When American Motors introduced the redesigned Rebel in 1967, it was the only new intermediate in the American marketplace. All other mid-size cars looked old in comparison. The head start was something that AMC was not used to when competing toe-to-toe with the Big Three, which was its strategy at the time. Today, Rebels are somewhat ignored except by Rambler folks, which is a good reason why we choose this 1968 Rebel 770 four-door sedan as our Pick of the Day. It is being sold on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in southern New Jersey. (Click the link to view the listing)
The Rebel series featured a monocoque body and included the base 550, mid-level 770 and top-line SST. The 770 was available as a four-door sedan and a two-door semi-fastback hardtop. AMC considered the 770 “chromier, plusher, lusher” than the 550; extra features as part of the the 770 included rear ash trays, rear arm rests, Custom steering wheel, glove box lock, dual horns, and cloth and vinyl or all-vinyl seats. Nifty features like recessed door handles were a distinguishing feature compared to the Big Three.
A 232 six was standard, with a 290 and 343 V8 with up to 280 horsepower as options (a 315-horsepower 390 was introduced later in the year). A four-speed manual was available for the V8s, and gears as radical as 4.44:1 were available from your local AMC dealership. Some trivia: not only were the Rebel 550 and SST convertibles AMC’s final intermediate droptops, but they also were the final AMC convertibles, period.
This 69,000-mile 1968 Rebel 770 four-door sedan features the 290 two-barrel engine backed by an automatic transmission. Seller says it has power steering and a limited-slip rear, the latter which is quite unusual. “Extremely solid,” (s)he says, though also admits “some rust on passenger dog leg.” The original owner’s manual and owner’s card are included.
As this is written, Barrett-Jackson’s auction in Scottsdale is going on. There are a lot of expensive vehicles out there, but there’s a lot of affordable cars to be found and enjoyed. Maybe this isn’t a Carrera GT, but it’s a solid American sedan that is not often seen. For $6,995, don’t you think this 1968 AMC Rebel 770 four-door sedan is worth a look?
To view this car on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
