1968 AMC Rebel

[AMCrebel]

I actually had to borrow the cash of a mate because the bank wouldn't let me make a cash withdrawal of that size on just my debit card in Bath where I was working at the time.

Said mate also kindly drove me to collect it.

It was a funny time as I had food poisoning and I'd been laid up in bed, scared to fart. I was feeling just about viable.

I went and filled it up with fuel - interesting as it spit back every attempt to put in more than a litre an hour.
(It would later transpire the cause of this was a fuel tank from who knows what car fitted in place of the original and with no proper breather arrangements).

Later on I stopped again and the thing just wouldn't restart - flattened the battery trying. There was a very stern woman (Eastern European or possibly German) working as a cashier at the filling station to whom I am eternally grateful as she sweet talked another customer into giving me a jumpstart much against his wishes.

Great - got it running, returned the wonderful cashiers jumpleads, jumped in, pressed the go pedal and ...it stalled.
I couldn't keep asking so I phoned the RAC. RAC man said the battery was from a Nissan Micra and not that great, but got me going - only about 3 hours to home so I just kept going - until......

On the M5 (it was raining btw) I really really really needed a slash so pulled in at the services.

Went for said slash, praying car would restart - and it did!

Rest of the trip was uneventful.

[AMCrebel]

Over the years I have fixed a bazzillion bodges and done a few of my own. It is actually one of the most reliable cars I have owned. It takes some coaxing into life sometimes - it will start when cold but sometimes doesn't want to run. The engine (289 cu in V8 - the smallest V8 they did) is fucked, but I have 2 spares!

[AMCrebel]

Interior as bought - I have since changed the seats for narrower "bucket" ones from the 1967 parts car I bought. Sold the originals to a bloke on the Blue.

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[AMCrebel]

Sad tales of other RHD AMCs - This one was snapped at a show, found the pic on flickr I think

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Some while later, awaiting prep for the oval -

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I snapped it there as I managed to get some bits off it.
They offered me the engine but I declined as I didn't think I needed one.

I tried to buy the whole car but they wouldn't sell it.

Many years later I would drive to Scotland (North of Edinburgh) and pay £600 for that very same engine from a bloke who was going to put it in his PC Cresta (or maybe it was a Viscount) project but changed his mind. He also gave me the auto box.

[cros]

Like like.

[AMCrebel]

Another sad case - no wonder I couldn't buy a RHD AMC Wagon when I wanted one

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[fried onions]

How these cars go from being mirror polished on the show circuit to the banger circuit I don't know. Expensive repair bill or fuckwit owners or a combination?

[AMCrebel]

I think the Blue one's proud owner died and it was left to rot as no-one much wanted to know. I expect the same will happen to mine when I croak

[Warren t claim]

My local AMC dealer's showroom from 50 years ago. Sadly the sign was removed and probably sold two years ago. Part of my childhood gone.

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[Warren t claim]

And a quarter of a mile down the road was this other former AMC showroom.

This used to be The Jeep Centre selling Daisy Duke CJ3s and those chrome grilled Cherokee station wagons with slightly suspect RHD conversions that they tried to import here back in the late 70s.

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