Photos by the author.
Any Northeasterner into AMCs must have seen Bob Majeski's 1958 Rambler Ambassador over the last 14 years: In the time that he's owned it, Bob has put 34,000 miles on it driving it to pretty much every major AMC show in the region. Now Bob is counting on that familiarity to bring his car back to him after thieves took it in broad daylight over the weekend.
"I used to joke, 'Why would anybody ever steal it?'" Bob said. "It's pretty much the only one around, and nobody needs any parts from it. And yeah, it's a beautiful car, but it's a 1958 Rambler, so who'd want it?"
Nevertheless, after he came back from a drive with some friends, mapping out the weekend's dust-off run for the Connecticut region of the American Motors Owners Association and AMC Rambler Club, he found his Ambassador missing from where he left it earlier that afternoon in the parking lot of the All Seasons Inn and Suites in Smithfield, Rhode Island.
"I'm floored," he said. "I can't believe anybody would want to steal this car with AMXs and Javelins around it. All I can figure is that somebody thought they were stealing a '57 Chevy, and somebody opening a container in South America will be surprised when they see my car."
Ordered as a dealer demonstration car, the Ambassador Custom Country Club four-door hardtop (chassis number V38666, one of about 1,300 built) came loaded with just about every option available except for power steering windows. That means it has the four-barrel 270-hp, 327-cu.in. V-8, Flash-O-Matic automatic transmission, Twin-Grip limited-slip differential, Weather-Eye, reclining seats, power steering, power brakes, and wide whitewall tires. Thirty years after selling it to make room for the 1959 models, the original dealer bought it back and then held on to it until his death. Bob, a co-founder of the Nash Car Club of America and a certified AMC nut who's owned 13 Nashes and five or six AMCs, then bought the Ambassador from the dealer's widow several years later.
At the time, it showed 51,000 miles, and all Bob's really had to do to it in the years since is replace a few pieces of chrome trim, recondition almost the entire drivetrain, and put more miles on it. "It's been a great road car," he said. "In 2002, I took it to Kenosha, and the farthest I drove it was to the AMO national meet in Georgia (in 2005)."
Anybody with information on the whereabouts of Bob's Ambassador should call Bob himself at 203-758-5758 or the Smithfield Police Department at 401-231-2500.
UPDATE (2.November 2016): The Ambassador has been found, though Bob has in the meantime bought another Ambassador to enjoy.
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Powertrain Combos
Several generations of Dodge Power Wagons exist with various engine combos. Initially, the PW T202 was powered by a 79 horsepower 201 cubic-inch straight six. The T202 was replaced by the T207 with a more military-spec hood, grille and fenders. These models got a 218 cubic-inch engine making 85-hp. Later upgraded T211 and T215 models were powered by a 230 cubic-inch flathead straight six-cylinder engine making 94 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque. Various cabs were available as well, making the Power Wagon suitable for everything from a pickup truck to a ranch vehicle, tow truck, school bus or fire truck. Thankfully, parts are still relatively easy to acquire.
Here is a sampling of some of the latest Dodge Power Wagon listings on Hemmings.com:
1942 Dodge Power Wagon WC-53 Carryall: This 1942 Power Wagon WC-53 Carryall was a capable ¾-ton truck outfitted for battlefield duty and built to carry anything, hence the Carryall name. This particular model is said to run and drive great! It features a sustained 40 lbs of oil pressure, a rebuilt carburetor with original air cleaner, a cleaned fuel system, an electric fuel pump and original wood flooring in good condition. A permanent steel roof and new olive drab paint help to “make it more presentable.”
1950 Dodge Power Wagon WDX Firetruck: This brush-fire firetruck is said to be in great condition with no rust, new tires, Warren front axle hubs, a siren, multiple hoses, a spare tire, multiple hoses and more. It includes excellent upholstery and offers great driving, braking and running. The water tank has been relined. It’s perfect for parade use and might even be good for extinguishing a fire!
1947 Dodge Power Wagon WDX WM300: This 1947 Power Wagon 4x4 is perfect for your next project car. It is sold without engine and radiator although it offers a complete drivetrain including flywheel, bellhousing, transmission, transfer case, axles, brakes and drive shafts. It also includes a service body that would look great in front of a tow truck or stake truck bed. The body, cab-front fenders, hood and grille are all said to be in great shape. It also includes power take-off (PTO) but is missing a winch.
1952 Dodge Power Wagon M37: This 1952 Dodge Power Wagon M37 been a piece of fire apparatus for the Orkney Springs, Virginia, Volunteer Fire Department for nearly all its life. Configured for brush fire service, it has around 17,600 miles and absolutely no rust. It includes a new canvas top, new tires, new clutch, axle seals and is complete with its fire pump. It’s a specialized vehicle for a specialized buyer. At this moment, it is still in service at Orkney Springs.
1947 Dodge Power Wagon 4-Speed Manual: Powered by a 230 cubic inch 6-cylinder engine and four-speed manual transmission, this 1947 specimen is the rest-o-mod of the Power Wagon set. It features four-wheel drive with hi-lo transfer case, a power take-off (PTO), Braden MU2 winch, locking front hubs, an aluminum fuel tank, Monroe Magnum shock absorbers, dual cowl lamps, a side-mount spare tire, and an oak bed floor.
1953 Dodge Power Wagon M37 The Dodge M37 Power Wagon featured many similar components to the WWII WC series trucks and improved on many of the WC’s faults. These trucks saw action in the Korean and Vietnam War and also saw action in Nicaraguan Revolution and Salvadoran Civil War. This model features an original T245 engine displacing 230 cubic inches and making 78 horsepower. It has less than 20,000 miles since restoration, new upholstery and a host of upfits. The windshield even folds forward, like a Jeep.
1942 Dodge Power Wagon WC-53 Carryall: Built as a Carryall, this 1942 Power Wagon WC-53 was converted to a pickup truck. The seller suggests it might be possible to convert back to the standard Carryall. This example includes the original engine, combat rims, a 12-volt radio and a body said to be in excellent condition. For the most part, it's cancer-free with windows in ok condition, two front seats and bed canvas top bows to support a canvas roof over the bed. The sale will include a working tailgate and bed floor.
You can keep abreast of the latest consignments by subscribing to the daily Hemmings Auctions email newsletter.
1979 Porsche 911 Turbo
Reserve: $165,000
Selling Price: $187,950
Recent Market Range: $120,000-$165,000
The Porsche 911 Turbo, a.k.a. 930, rewrote the rules on what made a sports car a supercar in the 1970s. During a time when other manufacturers struggled, Porsche’s first turbocharged road car combined otherworldly performance with everyday comfort and usability. Porsche stopped importing the 911 Turbo from 1980 through 1985, leaving early examples coveted by collectors. Unmodified, save for a Fabspeed intake and intercooler, this 1979 Porsche 911 Turbo was listed as having been treated to a “complete cosmetic and mechanical restoration.” Offered in a desirable color combination with low overall miles, it sold for a price higher than the recent market range, suggesting it was a high-quality example.
1928 Ford Model A Sport Coupe
Reserve: $24,000
Selling Price: $49,350
Recent Market Range: $20,000-$30,000
Ford’s Model A was at the center of the collector car hobby for many years. It remains solidly collectible and the impressive sale of this 1928 Ford Model A Sport Coupe last week suggests that the market for the best examples also stands strong. Though it looks like a convertible, the Model A Sport Coupe’s roof does not fold, and the car features a weather-tight passenger cabin with full roll-up windows. Rumble seat passengers do face the elements, however. This car featured a seemingly thorough restoration with minor upgrades along with some stellar documentation, which helped push its final selling price 65% higher than the recent market average and an impressive 106% above the reserve.
1971 Oldsmobile Vista-Cruiser Station Wagon
Reserve: $28,000
Selling Price: $42,000
Recent Market Range: $22,000-$35,000
Wagons have been a hot commodity with collectors for a solid two decades. Given their primary role as family transportation, many were worn out and simply thrown away, scrapped to make way for the next generation of automobiles. Showing just over 54,000 miles at submission, this 1971 Oldsmobile Vista-Cruiser, with its signature Vista-Roof that gave second- and third-row passengers added views, appeared to have escaped that fate that consumed so many other wagons from the era. The very clean condition shown in the photos—along with that odometer—surely contributed to this 11-window Olds achieving a net sale price 50% better than reserve and 20% greater than the high end of the recent market range.
1957 Chevrolet Corvette Restomod
Asking Price: $94,999
Selling Price: $79,800
Recent Market Range: $65,000-$90,000
Fans of early Corvettes could appreciate this two-tone Aztec Copper and Polo White 1957 Chevrolet Corvette restomod. In place of the original 283-cu.in. engine sat a modified 327 V8 with fuel injection, MSD Pro-Billet electronic distributor, and other upgrades. The chassis was treated to upgrades as well, including a custom front end with coilover shocks, tubular control arms, rack-and-pinion steering and Wilwood disc brakes. The seller’s notes indicate that the car was built for “driving fun and sunny days” and was stored in a climate-controlled garage. Its net sale price as a direct Make Offer listing fell just over the midpoint range of similar modified ’57 Corvettes in similar condition.
1927 Stearns-Knight Model G-8-85 Cabriolet
Reserve: $80,000
Selling Price: $84,000
Recent Market Range: $72,000-$105,000
Frank Stearns famously built his first car at age 17 in 1896. The founder of the F.B. Stearns Company later became the first to license the Knight sleeve-valve engine. Stearns retired in the 1920s, selling the company to John Willys. Stearns-Knight automobiles were considered luxury cars and always had powerful engines. A Full Classic per the CCCA and believed to be the last of this engine, body and chassis combination extent, this faithfully restored 1927 Stearns-Knight Model G-8-85 Cabriolet featured a 102-hp, 385-cu.in. sleeve-valve straight-eight, along with a known history (including the granddaughter of Frank Stearns owning it at one point). It sold for a market-correct price as a post-auction Make Offer.
1948 Crosley Gasporter Fuel Tanker
Reserve: $15,000
Selling Price: $15,70
Recent Market Range: $12,000-$20,000
Engineering Research Associates of St. Paul, Minnesota was a computer startup founded by scientists and engineers who spent World War II in the code-breaking game. It also manufactured the Gasporter, a small, Crosley-based tanker truck built primarily to serve small airports. ERA additionally advertised the Gasporter to serve a variety of operations, including marine terminals, fire truck refueling, and fleet services, such as for taxicabs. Essentially a 200-gallon tank with wheels, this 1948 Crosley Gasporter fuel tanker was restored to a seemingly high standard, complete with period Chevron Aviation Gasoline livery. A rarely seen collectible, we believe this Gasporter sold at a market-correct price.
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