbers starting at 100001 are assigned to cars made in Kenosha, WI. Numbers starting at 700001 are assigned to cars made in the Brampton plant in Ontario, Canada.   top Unit Body Identification Plate The Unit Body Identification Plate for a 1966-69 Series 01 can be found on the latch edge of the driver's door. Cars built in Canada usually have a "1" in front of the standard numbers listed below. The tag can be decoded as follows: Body This is the number assigned to the body as it was being produced. This number is different than the last six digits of the VIN. Model This identifies the body and trim styles.?The first two digits are the year, the third the series, fourth body style, and fifth trim level. Base trim level is often left out (only four digits). Blanks indicate that the body and trim style was not available for the year in question. Replace "xx" with last two digits of year for complete model number. Code w/Body Style and Trim 1966 1967 1968 1969 xx05-0 = 4 door sedan, 220/base trim X X X X xx05-5 = 4 door sedan, 440 trim X X X X xx06-0 = 2 door sedan, 220/base trim X X     xx06-5 = 2 door sedan, 440 trim X X X X xx07-5 = convertible, 440 trim X X     xx08-0 = 4 door station wagon, 220 trim X X     xx08-5 = 4 door station wagon, 440 trim X X X X xx09-5 = 2 door hardtop, 440 trim X X     xx09-7 = 2 door hardtop, Rogue trim X X X X Trim This identifies the interior trim style, color, and seat types. The trim code is a four character number that may be prefixed by a "T". The first character is the year, the second the trim level, third color, and the fourth is the seat type. A blank indicates that the body style was not available for the year in question. Letters after the numeric code indicate the corresponding seat and fabric types that were available. Special order interiors were available and will have a code of "00". Codes are as follows: Trim Level 1966 1967 1968 1969 220/base 623 C/P - Blue 628 C/P - Black and White 629 C/P - Tan 723 C/B - Blue 728 C/B - Black and White 729 C/B - Tan 828 C - Gray and White 828 B/M/N - Black and White 923 A/B/C/D - Blue 928 A/B/C/D - Parchment 440/Rogue 641 C/D/E/P - Black 643 C/D/E/P - Blue 644 C/D/E/P - Green 645 C/D/E/P - Red 647 C/D/E/P - Aqua 648 C/D/E/P - White 649 C/D/E/P - Saddle 7414,5 B/C/D/E - Black 7435 B/C/D/E - Blue 7443,5 B/C/D/E - Green 7455 B/C/D/E - Red 7471,3,5 B/C/D/E - Aqua 7482,5 B/C/D/E - White 7495 B/C/D/E - Tan 843 C/B - Blue 844 C/B - Green 845 C/B - Red 848 C/B - Black and White 941 A/B/C/D - Charcoal 943 A/B/C/D - Blue 9446 A/B/C/D - Green 9457 A/B/C/D - Red Convertible 641 C/D/E/V - Black 643 C/D/E/V - Blue 644 C/D/E/V - Green 645 C/D/E/V - Red 647 C/D/E/V - Aqua 648 C/D/E/V - White 649 C/D/E/V - Saddle 741 B/E - Black 743 B/E - Blue 744 B/E - Green 745 B/E - Red 747 B/E - Aqua 748 B/E - White 749 B/E - Tan     The list of seat types is as follows: A - Base level, bench, Brigadier Pattern (1969 440 only) B - Vinylair, Tahiti pattern C - Fabric bench seat, "Lancaster" Pattern (1966, 1967) / Saratoga Pattern (1968, 1969) D - Bucket seat with fabric insert, "Lancaster" Pattern E - Porous vinyl bucket M - black and white standard fabric (Regiment Pattern), optional individual reclining seats N - black and white standard vinyl (Tahiti Pattern) optional individual reclining seats P - Porous vinyl w/fabric insert, "Yucatan" Pattern - station wagon only V - Porous vinyl bench - convertible only Notes 1 - Fabric only 2 - Vinyl only 3 - 440 only 4 - Rogue only 5 - 440 uses B and C seats, Rogue uses B (convertible only), D (hardtop only), and E seats. 6 - Vinyl for station wagons, all others are fabric 7 - Sedan only   top Paint The following colors were available in 1966-1969. The original color can be determined by looking at the Paint code on the body tag. If there are two codes separated by a dash, the first code is the primary body color and the second code is the upper body (sometimes roof) or accent color. For example, a car that was black with a white top would have a paint code of 1-72. Paint codes may also be prefixed with a P or suffixed with an A. Note that some cars were painted non-standard colors. These cars will typically have a code such as " 00" or "SPEC". This was reserved for large orders in the special color, usually for fleet use.   Paint Code Color Years 1 Classic Black 1966-68 3 Antigua Red 1966 8 Mariana Aqua Metallic 1967 9 Bright Red 1969 10 Bright Blue 1969 15 Brisbane Blue Metallic 1966 16 Britannia Blue Metallic 1966 17 Crescent Green 1966 18 Grenada Green Metallic 1966-67 19 Balboa Aqua 1966 20 Cortez Aqua Metallic 1966 21 Marquessa Mauve Metallic 1966 23 Samoa Gold Metallic 1966 24 Caballero Tan Metallic 1966 25 Apollo Yellow 1966-67 31 Strato Blue Metallic 1967 32 Barbados Blue Metallic 1967 33 Royale Blue Metallic 1967 34 Alameda Aqua 1967 36 Yuma Tan Metallic 1967 37 Sungold Metallic 1966-67 38 Stallion Brown Metallic 1967 39 Matador Red 1968-69 40 Flamingo Burgundy Metallic 1967 41 Rajah Burgundy Metallic 1967 42 Satin Chrome 1967 43 Saturn Blue Metallic 1968 44 Caravelle Blue Metallic 1968 45 Blazer Blue Metallic 1968 46 Laurel Green Metallic 1968 47 Rally Green Metallic 1968 48 Tahiti Turquoise Metallic 1968 49 Laredo Tan Metallic 1968 50 Calcutta Russet Metallic 1968 52 Scarab Gold Metallic 1968 54 Turbo Silver Metallic 1968 58 Hialeah Yellow 1967-68 59 Pale Green Metallic 1967 62 Ascot Gray 1969 63 Castillian Gray Metallic 1969 64 Beale St. Blue Metallic 1969 65 Regatta Blue Metallic 1969 68 Alamosa Aqua Metallic 1969 70 Surf Green Metallic 1969 71 Hunter Green Metallic 1969 72 Frost White 1966-69 75 Willow Green Metallic 1969 76 Pompeii Yellow 1969 77 Butternut Beige Metallic 1969 78 Cordoba Brown Metallic 1969 79 Bittersweet Orange Metallic 1969 80 Black Mink Metallic 1969 88 Bright White 1969   Color samples can be viewed at http://autocolorlibrary.com/aclns.html   top Sequential Assembly Number The unlabeled number at the bottom of the body tag is the Sequential Assembly Number. This number was assigned to the vehicle as it entered the final assembly line. Cars assembled in Kenosha will have an "E" or "W" preceding the number. This designated the East or West assembly line. Cars assembled in Brampton will have a "B" preceding the number. Vehicles were assembled in batches as needed -- i.e., 10 Americans may be assembled then 20 Classics followed by 15 Ambassadors, etc. Minimum and maximum sizes of batches are unknown -- in some cases single cars may have gone through the lines. The first number used each year was 000001. Earlier years used a different numbering system.   top Bibliography The following sources were used to verify the information contained on this page: AMC Rambler Club 1958-1969 Production Handbook Cars & Parts Catalog of American Car ID Numbers 1960-1969, ISBN 1-880524-11-2 1966-69 American Motors Technical Service Manuals 1966-1969 American Motors Collision Parts Guide Official AMC production records and trim codes acquired from Thomas Benvie, AMC Historian, tbenvie@attbi.com Wards automotive yearbook, 1966 - 1970. Bill Watson. Catalog of Canadian car ID numbers. Amos Press, 2006. top

1969 SC/Rambler

1969 American Motors/Hurst SC/Rambler 1969 SC/Rambler Two Door Hardtop 'A' Scheme Paint Photo courtesy of Vince Scamardo 1969 SC/Rambler Two Door Hardtop 'B' Scheme Paint General Information Body Styles And Trim Levels Engines Transmissions Production Numbers VIN Decoder Unit Body Identification Plate Bibliography General Information In a bid to generate buyer traffic and excitement beyond the Javelin and AMX models and to capitalize on the rapidly expanding small car muscle market, AMC launched Hurst modified SC/Rambler in 1969. This was a corporate watershed year in which AMC sought to bow out was the "old Rambler guard" and usher in a new era of AMC only lableled models. The successful Hornet series would replace the American in the next model year and with the rebirth of a famous model name from the Hudson days or yore would come the end of the line for the venerable American series. What better way to retire the old player than going out with a last hurrah as the rough and tumble Captain of the team? The "new"  and radically different Hurst SC/Rambler was notabe for its performance 'extras', the likes of which had never been seen on an American series car before, that differentiated it from the rest of the American line.  While the major body and interior was the same as other '69 Rambler two door hardtops the very notable modifications listed made this car radically different than all other model in the series: Front and rear wheel wells lips rolled to accomodate larger tire sizes and drag slicks "letter box" snorkel hood scoop with functional "Ram Air" Cold ram air induction w/vacuum operated metal flapper and inner/outer air cleaner tub assembly rear "torque links" similar to those used on the AMX and performance equipped Javelins 16 :1 quick ratio manual steering as compared to 20:1 steering on other American non power steering cars Power assisted brakes with front disc rather than front drums Blue pinted Magnum 500 styled steel wheels with deep dish center caps and brushed trim rings AMX 390 V-8 with 315HP and 425 lbft Torque heavy duty 4 speed manua floor shift transmission (T-10) with Hurst competition shifter  3.54 "Twin-Grip" limited slip differential dana 20 rear end SC Rambler/Hurst emblems on sides and rear sail panel Black taillamp lenses and sail panel Chrome hood pins with retainer cables Thrush glass pack style mufflers and baloney slice tipped 2" dual exhaust sytem red, white, & blue headrests square back split bench front seats triple spoke woodgrain edged sports steering wheel hosed clamp, steeering column mounted Sun S635 tach left and right rear view mirrors like those used on the '68/'69 Hurst Olds While a few of these items came from the factory, all body modifications and special components were added and procured by the Hurst Corporation. Major mechanical and body components were upgraded or different than other Ramblers including the Rogues from which the SC was derived. Although some maintain that the SC floor pan chassis is different from other '69 Americans it is widely accepted that there were no substantial differences beyond the additional frame mounts necessary to connect  the AMC torque links from the AMX and performance equipped Javelins to the Rogue based frame. Luckily, ALL Americans from '68 on had an added layer of skin to the inside of the rocker panels to stiffen them up, just in time to acccomodate the dramatic increase in torque from the AMC 390 that became the primary driver behind creating the legendary SC/Rambler performance capabilities!  There is no documented evidence that an SC chassis is stiffer in any way other than the mount plates for the torque links and the staggered shock access plate on the left hand side of the trunk although some sources contend that the SC used additional bracing that was used for convertible models to increase structural stiffness. One option distinction was notable - there was only a single factory option avaialbe, an AM radio!  That was it - there were no other factory order options.  All other options had to be ordered as dealer options and were limited primarily to the Group 19 Option list with items such as a 290 Hydraulic camshaft, heavy duty lifter and double valve springs, Mallory dual point rev pole distributor, AMC logo'd Edlebrock R4B intake manifold and a Holley 930 CFM three barell carburetor with an enormous vacuum controlled secondary that required the notch-out seen today in the rear of the carburetor opening in vintage AMC R4B manifolds.  Company memos support the statement that there were no options available other than the AM radio and that all performance enhancements had to be ordered through the dealer.  And ordered they were, with most SC/Ramblers upgraded to race and terrorize the F Class at local dragstrips around the country.  Nearly all body parts are shared with the 1967-69 American body. There are some differences that limits the body panels that can be shared with the earlier cars. This information is detailed in the 1966-1969 Series 01 Parts Swap Guide. top Body Styles and Trim Levels The only body style available was the two door hardtop in Rogue trim. (see VIN Decoder and Unit Body Identification Plate for additional information on decoding the VIN and door tags). top Engines The only available engine was the 390 cid V-8. The 7th character of the VIN is the Engine Code and indicates original engine size and is always an "X" for a true SC/Rambler. There are many faked SC/Ramblers in the world today. What better way to fetch a premium price for an otherwise lower valued Rogue hardtop than to pass it off as a genuine SC/Rambler? One issue is that many cars had the original engine replaced due to the extreme conditions experience as the race track or even from street racing.  A Group 19 equipped SC/Rambler could easily run the quarter mile in the 12 second range which is far quicker than its advertised 14.3 second from the factory capabilties.  Despite all of the many race proven designs in a Group 19 equipped car, the one weak spot in the AMC 390 was the cast pistons which, after a couple of seasons of hard racing, had a tendency to develop fissures and cracks in the piston's wrist pin area which could ultimately result in a "blown" (blown up) engine.  For those who were savy in the art of drag racing, the stock AMC cast piston were replaced with after market forged pistons long before there was a problem.  Unfortunately most SC/Rambler owners had little prior experience with drag racing and only learned of the limitations of AMC's cast piston design after it was to late to prevent a catastrophic engine failure, hence the high number of replaced engines in SC/Ramblers.  Although engine replacements in AMC were fairly routine and relatively easy to do, not having the original (or at least a 1969 390) does lower the car's collectable value in today's collector car market.  For AMC V-8 engines, the best way to tell cubic inch displacement is to look at the nubmers cast into the side of the engine block near the first and second core (freeze) plugs on either side of the engine. Note that service replacement blocks do not have the displacement cast into them and their displacement can only be deterimied in a tear-down to measure bore and stroke, the denominators in the formula for cubic inch designation. Cars that are considered to have a higher probability of being original will at least have the original valve covers and date code tags on the engine. This tag is located at the front of the right valve cover but you may need to check the rear of the left cover due to AMC valve covers being interchangeable from side to side resulting in the ends somtimes being reversed. Note: Engine dates are calendar dates and not model year dates. Since model year production actual starts in the previous calendar year, it is possible to have, for example, an engine coded 1966 in a 1967 vehicle and be correct but an engine coded 1968 would not be correct for the same car since no 1967 models were manufactured in calendar year 1968. top Transmissions The Borg Warner close ration T-10 four speed transmission with the Hurst competition floor shift was the only transmission available. The transmission type can be determined by the third digit of the VIN, which would be "M" (4 speed floor shift, floor mounted) for the SC/Rambler. top Production Numbers The generally accepted production number for the SC/Rambler is a total of 1512. Although the exact makeup is unknown (AMC record keeping on this subject was always a little sketchy on the SC/Rambler), AMC collectors universally acknowledge that the first batch of 500 were painted in the "A" paint scheme which include a base white painted car with red sides,  blue stripes down the center of the roof and trunk and large decals on the hood with a large blue decal of an arrow pointing at the hood scoop with accompanying large red letters boldly proclaiming "RAM AIR" between the arrow and the scoop plus matching size large red numbers and letters of "390 CI" on the top of the scoop.  Although the "A" scheme design was a major attention getter at the race track, it was often considered over the top by most street car owners and sure bet to gain the attention of local police patrols around the country.  The second batch of 500 SC/Ramblers were done in the more subdued "B" paint scheme which included a base white colored cars with a narrrow red decal stipe over a wider blue stripe on and just above the rocker panels. Although the "B" schemes cars also had the fabled Ram Air hood scoop with funtional cold air inlet, the decals on the hood, roof and trunk were not included in the "B" scheme graphics package.  The last batch of 512 SC/Ramblers' paint scheme is a somewhat controversial subject, but many agree that they were most likely painted in the "B" scheme due to the cost and complexity of the "A" scheme although there are clearly far more "A" scheme cars out there today than "B" scheme cars.  Most believe that the vast majority of the "A" scheme cars were used primarily as factory developed race cars while many of the "B" scheme cars were used as personal transportation for their owners.  Regardelss, the paint code listed on the SC/Rambler's door tag gives no indication of which paint scheme was originally used so it is likely that over the years many owners simply painted their cars in the flashier and more recognizable "A" scheme.  An interesting aside is that in 1969, the "A" scheme cars languished on the dealers lots due to the outlandish and previously unheard of factory paint job on the SC/Rambler and a fair number of both scheme SC/Ramblers were sold as leftovers in 1970 or even 1971 for far less than their 2995 window sticker price.  Additionally, some dealers even went as far as to change "A" scheme cars to the more moderate "B" scheme or even a single color other than white to move the cars off their lots. It should be noted that there were also a least 6 and possibly a few more Baha SC/Ramblers which were special versions of the SC/Rambler with chasis lifts and special drivetrains specfically designed to be raced at the Baha Pennisula.  James Garner was documented to be one of the drivers.  It is unknown if the Baha SC/Ramblers were included in the 1512 tally of SC/Ramblers or not and it is unknown to this writer whether any of them remain in existence today. The SC/Rambler was officially introduced March 8th, 1969 at the 61st Chicago Auto Show. top VIN Decoder Model year 1969 cars will have a VIN tag on the dash board only. The VIN is also stamped into the left frame sill behind the steering gear box where it is often necessary to remove the steering gear box to view the VIN in this location.  Some SC/Ramblers may have and incorrect dashboard VIN code due to the tendency of the SC/Rambler dash pads to crack when exposed for prolonged periods to the sun resulting in someone replacing the dash with one from an American or Rogue.  The sure fire test of whether or not a given car is a true SC/Rambler is to look at the VIN that is also behind the steering box on the driver's side lower frame behind the steering box.  The SC/Rambler VIN can be decoded as follows:     Company Year Transmission Type Series Body Type Trim Level Engine Sequential Serial Number* A 9 M 0 9 7 X 100001 Note: Character one is always an A (American Motors) and character four is always a zero (American/Rogue/Rambler). *The last six characters are the numbers assigned to the car when it was ordered from the factory. Numbers starting at 100001 are assigned to cars made in Kenosha, WI. Numbers starting at 700001 are assigned to cars made in the Brampton plant in Ontario, Canada. All SC/Ramblers were built in Kenosha.  All SC/Ramblers had the engine code of X in the seventh digit of the serial number and the letter M in the third digit.  If either of those digits are wrong, the car is not a true SC/Rambler   top Unit Body Identification Plate   The Unit Body Identification Plate for a 1969 Series 01 can be found on the latch edge of the driver's door. Cars built in Canada usually have a "1" in front of the standard numbers listed below (All SC/Ramblers were built in Kenosha). The tag can be decoded as follows: Body   This is the number assigned to the body as it was being produced. This number is different than the last six digits of the VIN. Model   This identifies the body and trim styles. The first two digits are the year, the third the series, fourth body style, and fifth trim level. Base trim level is often left out (only four digits). Blanks indicate that the body and trim style was not available for the year in question. All SC/Ramblers will have a model number of 6909-7. Trim   This identifies the interior trim style, color, and seat types. The trim code is a four character number that may be prefixed by a "T". The first character is the year, the second the trim level, third color, and the fourth is the seat type. Letters after the numeric code indicate the corresponding seat and fabric types that were available. Special order interiors were available and will have a code of "00". top  Paint The SC/Rambler was definitely a "non standard" color regardless of which scheme was used. All SC/Ramblers have a door tag paint code of "00", "SPEC" or Special. The three colors used were Bright White (P88), Bright Red (P9), and Bright Blue (P10). Color samples can be viewed at http://autocolorlibrary.com/aclns.html top Sequential Assembly Number The unlabeled number at the bottom of the body tag is the Sequential Assembly Number. This number was assigned to the vehicle as it entered the final assembly line. Cars assembled in Kenosha will have an "E" or "W" preceding the number. This designated the East or West assembly line. Cars assembled in Brampton will have a "B" preceding the number. Note that all SC/Ramblers were built in Kenosha. Vehicles were assembled in batches as needed -- i.e., 10 Americans may be assembled then 20 Classics followed by 15 Ambassadors, etc. Minimum and maximum sizes of batches are unknown -- in some cases single cars may have gone through the lines. The first number used each year was 000001. Earlier years used a different numbering system. top Bibliography   The following sources were used to verify the information contained on this page: Cars & Parts Catalog of American Car ID Numbers 1960-1969, ISBN 1-880524-11-2 1969 American Motors Technical Service Manual 1966-1969 American Motors Collision Parts Guide The Compact Chronicles, copyright 1992, Frank Swygert First hand knowledge and experience of a 35 year AMC owner/enthusiast and current SC/Rambler owner top For additional Information including video clips, photos and historical documentation as well as access to SC/Rambler parts vendors and memorabilia visit www.AmazingMuscleCars.com.  AmazingMuscleCars.com is a site devoted to the preservation and support of the few remaining SC/Ramblers.

1970-78 Hornet <--- Empty

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General Information Body Styles And Trim Levels Engines Transmissions Production Numbers VIN Decoder Unit Body Identification Plate Bibliography

General Information

Surely someone knows something about this car.

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Body Styles and Trim Levels

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Engines

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Transmissions

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Production Numbers

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VIN Decoder

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Unit Body Identification Plate

Body

Model

Trim

Paint

The following colors were available in ????-????. The original color can be determined by looking at the Paint code on the body tag. If there are two codes separated by a dash, the first code is the primary body color and the second code is the upper body (sometimes roof) or accent color. For example, a car that was black with a white top would have a paint code of 1-72. Paint codes may also be prefixed with a P or suffixed with an A. Note that some cars were painted non-standard colors. These cars will typically have a code such as " 00" or "SPEC". This was reserved for large orders in the special color, usually for fleet use.

Paint Code	Color	Years
1	Classic Black	???

Color samples can be viewed at http://autocolorlibrary.com/aclns.html

Sequential Assembly Number

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Bibliography

The following sources were used to verify the information contained on this page:

• Resource 1
• Resource 2

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1979-83 Concord <--- Empty

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car pictures go here

General Information Body Styles And Trim Levels Engines Transmissions Production Numbers VIN Decoder Unit Body Identification Plate Bibliography

General Information

Surely someone knows something about this car.

top

Body Styles and Trim Levels

top

Engines

top

Transmissions

top

Production Numbers

top

VIN Decoder

top

Unit Body Identification Plate

Body

Model

Trim

Paint

The following colors were available in ????-????. The original color can be determined by looking at the Paint code on the body tag. If there are two codes separated by a dash, the first code is the primary body color and the second code is the upper body (sometimes roof) or accent color. For example, a car that was black with a white top would have a paint code of 1-72. Paint codes may also be prefixed with a P or suffixed with an A. Note that some cars were painted non-standard colors. These cars will typically have a code such as " 00" or "SPEC". This was reserved for large orders in the special color, usually for fleet use.

Paint Code	Color	Years
1	Classic Black	???

Color samples can be viewed at http://autocolorlibrary.com/aclns.html

Sequential Assembly Number

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Bibliography

The following sources were used to verify the information contained on this page:

• Resource 1
• Resource 2

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