Nick Filippides didn’t set out to build an AMC Rambler American 440. Instead, he was inspired while prototyping a set of headers for a ’67 model at his shop, American Racing Headers, when he realized he had unintentionally fallen in love.

“The car was sitting in the shop for three weeks while we were working on it, and I just kept staring at it,” he recalled. “I thought, ‘Man, I wish I could find one of these for myself.’”

His wish was granted not long after when his friend, Tom, tipped him off to a ’64 Rambler American for sale just a few miles away from ARH’s then-location on Long Island. The owner had plans, but the car had just been sitting,

“I went over, made an offer for $3,200, and the guy took it,” said Nick. “It was time for AMC to be represented at SEMA in a way that true hot rodders can appreciate, so we built it for the 2020 Show and named it ‘The Great American.’”

Built for the compact car segment, the AMC Rambler American 440 was simple, affordable, and —dare we say it — cute. (Photo by Scott Parker)

The Build Process

Nick’s new Rambler American was a running and driving, rust-free California survivor that had made its way to Indiana before ending up in New York.

Despite the core of the car being in great shape, it definitely had some wear and tear — step one was to strip it down and sandblast it to the bare metal.

With the disassembly done, Nick brought the AMC to Eddie G’s Muscle Car Garage. There, Eddie Gunder took point on a complete rotisserie refresh and period-correct rebuild using new old stock parts and components compliments of Steve Blaser at Blaser’s Auto.

“I wanted it to be the way I would’ve built it in the 1960s or ’70s — a classic look with stock-style interior, a stick shift, and real AMC power, not a swap to some other brand of engine,” explained the mastermind that also built ARH’s wicked Toyota Pruis powered by a Gen III HEMI Hellcat engine.

While Eddie G. was working his magic, Nick had Doug Triplett of Race Engines Plus assemble the 401 cubic inch AMC Engine, stroked out to 455 cubes, of course. The 10.9:1 compression V8 was a “no expenses spared” project featuring perfectly painted custom Competition Services billet valve covers that are accented with “The Great American” name, and a whole lot more.

The Edelbrock cylinder heads and intake manifold also received a ton of extra attention; Marty Zimmerman took an original-style AMC cross ram intake from Edelbrock and spent close to 200 hours modifying it to perfection.

“The top of the intake is removable, and the two throttle bodies look like carbs but all they do is let in air; there are eight individual injectors under the intake,” shared Nick of what, at first glance, appears to be a mechanical setup but is actually a full Holley Terminal fuel injection system specifically designed to maintain the American’s old-school aesthetic. “Marty went to town porting the heads, and the engine made 648 crank horsepower and 567 pound-feet of torque on pump gas — it runs strong.”

Of course, the headers and exhaust, all stainless steel, showcase American Racing Headers’ respected engineering and renowned craftsmanship. The stepped 1-7/8-inch headers feed into a 3.5-inch collector, then into a full 3.5-inch X-pipe that tapers down to 3-inches before exiting out the back.”

“It’s honestly more exhaust than the car needs, but if I decide to bump up the compression or go with a bigger cam later, I won’t have to touch the exhaust Nick noted.

A TREMEC T56 6-speed manual transmission was tasked with transferring power, and Nick selected an RXT Clutch from McLeod along with a bellhousing by Browell to round out the powertrain. It was a “tremendous amount of work” to modernize the classic car with the upgraded gearbox, but a decision that was well worth it for the overall integrity of the combination.

No American ever came with a T56, but no Rambler ever made over 600 horsepower from the factory. (Photo by Scott Parker)

Body And Paint Perfection

Meanwhile, Tom Goldman of Tom Goldman Race Cars handled the floorwork and rear suspension setup, which utilizes components from Calvert Racing. Up front however, the K-member and tubular components were sourced from Control Freaks. Tom even stretched the American’s wheelbase by one inch so that Nick could fit a 28-inch tire without worrying about the rubber making contact with the quarter-panels.

Despite all the modifications, the car retained much of its factory appearance. The roof’s original factory cream color is still in place, but it’s been paired with a modern jade-inspired twist on its original gold-green hue.

The absolutely brilliant paint and bodywork credit goes to Eddie G’s Muscle Car Garage, as Eddie completely transformed the bare metal shell into a true showstopper. “Eddie gets all the credit for how this car looks,” Nick affirmed. “Without him and Doug Triplett and Marty Zimmerman, this car wouldn’t be what it is.”

Similarly, the chrome work, handled by Paul’s Chrome Plating in Pennsylvania, is among Nick’s favorite aspects of the build. The bumpers — fully frenched and smoothed — cost quite a bit, but the results speak for themselves.

“Even though they’re pretty plain, it’s the nicest chrome work I’ve ever seen,” Nick says.

Inside, the upholstery was completely overhauled with an impressive display of custom craftsmanship from Miller Place Upholstery. From the meticulously appointed two-tone seats to the flawlessly fit carpet and so much more, The Great American’s period-correct theme was perfectly executed in a visual display that’s nothing short of hot rod heaven.

Classic Instruments retrofitted the gauge cluster with current electronic technology while maintaining the overall period-correct look. A tach mounted on the dash parallels what a performance-minded owner would have done back in the day, and a Vintage Air air conditioning system was incorporated for a little modern comfort (the latter made possible thanks to a Jones Racing Products engine drive belt system).

Despite the show-level finish and custom parts, Nick isn’t afraid to beat on the Rambler.

“It’s built to be brutalized,” said the man who recently relocated ARH’s operations to North Carolina. “Nothing in this car is going to break unless the part was defective in the first place. It’s light, too —probably around 3,000 pounds since these cars only weigh 2,700 pounds stock and we added a few pounds with the bigger combination — and it makes plenty of power.”

With a little more seat time and some dialing in, Nick expects the AMC to easily dip into the low 10s at the track, possibly even high 9s with a perfect launch. In preparation for stopping all of that speed, though, he has also upgraded the brakes with Wilwood rotors and calipers that should do the trick nicely.

For now, though, the Rambler mostly sees short drives, car shows, and industry event appearances such as the SEMA Show, PRI Show, Detroit Autorama, and more. The paint’s too nice for extended road trips as the idea of a rock chip makes Nick cringe, but it gets plenty of attention every time it leaves the garage.

(Photo by Scott Parker)

For Nick, his “Great American” 1964 AMC Rambler American 440 is much more than a fun project—it’s a rolling business card to showcase his company’s capabilities, especially now that ARH has expanded into the classic car market.

While he’s used to building all-out race cars and wild rides, surprisingly, the AMC Rambler American 440 is his first to be built without a roll cage. Why? Well, he just wanted something cool, something different, and something that prioritized period-correct nostalgia but was still loaded with modern engineering.

“I like building stuff off the beaten path. Nothing against ’69 Camaros or Mopars, but they’re everywhere… I love all those cars, but the AMCs are so overlooked,” he shared. “One of the coolest things about this car is that people always say, ‘Wow, I never knew a Rambler American could look like this and be this nice!’ To me, that’s what it’s all about.”