Re: What's the Story?

[TABunsey@xxxxxxx]

On July 9, 2005 JOE B FULTON wrote:

> Was there a "hurst edition" ambassador in 1965?  See
> this Ebay auction: 4560909299
> 
> Joe Fulton
> 
> Salinas, CA


Joe:

There NEVER was a "Hurst" anything Ambassador. 
But, from 1963 thru 1965 Rambler put a "H" letter after the trim level/series designation to identify the "prestiege model" in the series.

The "H" model ALWAYS designated a Hardtop body style, and I suspect that "H" really just stood for "Hardtop"

Back then, Rambler used numbers to designate trim level. Thus:

American Series

220 was the base trim level (no chrome, rubber flor mats, etc)
330 was the middle trim level (some chrome, carpet, more seating choices, etc)
440 was the highest trim (more chrome, nice interior, etc)
440H was only in the hardtop body (bucket seats standard, etc) [1965 440H evolved into the "Rogue" for 1966]

Classic Series

550 was the base model
660 was the middle trim level
770 was the high trim level
770H, again only in the hardtop body, again highest trim and options

Ambassador series

880 was the base stripper model
990 was the high-line model
990H, again only in the hardtop body style. Again, bucket seats, 327 4-bbl standard, etc.

I've owned several 440H and one 990H cars over the years. The level of standard equipment with emphasis on "sporty" (at least a sporty as Rambler could get) was as high as Rambler could provide. My 1964 440H came standard with bucket seats, console and the highest horsepower engine in the American line (195.6 with the 2-bbl option).

Because Rambler used the "H" to designate these cars, and because most car people associate "H" to mean "Hurst", people that don't know much about Ramblers "assume" that the "H" must mean "Hurst".

They are wrong
But these are the same people that see "327" on the car, and knowing that "Chebby" had a 327, then deduce that the Rambler 327 must be a "Chebby" product.

How many people remember that the first Pontiac V8 was a 287?
Or that Packard had a 327? 
Oh, that must have been a "Chebby" too!
Oh, wait a minute, the Packard was a straight-8, not a V8!
Huhh?


Anyway,

Tom Bunsey


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