Purple Reign: 1957 Rambler Six Custom
Oh what a tangled web we weave.. This isn’t a “custom” as in a wacky Ford Shoebox or a Tub’d Cameo, but a Custom, as in a 1957 Rambler Custom, the top trim level for this car. This beautifully-restored car is at an upcoming Tom Mack Classics Auction which takes place on January 14th and the car is in Concord, North Carolina.
What a grille! I love this grille, much more so than some other grilles that I’ve seen. This was a new design in 1956 and in 1957 Rambler was a separate brand, or marque, and the Custom was the top of the line. There was also a Deluxe and a Super, as well as the famous Cross Country Wagon and also a four-door-hardtop sedan. I think these are beautiful cars and so much more interesting than a lot of other cars of the period. But, I like unusual vehicles.
While I absolutely love this design, I’m not enamored with the Plum Iridescent hue on this car. But, it’s so rare to see an actual color on a vehicle these days.
What a gorgeous restoration! This looks like a no-expenses-spared car. That’s quite an interesting contrasting interior. It sure looks fresh and clean, this car couldn’t have had much use after being restored.
Here’s the “Six” part of the car’s name, a 195.6 cubic-inch “Typhoon” inline-six with about 120 hp. 1957 was the first year for the new V8 and that would have made this car worth quite a bit more, but the six outsold the V8 by a wide margin even though the V8 was only $100 more, so this is what most people drove. As with the rest of the car, the engine looks top-notch. Are there any fans of these unusual Ramblers out there?
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Comments
I dunno, Scotty — I think the color sort of fits this car! If nothing else, it’s more eye-catching than the two-tone pastel schemes I’ve seen on so many of these….
Oddly enough, the auction listing describes this as a “wagon.” Did some crazy like the guy who did the earlier Chevy Cameo Kustom lop off the back of the roof? No matter, I dig it, and 120 hp should be enough to keep out of the way of traffic.
I suspect it will command crazy money, as it looks like the previous owner poured some Big Bucks into it. I assure you that if it was bid up to the level of many Ramblers I’ve seen in the past — we’re talking mid- to high-three-digit range — I’d be all over it! It is, after all, a wee bit too (shall we say) noticeable to use as a DD….
Wife and I bought his car off Streetside in 2019 Parked it in storage unit at the end of car show season after making it to only one show, we were sick a lot that summer. We just finished getting it out of storage towed to show for new battery and complete check out and it’s now in our new houses garage. Looking forward to hopefully many shows next year. Going to try for one this weekend. Have to get the wife talked back into going to Canada as most of the shows in our area are across the border.
Silly question, Scotty knows better than to ask me that. My favorite Ramblers, although, I like them all. Believe it or not. planethoustonamx shows the color charts for Nash-Hudson-Rambler 1957, and Plum Poly ( code P-86) is a factory color. I lived near the Rambler plant in Milwaukee, and we’d see these wacky colors go by on car carrier trucks. Probably the nicest Rambler I’ve seen yet.
Howard…rotflmao……..yer pal is STILL at it. You’d think “they”, he or she, could find some lint to pick off their shirt instead of down thumbing yet another intelligent and useful comment. Sheesh,,,,the internet……..
HI WM, while I still notice that, I don’t participate in such foolishness, up or down.
Love Ramblers! I could handle the Plum color exterior, but the carpeting against the b & w seating would give me a raging headache. I’d have to change out the carpet for something more subdued .. black, or gray
Hoping this little gem gets a good home with a comfy garage!
Mom and Dad bought a new one circa 1957 – a turquoise and white station wagon. At the time I’d rather been seen in a Pontiac or the like, but today? I’d love to have that wagon. :-) Terry J
Aint it funny how time alters our opinion of what’s ‘cool’ .. cars our parent’s drove were ‘awful’ .. 73/74 Plymouth Fury in bland gold, bland brown vinyl interior
Now .. I spend my idle hours searching the classifieds hunting for Mom’s 69 Mercury Colony Park, Pop’s 62 Rambler American, ’63 Corvair Monza … the Mercury Breezeway … the list seems endless
If that was a Rebel, I’d say jump on it. Rare model with the 327 & 4 speed, & one of the fastest out of factory cars in the late 50’s.
Rebel 0-60 in 7.5 sec.
fuelie Corvette 0-60 in 7.0 sec.
2nd fastest car in 57
@G1, I’ve posted this link elsewhere, a feature I produced years ago for the UK title Classic American, where I made the case that the 1957 Rebel, not the 1964 Pontiac GTO, is the first by-definition muscle car (biggest engine in an intermediate-sized or smaller car).
http://photos.imageevent.com/mmm_mag/richtruesdellpdfs/1957_Rambler_Rebel_Classic_American.pdf
It’s a battle, dare I say crusade, I’ve carried on for more than a decade. And I haven’t been too successful as most enthusiasts continue to believe the 1964 Tempest GTO is the one.
I have been fortunate over the years to photograph three Rebels and hope that 2017 will be the year that a major US magazine picks up a story on one of them.
In my feature, I cited Motor Trend for the 0-60 time, which was 7.2 seconds. It compares quite favorably with the 6.7 second time Car Life cited for the 1964 Tempest GTO.
While it is a year newer and the next-generation Rambler, this 1958 Rambler Custom station wagon, with just 9,800 miles, sold at Barrett-Jackson in 2009 for $14,900. It was featured in the premiere issue of Legendary American Motors Magazine (available on Amazon).
Based on that sale, I suspect that this beautiful Rambler is going to probably sell for something a bit more than $15,000. I suspect will still be less than the cost to restore one to this level.
Too bad it’s not one of the limited-production V-8 1957 Rambler Rebel, arguably the first true muscle car.
I could see some Minnesota Vikings fan out there scooping this baby up to drive to the dome on home Sundays. Awesome!
Rex sorry.Wife bought it it’s in our garage in Washington and whe’s s Seahawk fan
Absolutely gorgeous. No mention of transmission. As the top trim level model one would think auto, but with the six, probably 3 speed (hopefully with OD). I see column mounted shifter but no shot of pedals.
I think Rambler’s had push button tranny control for 58-62.
Interior photo shows a shift lever on steering column. I can’t tell if it’s manual or automatic.
Hoping for a manual/OD….
Three speed with overdrive automatic
“Only a hundred dollars more” was a LOT of money back then, which is why more folks opted for the 6 cyl…it’d be like spending an additional $1000 or more today.
Lovely looking Rambler. I find the front of the car more attractive than the 1958 and 59 Rambler. On some cars, they look like they’re trying to imitate the “forward look” made famous by Chrysler of the same generation.
I have seen the one bolt that holds the rear end in place on these cars. I think I’d keep it to light duty.
my neighbor had one of these back in the 60s , he used to load his son and any other kid in the neighborhood that wanted to go fishing in it and take us down to the river , good times . His car was grey !
What a stunning interior ( minus carpet)- sure makes today’s cabins look dark and blah.
beautiful car…it’s one of those that’s soooo ugly it’s pretty…..
Can there be 2 of these left in the world that look as nice as this one? That color looks very stately on this car.
My older brother had a ’57 Rambler Rebel. 327 cu. in. It was a real screamer and a head turner. I believe it had copper insrts in the side panels.
George B., do you mean one of these? I have made the case that this is the first by definition (big engine in intermediate-sized car or smaller, the same that is used to define the 1964 Pontiac Tempest GTO as the first muscle car) muscle car.
Link to a story I wrote on this car, a decade ago for Classic American in the UK.
http://photos.imageevent.com/mmm_mag/richtruesdellpdfs/1957_Rambler_Rebel_Classic_American.pdf
The inserts on the 1957 Rambler Rebel are anodized in Gold, much like those on my 1969 Jeep Super Wagoneer.
It’s just sooo refreshing to see the simplicity under that hood; I miss those days!
This car is also featured on OldRide for $15,395 in Cadillac, Mich. From Texas, then Michigan, now NC. That’s the old car biz, for sure. http://www.oldride.com/classic_cars/461314.html
Auction update: this unbelievably nice car sold for $10,000! Ugh, that was a steal.