Former Race Car: 1969 AMC SC/Rambler
The SC/Rambler was a one-year muscle car built by American Motors in 1969. It was an American 2-door hardtop (with the compact in its last year) with an AMX powerplant (390 cubic inches). Only 1,512 were built and about a third of those carried the red, white, and blue “A-scheme” paint on the seller’s car. It spent time as a pace car, then a race car before being left out in the woods for several years. The seller has extricated it from those surroundings, but it will need a lot of work and budget to return to its roots.
“A-Scheme” SC/Ramblers would give a nod to the AMC Machine the following year, a Rebel with a similar engine and use of similar colors and execution. The SC/Rambler was an American modified by Hurst Performance, so the additions included a Hurst shifter for the transmission. Like the Machine, the SC/Rambler was marketed to increase buyer traffic in AMC showrooms at the height of the U.S. muscle car craze. Of the total SC/Rambler population, only a couple of hundred of the “A-Schemes” are known to survive.
From the looks of things, the seller’s car led a rough life. A photo is provided of it when it paced the field at Natural Bridge Speedway in Virginia, not exactly a NASCAR crown-jewel track (which is still in operation today). Then it went racing as “Devil Woman” though we don’t know its heritage in that capacity. Finally, it was left to rot in a wooded area where the seller no doubt found it and had it titled in his name as recently as June 2024.
The claimed mileage is 139, but that’s hard to believe with its pace and race duties back in the day. The seller has cleaned it up (such that it can be) and a partially built AMC/Jeep V8 sits where the original 390 would have. It has a 4-speed manual transmission and the Hurst shifter, but they’re not in the car. The interior is largely out of it and may be complete but needs help. There is no radiator or gas tank.
This would be a cool car restored to its glory days, but that effort won’t come cheap. This could work out to be a labor of love if you’re a super AMC fan wanting a rare car from a bygone era. From Cave City, Kentucky, this AMC artifact is being offered here on eBay for $12,000 OBO.
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Comments
Two with low mileage went for over $80K. Average seems to be around $50-60K. So the buyer does have a little room to play with. But you know how quickly you can get that deep.
I prefer the 67-71 Rebels but this is neat. I’d have to learn to weld, but better late than never. I’m wondering how the frame/ rockers look. I’d have left it plain without the lettering..
I hope someone keeps its current paint and lettering, then does a “sympathetic” restoration, do just enough to make it safe, run and drive. Install a 390 with some vintage speed equipment and take it to some shows or vintage races. That would be significantly less expensive than a full restoration while keeping its unique heritage as a race car. Even though it would still be rough, it would stand out in a sea of over restored cars.
Steve R
Let’s see, 139 miles, makes for almost 70 passes, I don’t think so. This car had an inoperative speedo since I was in HS. Some may snicker at an AMC drag car, but Wally Booth had remarkable success with his Hornet pro stock, and others too. Gave the Camaros a run, they did. Coined the “Giant Slayer” “Devil Woman” brings up a slew of gassers, so the name is not original, clearly denouncing the woman who frowned on such activities, it was street driven for quite some time, even through the winter, I’m even wondering if the stories match the car at all.
…”clearly denouncing the woman who frowned on such activities,…”
Where do you get this stuff?! Maybe a girl/woman raced it!
You seem to know a lot about old cars but every once in a while…
You’ve called me out before, don’t you ever have anything to add about the cars featured? I get this stuff from real life experience. While there were a handful of women drivers then, most I doubt would want to be known as a “Devil Woman” and clearly has misogynistic overtones.
The lead pic above looks like a different car than the “Devil Woman” car, at least to my eyes. Where is the lettering on the RHS door in that pic that shows up in the other pictures on Ebay? Seems odd to me.
best
bt
I think the “Devil Woman” livery was added after the car was dragged out of the bramble. The rust patterns under the quarter window match.
Got it – good catch. Thanks Melton
You are right, it’s the same car but with new lettering. The Lakewood sticker on the quarter window is in the same location.
Steve R
@Russ- “but it will need a lot of work and budget to return to its roots.”
Great pun, but a really bad idea. :)
How come no one is commenting that the car in the woods does not appear to be the car Bowtiekid94 is selling on Ebay. They look like two different cars or he put the “Devil Woman” on the car after he got it out of the woods and got it cleaned up. My question would be why? Why do that? He has only owned the car for a month. I would say he knows nothing about the car. $12k, not a chance. You are buying a Jeep motor and VIN#. That is about it.
Well, at least we know the seller “knows what he’s got.”
Restoring this will hurt for more than just a few seconds.
1,512 were made, 1188 were (A) paint scheme (this car) and 324 (B) paint scheme which was white with the red and blue rocker stripes, much more “sedate” appearing, so essentially 80% of the SC/Ramblers were this paint scheme. Restore it to more or less “as raced” condition.
Yes, the A scheme paint cars outnumbered the B scheme. People constantly confuse that. Even back in the 1980’s, all my AMC colleagues knew that A scheme cars were predominant. Personally, i like the A scheme graphics.
Yep….I always check seller feedback……
reminds me of the cheby II w/327, dart w/413, & whatever the falcon had. “Compact” (not even ‘intermediate’) cars w/truck engines… (This one’s abt 10 lb of car per HP)
’S one way to go.
I like the ’58/’60 w/the pininafarina styling instead (🎼 “BepBeep” 🎶 model). Had the 2nd gen (big square box) a white vert. The i6 was so smooth folks laughed at me from curb when ata light. They thought it stalled out!
Hard to believe AMC sold more than twice as many SC/Ramblers – compared to the 697 ’69 T/A’s sold by Pontiac.
Two things on that note: a lot less money & Hurst.
Once great car, now Swiss cheese. It will take every bit of the current high value of these to rebuild this one. Shame.