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Junkyard Gem: 1955 Hudson Rambler Customized Cross Nation

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The American Motors Company was shaped when the Nash-Kelvinator Company and the Hudson Motor Automotive Firm merged in 1954. New automobiles with AMC badges did not present up till the 1966 mannequin yr, nevertheless; previous to that, the previous marque names have been stored alive for some time. Automobiles with Nash badges survived till 1957, whereas Rambler (previously a Nash mannequin identify) turned the primary AMC model by means of 1967 (although the Nineteen Thirties Nash “Climate Eye” characteristic identify went on AMC dashboards nicely into the Nineteen Seventies). The Hudson identify received the axe similtaneously Nash, however one AMC machine managed to get two marque names simply earlier than that: the Hudson Rambler Customized Cross-Nation station wagon. Here is a type of uncommon machines, noticed a couple of months in the past in a Wyoming self-service yard simply over the border from Colorado.

It is onerous to overlook Cheyenne Auto and Steel whenever you’re heading up I-25 from Colorado, as a result of the yard is positioned very near the fireworks retailer with this memorable emblem.

The one seen distinction between the Rambler Customized Cross Nation and the Hudson Rambler Cross Nation was the grille badge. In any other case, the 2 have been similar.

You may see the shadow of that Hudson badge on this automobile’s grille, but it surely’s lengthy gone. The Hudson-badged model of this automobile was out there for simply the 1955 and 1956 mannequin years. Among the paint schemes received fairly wild.

The one clue that allowed me to find out that this automobile was offered new as a Hudson was the quantity on this firewall tag. My guess is that Hudson fanatics do not contemplate this Nash to be one in every of their very own, simply as many Packard aficionados flip their backs on the rebadged-and-fish-faced Studebakers of 1958.

This engine is a straight-six flathead of 196 cubic inches’ (3.2 liters) displacement, generally known as the Nash “Flying Scot.” It was rated at 90 horsepower in 1955. This engine went on to a protracted profession with American Motors, out there in flathead type by means of 1965. It is not mechanically associated to the later overhead-valve AMC straight-six, which was nonetheless being put in in new Jeeps as late as 2006, however I contemplate it the non secular ancestor of the Jeep 4.0.

This automobile might be bought with an automated transmission (a GM-built two-speed Powerglide), however the base three-on-the-tree column-shift handbook went into most ’55 Ramblers.

There’s only one gauge (not counting the clock), and it is this well-designed all-in-one unit.

I considered shopping for the sprint clock for my hoard assortment, however mechanical automobile clocks that sit exterior for many years are typically rusted stable inside.

These automobiles are very cool, however the fee to revive one on this situation can be breathtaking (particularly contemplating that a fantastic instance with Buick V6 swap offered for simply $21,000 final yr).

AMC stored the Cross Nation identify for wagons by means of at the least 1967.

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