AMC Ambassador Reviews

Nothing major that I can remember - this was our family car when I was a child. It had a tendency to flood often and become hard to start. The time my father traded it in, it had started to rust through on the lower quarter panels. It also was hinting at a valve job.

This was the typical family car in the 60's that we took road trips in. It had some of the decals that had showed different places we had been on the rear side window. I can remember drive-in movies as a kid, and sometimes going to sleep in the back before the movie was over. Traveling on roads like route 66 while the interstates were still being built, and stopping along the road eating at rest stops that were only picnic tables along the roadside.

I was sad to see this car go.

Fuse went out on Air Conditioning - I replaced it and have had no other problems.

I have never owned an Ambassador until now, and I can tell you, they are one of the best built cars made.

I do think they went too conservative on the sporty options on the Ambassadors.

This car was not particularly well-maintained, and the results show.

There is rust in several places (along the roof rails, around the rear window, and at the bottom of the rear quarters). The rust around the roof is at the margins of the vynil roof the car came with originally (gone now).

The only major problem I have been having with the car is an overheating problem, which seems to only happen on the highway after I've been driving it for a while at highway speed.

The distributor is also somewhat worn and gives the engine an irritating misfire on light acceleration. To be fixed soon.

This is a 4,000 pound car, but it moves out. At 34 years old, it will still light up the rear tires, and neither the engine nor trans have ever been rebuilt.

The suspension is amazing. I was so surprised by the handling that I took it to an auto-cross and ran it. Everyone laughed until the numbers came in. I managed to get that car around the track faster than many other guys did that day, and got to do the cool "Dukes of Hazzard" style driving (ie breaking rear traction and swinging the tail around the twisties) to boot. The only mods from factory was a good set of gas shocks, 16" wheels, and a good set of 60-series tires.

It also has a very comfortable ride for the highway.

-- Marc.