August 1957 Motor Trend magazine, showing American Motors' Rambler Palm Beach show car, designed and commissioned by Pinin Farina. Unfortunately, nothing became of this gorgeous car. Rambler wouldn't have anything even remotely "sporty" until the Marlin of 1965 and then the Javelin of '68.
Left-hand page of interior black and white spread.
Right-hand page of interior black and white spread.
Photo found with Google Images, identified as a 1956 model. The Motor Trend article states that this was a private venture of Pinin Farina's and not a factory commission.
Another image from Google, showing the beautiful profile of this 2 seat sports car. It's really too bad Rambler couldn't have found a place for it in their lineup, but they were still smarting from Nash's sportscar endeavor of their recent past, the Nash-Healey. That was another beautiful sportscar that just couldn't be sold profitable for anything less than $6000, more than the price of a Cadillac of those years.
A lot of years of my life all I wanted was a two-seater. Just enough room for me and a bag of groceries.
ReplyDeleteBeep beep
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1c4QZGQw5o&p=941D7BCDF7B1A7A4&playnext=1&index=26
Casey, I was reading my issue of Vanity Fair while I waited for my granddaughter this evening. While I was reading this article http://www.vanityfair.com/society/features/2010/09/the-new-preppy-201009
ReplyDeleteon the new preppy handbook I thought of you when I got to the section on logology. You may not be interested in the entire article but thought the bit about logos would amuse you. ;)
It's a Rambler T-Bird. Gorgeous color, too.
ReplyDeleteI really wish more companies like Morgan were still in existence. Jags and Mini's are nice but England needs something else.
ReplyDeleteBristol is still cranking out the Blenheim. TVR is on hiatus. Marcos is gone - thank goodness.
ReplyDeleteI loved the original Marcos, but the last 'revival' was hideous. I would love a Bristol, really old-worlde type of car. Do they still make that 200+ mph model that looks like an old Sting Ray. I wonder? I prefer the older model, with the spare tires inside the front fenders!
ReplyDeleteThe Palm Beach has always been a favorite of mine. It's gorgeous and AMC should have made it. It should have been much cheaper to make than the wonderful Nash Healey as it used the regular underpinnings of the Rambler. I think it would have been a success but this was during the Romney years and I believe anything frivolous and fun was anathema to him.
ReplyDeleteBristol is still making both the traditional upright Bristols and that swoopie one -- the Beaufighter is its name, I think. Check with your friend Nigel -- I'm sure he knows what Bristol is up to!
Paul, NYC
Alas, it is SO too bad they didn't put these cars into production. It would have helped so much with my "image." Our family was strictly American Motors, so I had to defend them before my (high school) peers, which wasn't necessarily easy. It was a fuddy-duddy brand.
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/29gt6ne