American Motors Corp. was born with the merger of Nash Motors and Hudson Motor Car Co. on May 1st, 1954. It was a union forced by the relentless pressure the American Big Three — General Motors, Ford and Chrysler — was putting on smaller auto companies. Studebaker and Packard would also be forced to combine as Studebaker Packard Corp.
While Hudson’s cars had been largely unchanged since 1948, Nash’s were redesigned in 1952. Since Nash’s products were newer, it was the dominant partner and its designs prevailed. Although AMC offered both Nash and Hudson badged cars, Hudsons were largely camouflaged Nashes.
George Mason, president of Nash and architect of the merger became chairman of AMC. Unfortunately he died a few months after the union and was replaced by his visionary executive vice-president, George Romney.
Romney, like Mason, firmly believed in smaller more economical cars. And although Nash had just launched the tiny two passenger Austin-engined Metropolitan in March 1954, it was too small for families. Romney recognized Rambler as AMC’s best asset.
The Nash Rambler had been introduced in 1950 with a 2,540 mm (100 in.) wheelbase, considerably shorter than other American cars except the tiny Crosley, which was too small to be practical. The Rambler had the 2.8. litre (172.6 cu in.) side-valve six from the Nash Ambassador 600, and the full unit construction Nash had pioneered in American cars in 1941.
AMC knew that with the other smaller American cars, Kaiser-Frazer’s Henry J and Willys-Overland’s Aero both gone, and their own Hudson Jet on the ropes, the compact Rambler would be in a class by itself.
They continued the small Rambler but realized that more interior space was needed. It was decided to concentrate on the longer 2,743 mm (108 in.) wheelbase four door Rambler that had been introduced in 1954 in sedan and wagon versions to expand Rambler’s market.
It had unit construction of course, and an advanced “Weather Eye” air conditioning system which pioneered a breakthrough in heating and cooling. Nash engineers aided by sister corporation home appliance maker Kelvinator’s refrigeration engineering colleagues, made the entire climate control system compact enough to fit under the hood and cowl. The usual practice was mounting the condenser in the trunk.
Romney saw this roomier Rambler as the company’s salvation. The extra length made it more practical, and for 1955 its appearance had been improved by enlarging the front wheel cutouts exposing more of the wheel.
A new grille was also created, and this design was planned to carry it through until the completely new 1957 model arrived.
But full size market competition was intensifying, AMC’s large Nashes and Hudsons were steadily losing market share, and Romney was concerned about the young company’s viability. In view of this hotter market he directed AMC’s limited resources to pulling the longer wheelbase Rambler’s restyling forward from 1957 to 1956.
They also decided to discontinue the shorter wheelbase Rambler at the end of 1955, although it would return in 1958 as the American.
Moving the redesign up by a year pressed AMC stylists and engineers to the limit, but somehow they accomplished it by December 1955. The effort was worth it because the 1956 model was really a new design with a lower beltline, flatter lower roof and larger windows for an airier feeling than earlier Ramblers.
Less rounded body sides yielded more interior space even though the car’s exterior dimensions were slightly smaller. Trunk capacity was increased and the wraparound windshield was new, as was the one-piece diecast grille.
Body sides received an attractive side-spear treatment, and the availability of up to three colour combinations made an appealing package.
There was good news under the hood too. AMC engineers converted the 3.2 litre (195.6 cu in.) inline six to overhead valves which improved breathing enough to raise horsepower from 90 to 120.
Underneath, the rear leaf springs were replaced by coils. Power steering was available for the first time and the electrical system went from six to 12 volts. A three-speed column shifted manual transmission was standard, with overdrive or a four-speed GM Hydra-Matic optional.
The 1956 Rambler (with Nash and Hudson badges) came as a four-door sedan or station wagon, the latter available as the industry’s first pillarless “hardtop.” And buyers could get Nash’s trade-mark reclining seats.
Although the new Rambler received favourable reviews by the motoring press, sales were down from the previous year because it arrived as a mid-term model in a declining market. But future sales took an upturn and the large old Nash and Hudson badged models were allowed to fade away in 1957.
The 1956 Rambler with its sound engineering and appealing styling was a watershed model for AMC, the saviour of the recently created corporation.
