Desirable V8 Optioned: 1965 Rambler Marlin
The Rambler Martin, also known as the AMC Rambler, was a personal luxury car built by American Motors Corporation from 1965 to 1967. This example is the first year of the model and is listed for sale for $19,900 by a dealer in Redmond, Oregon. The car appears to be in driver condition and there are multiple pictures of the car from every angle in the ad here on Hemmings.com. The car is painted red with a black interior and is reported to be 1 of 6,013 Ramblers equipped with the 327 cubic inch V8 engine.
The car has just received new front seat upholstery and carpet. The rest of the interior is said to be original. The odometer reads 14,179 and the seller disclaims whether this is actual or exceeding the mechanical limits of the car. The center console houses the shifter of the “Flash-O-Matic” automatic transmission. The car is equipped with reclining bucket seats and the dash does not have any cracks in it. Other options include the original radio and tilt steering.
The engine bay is clean and well sorted but could use some detailing before the next car show. Upon the introduction of the car, magazines reported 0-60 times ranging from 9 seconds to 11 seconds when equipped with the 327 cubic inch V8 engine. Quarter mile times exceeded 17 seconds. This model is not in the same league with later muscle cars but it was designed to be a well balanced personal performance car. The 327 cubic inch V8 engine was rated at 270 gross horsepower.
If you have read this far, you are probably a Marlin enthusiast and know a lot more about this car than the average car guy or you are intrigued by the long swept back roof design of the car. Some magazines back in 1965 were complimentary of the Marlin and others thought is was ugly. The trim and ornaments on the car appear to be pitted. AMC used pot metal on some of their cars and it is amazing that this car is in as nice of shape as it is. I hope it gets out on the road soon because it will turn heads.
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Comments
Great looking car, I love these. And it’s different than the sea of same-old familiar makes and modes you see all the time at shows. Nice find.
If you like 66-67 chargers you got to like this.
Funny how they beat Dodge to the showroom floor with the Marlin. A few years later every manufacturer was selling fastback, or as my father called them, “torpedo cars”.
I always found it strange that Rambler/AMC used engine displacements associated with other legendary engines. 327, 390 were spot on, while the 290, 343, and 401 were close cousins.
AMC’s 327 V8 was first offered for the 1957 model year. Chevrolet’s didn’t come along until 1962.
AMC’s 327 V8 was first offered in the 1957 model year. Chevrolet’s didn’t come along until 1962.
AMC finally got it right with the 1967 model, IMHO.
Not a sales success. It might have been one of the early styling “Miscues” American Motors became famous for.
Didn’t this just recently sell for $22,750 here or on BaT (Bring a Trailer)? If so, this is not a good sign, unless the buyer defaulted.
I see it has the very desired optional electric window wiper motor, and not the standard AMC/Rambler vacuum wipers that continued into the 1970’s. The 1965-66 Rambler Marlins were a modified Rambler Classic/Ambassador which all had torque tube driveshaft & rear suspension. The 1966 Rambler Classic body was replaced by an all new design in 1967 with an open driveshaft so the 1967 Marlin was a totally different car than the 1965 &66’s.
All manufacturers used pot metal for emblems and trim.
AMC had a concept car called the Tarpon, which preceded this car. It was based on the Rambler American, a smaller and potentially sportier car. They could have been in the thick of the pony car market; but…..
Had aa 63 Rambler 660 S.W., white/red great car 6 cyl., put O.D on it so it went down the road easier, it also had electric wipers..
Had a Correct Craft, 19 ft W/AMC 327 2b, ran like a champ, could pull 4 skiers
on 2 skies W/4 people in boat out of the water
ah the memories, my grandfather had one of these, and us three grandkids would spend summer weeks at the farm, and ride in it to the store ……
It’s a relatively rare car, and with decent options and straight looking body, but the fresh red paint looks like they did minimal prep. The pic of the driver’s door with the mirror in the picture looks like they didn’t prep the metal under the window. The gas cap also looks like poor prep and so does the trunk floor. If the previous owner went to the expense to paint the car, why didn’t they have the rear bumper straightened. And the engine paint job, with spray painted hoses, missed surfaces and the hose running on top of the shock tower support look very amateur. It just seems odd.
“The Martin, also known as the AMC Rambler…” 🙄
1) Marlin
2) Rambler Marlin in ‘65, AMC Marlin ‘66-‘67- never called AMC Rambler.
I owned three ‘64 Ramblers. (They were cheap) One was a ‘64 Ambassador with a 327. It was no slouch performance-wise, but the antiquated front suspension was junk. It shimmied at anything over 30 mph. Cleared up at about 65. It could bury the speedometer but between the shaky front end and intermittent brake booster it was a death trap.
Bob,
The ’65 and ’66 Marlin was based on the Rebel. The ’67. A totally different car as you put it, was based on the Ambassador
Nice looking car. I used to know someone who had an AMC Marlin.