1959 Rambler Cross Country Custom Wagon project

OK, I have a question on to remove all that chrome trim? The issue is that they are on there and if I snap them off, will it ruin what's holding it. On the VW they were plastic and just broke. Are there replacements if I go taking the chrome off to sand and paint, to get them back on?

That's my first question. I found the paint at TCP global with a 1959 Rambler paint chip chart from back then. Ordering that once I get a bit into the body and and bumper and trim removal, rear section and top are first, may do the back doors at the same time. Rust is in front on the fenders as well as the rocker panels.

On the top luggage rack I can't find anything for diagrams on the web. Anyone able to tell me anything about them? I can post pics if needed and thanks for any help you guys give! The pic attached shows the side and top and what I need to take off other than the bumper. I gotta find someone to remove that for me, those bolts have been on since 1959 LOL

 

Welcome dianne!

Wow, what an adorable Rambler you have! I love it just the way it is!!!



It looks like yours is an all original wagon, how about you just buy a good polish, and shine it up?

If you must remove the trim, look for a Rambler Body Manual.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/Manuals-Lit...=1&_vxp=mtr&_nkw=1959+American+Motors+Rambler

You might give this place a try: http://www.prattlibrary.org/uploade..._science_and_technology/PDFs/shop_manuals.pdf
They show a 1958 Body Manual with a '59 supplement. There won't be much difference, if any between the two.

This eBay search brought up lots of misc trim clip kits that would probably be helpful to have.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/Exterior-/140698/i.html?_qfkw=1&selvel=1959%7EAmerican%2520Motors%7ERambler%7E-%7E-&_mqf=0&selfil=1%2C2%2C3&_nkw=1959+American+Motors+Rambler&_vxp=mtr

Whatever you do on the trim, take your time.

David

 

Dianne, glad you found original paint chips for your 59 as its to sweet a combo to change in my opinion. as for your mouldings / roof rack David's given you a good heads up on how to deal with removal of mouldings etc and it will no doubt require some internal trim/panel to be taken out to allow access . from downunder

 

It has some cancer, the paint is faded and the color looks nothing like the chips right now. The paint codes are on a metal plate (16-17) and they seem darker. It's a rose and a mauve. Thanks for the trim help, I gotta find one for a 1959 Rambler I guess because there are no screws to hold down the rail and the boat tie downs in front.

Thanks for the leads I'll have to look through them all.

I'm going to work my way forward and fix and paint. Interior back seat is perfect, dusty though LOL, and the panels seem like they can be restretched. It's not a big project, just time and mechanicals on this one.

The Maverick is a different story though

 

I just love that wagon you have! TCP Global seems to have all the paint chips going back years and years. So anyone needing to find the correct color, they're out there!

See the paint chip sheet, colors look a LOT darker than what I have!

Thanks!

 

They are definitely darker, since sunlight fades paint. Certain colors are more succeptable to fading than others. This is a folding bike I just finished which has a color which is notorious for fading. I'm folding it up and will stick it in the wagon, before I drive to Bern Switzerland to pick up my finished passport. Since parking is very expensive and difficult near the embassy, I'll park at this construction site I found, overnight there and then ride to the embassy across town in my hotrod bike with suicide brake grip. The only items that are original are the frame and fork, if you wonder why the fenders haven't faded consistant to the frame paint. Note how darker the paint is where I have that cable wrap mounted than elsewhere on the frame (the paint is even darker, where the sun never shines). Ignore "A". That has nothing to do with it:

 

Cool bike! I understand that paint fade I can't believe the color difference is all between the paint on the car and the chips. This means I need to paint in the engine compartment and the rest of the car like door jams and everything

 

dianne, those paint chips are just a representation of the various colors offered that year, I wouldn't put a lot faith in them being a true match to the real color formulas.

When a car as old as yours gets a new paint job, the jambs and engine compartment usually get painted too, because most of the time, these areas are looking pretty shabby, the engine area especially.
I'm not sure what condition the paint is on your door jambs and engine compartment, but if they are in good shape and you want to shine them up and leave them original, then do that.

I ran into this problem on a '61 Lincoln Continental with original paint. It was a very similar shade of pink called Summer Rose. The engine compartment, door jambs and trunk all showed beautiful creamy beigy-pink. These areas weren't faded, but when compared to the paint chip, they were completely different. Even a sample of mixed paint from an auto paint store was more intense and bubble-gummy than the jambs and not what I wanted.

I decided to have the color custom matched to the color in my jambs, and painted the car that color. It looked perfect, and I was able to leave the perfect jambs and all areas with original paint untouched. But it was probably more work to save the original areas than to just paint them. I did it that way because, well, I'm kinda nuts.

Sooo, the point of my long-winded story is to forget about ordering your paint from TCP Global, and find yourself a good auto paint supply store in your area. Have them do a custom match on an area of your door jambs that never saw sun and is in good shape, and you will have your paint. If you can remove a nice painted piece and let them keep it for a day or two to do a match it is even better...most auto paint stores are used to getting gas cap doors and such to match.

Also, auto paint is extremely expensive. You want a paint store that can advise you to the various options on what to use, and how much you can spend. A good auto paint store should be helpful to you in this manner, and if they aren't, find another.

I don't know where in Idaho you are, so I just did a search of various possibilities in the state.
http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-...69,d.cGE&fp=21f4d9df8e5564c5&biw=1366&bih=622

David

 

There are a couple of good paint shops around here. They are a heck of a lot more expensive than buying online. I was going to do a 3 stage on my honda and the quarts came out to 300 locally. No thanks! LOL The jams and engine compartment are pretty darn good and look as light as the outside. That's why I'm thinking that the paint was the right color on the wagon.

I might take what you said to heart. The Maverick is gonna be grabber blue and that's an easy one to do. The Maverick is something I want to get right. If the car was in fact darker, I'll probably do it darker and the jams and everything also. I have a lot of sanding and grinding to do on surface rust here and there. The jams, as almost perfect as they are, can be repainted. I would take the doors off and do that also - same with the Maverick.

Thanks, I gotta think about it some more. I kind of like the colors on the chips honesty They scream that time when cars were made. I can picture someone in a 50s or early 60s dress getting in and out of that car! LOL If I ever get it to that point of being pretty darn good, it's going to car shows and I'll have to get a dress like that! LOL

 

Dianne, my 70 Chevelle is repainted the original color according to all the various paint suppliers. But it is NOT the same as the original exact same color name of the 70 we bought new. The newer base / clearcoat paint just comes out lighter, more of an orange red than a deep lipstick red. I was more than disappointed, but given the car was totally blown apart and everything was painted it all matches. If I were doing an original car and just the body leaving door jambs, under hood and trunk, the colors, in my case at least, would be quite different. Just an FYI for what its worth.

 

I'm going to have to redo everything including the door jams and under the hood, or I don't think anything will match. I start this weekend on the Rambler and sanding and everything.

Trying to find a carb rebuild kit now

 

Have fun this weekend. Any time spent on my wagon is fun time.

Try Kanter maybe for the carb kit?

http://www.kanter.com///gallery.asp...&Dpt=0&Sb=0&Vdr=&Itm=&MDv=1&MDpt=0&MSb=0&Prc=

 

It's a Holly. I think I just gotta call the local parts store. There are way too many Holly kits with so many numbers and I can't find one on mine. The glass is cool though

 

Getting there, here are some pics of where I am so far!

 

Oh, found one front fender, looking for another now! Getting there! Engine should be back in 2 or 3 weeks, 4 on the outside!