1969 AMC Hurst SC/Rambler

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In 2007, Publications International, Ltd. highlighted how AMC followed the classic muscle car formula by fitting its largest engine into a compact frame. With Hurst's collaboration, the 1969 AMC SC/Rambler was born. Explore more muscle car images.

You might find it amusing, but the 1969 AMC Hurst SC/Rambler was capable of outperforming several high-profile muscle cars. Unfortunately, AMC's limited advertising budget led to the car being turned into a moving billboard.

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After venturing into performance vehicles with the '68 AMX and Javelin pony cars, AMC, the fourth-largest automaker in Detroit, aimed to enter the affordable muscle car market using the Rambler Rogue compact. With guidance from Hurst Performance Research Inc., the project adhered to a straightforward hot-rod principle: install the largest V-8 engine available. For AMC, this meant the 315-horsepower, 390-cubic-inch four-barrel engine from the AMX. The drivetrain was completed with a Borg-Warner four-speed transmission featuring a Hurst shifter and a 4:1 limited-slip differential.

In 2007, Publications International, Ltd. noted that the Scrambler's impressive speed came from its high-performance 390-cid V-8 engine, lightweight design, and optimized drivetrain.

The suspension was enhanced with heavy-duty shocks, an anti-sway bar, and anti-hop rear links. It also featured E70X14 Polyglas tires and optional heavy-duty brakes, including front discs. The interior boasted reclining bucket seats, and the instrumentation was standard Rogue, except for a Sun 8000-rpm tachometer mounted on the steering column.

Released mid-year as the AMC SC/Rambler-Hurst, the car was commonly referred to as the Scrambler. Only 1,512 units were produced, and they were known for their impressive power. However, the exterior design received mixed reactions, with Car and Driver describing it as a "tri-colored nickelodeon."

According to Publications International, Ltd. in 2007, the Scrambler resembled a caricature of a supercar, featuring an oversized hood scoop and bold, almost comical paint and graphics.

Every SC/Rambler began as a white hardtop with two-tone mag wheels, racing mirrors, a blacked-out grille and tail panel, Hurst branding, and a functional ram-air hood scoop. The scoop's design, resembling a hound's nose, was polarizing. Approximately 1,200 Scramblers embraced the "Yankee Doodle" theme, showcasing vibrant red body sides, striking hood graphics, and a bold blue stripe. The remaining models featured simpler rocker-panel striping.

With quarter-mile times in the low to mid-14s, some unsuspecting competitors wouldn't even get a full view of the car. Road Test remarked, "This level of acceleration will leave the Hurst emblem in the dust for a few GTOs, Cobra Jets, Road Runners, and Mach 1s."

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The 1969 AMC Hurst SC/Rambler

Specifications

Wheelbase, inches: 106.0

Weight, lbs: 3,300

Number built: 1,512

Base price: $2,998

Standard Engine

Type: ohv V-8

Displacement, cid: 390

Fuel system: 1 x 4bbl.

Compression ratio: 10.2:1

Horsepower @ rpm: 315 @ 4600