1965 AMC Rambler Marlin

American Motors Corporation produced the Rambler Marlin from 1965 to 1967. Marketed as a personal luxury car, it's fastback roof design was first previewed on the 1964 Rambler Tarpon show car, which was based on the compact Rambler American. 1965 and 1966 production Marlins were fastback versions of the mid-sized two-door hardtop Rambler Classic, while 1967 brought a major redesign in which the car was given the new, longer AMC Ambassador full-size chassis.  Those had a longer hood, more interior room and new V8 engines.

AMC officially announced on the Marlin on February 10, 1965 and unveiled it in Rambler dealer showrooms on March 19. American Motors' aimed it at buyers wanting a sporty fastback that was also roomy and comfortable.  This contrasted it with the smaller Barracuda and Mustang fastbacks that had arrived a year earlier. It was AMC’s first model following the muscle car launches of the 1960s, and the Marlin was intended to outflank competitors as a product they did not offer.

It followed the design features of the Ford Galaxie "Sports Roof", the Plymouth Barracuda, the Mustang 2+2, as well as the 1965 fastback models from General Motors . V8-powered Marlins provided performance along with it's streamlined appearance.

Marlin standard features included deluxe exterior trim, individual reclining front seats, front and rear center armrests when bucket seats were selected, and interiors from AMC’s two-door Ambassador model, including dashboard and instrument panel.  The dashboard was trimmed with engine-turned aluminum. Interior door panels were finished with carpeting and stainless steel trim, far different from the cheaper stamped vinyl glued to cardboard of competitor's cars. Retractable front seatbelts where optional.  The reclining bucket seats could be ordered with headrests.  The Marlin was also one of the first American automobiles with front four piston design Bendix Disc Brakes standard.  It had drum brakes without servo assistance on the rear.

A total of 2,005 Marlins were built with the smallest engine option, a 145 hp, 232 cu in 6 cylinder.  The AMC designed 270 hp , 327 cu in 4-barrel V8, was mostly paired up with an automatic transmission that had the shifter in a floor console, while a small percent had the innovative “Twin-Stick” manual transmission with overdrive.  The center console-mounted controls had one longer stick for the regular gears, and a second shorter lever for overdrive selection.  It could be shifted as a 5-speed: from 1st to 2nd, to 2nd+OD, to 3rd, to 3rd+OD. Other options included "Solex" tinted glass, power steering, heavy-duty suspension, a "Twin-Grip Limited Slip" rear, air conditioning, an adjustable steering wheel, power windows, and a choice of AM radio or an AM/FM Mono with "Duo Costic" rear speaker and "Vibra Tone" system to simulate stereophonic sound (FYI: stereo was not yet widely available in the U.S. Only 221 Marlins were built without a radio.)  A wide range of interior colors and upholstery choices were available, and options for the exterior, including accent colors for the roof and side window trim, enabled you to further customize your Marlin to suit your own personal taste.  The MSRP Price was a mere $3,100. 10,327 AMC Rambler Marlins were sold in it's first year of production.

Personally, I think they just plain looked awesome.  To me, they are like a smaller version of the first year Dodge Chargers, and sadly, there aren't many examples around today.  Those who do have these stylish rarities cherish them, and you can usually see one (or several, if you're lucky), at AMC Club or larger car shows.  Such a cool car...I dig 'em.

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