Maverick's Movin' Machine: James Garner's Racing SC/Rambler

This page is an archived historical article. It is presented for reference only and does not describe any present-day availability, ownership, events, or contact information.

Background

In 1969, American Motors was seeking to involve its cars in racing across various venues. The company agreed to sponsor actor James Garner, who was known for his television roles as Bret Maverick and later Jim Rockford, and who also had experience as a competitive racer. Garner had formed his own team, American International Racers (AIR), and had previously fielded four-wheel-drive vehicles in the 1968 Mexican 1000 race with some success.

AMC had some precedent for off-road efforts with passenger cars. In December 1966, a stock Rambler Rebel hardtop was driven through Baja. By 1967, racers were attempting to beat established times for the Tijuana-to-La Paz run, and in July 1967 a Rambler American driven by Spencer Murray and Ralph Poole completed the run in 31 hours.

The Agreement and Preparation

American Motors signed a three-year contract with Garner and AIR to field a team of Ramblers modified for off-road racing. Their first outing was to be the June 10, 1969, Baja 500. The cars chosen were specially modified versions of the limited-production 1969 SC/Rambler two-door hardtop, which was already a fast street car equipped with a 390-cu.in., 315-hp AMC V8.

AMC shipped ten new SC/Ramblers to Garner's shops. The AIR team disassembled the engines to check for defects and reassembled them to blueprint tolerances. Horsepower was increased to 410 at the flywheel, and the cars could reach speeds up to 140 mph on smooth straights at about 7,000 rpm in fourth gear. Lift kits raised the front suspensions, and the rear springs were re-arched for better ground clearance. Large Goodyear 10x15-inch tires were fitted on plain steel wheels. For safety, all window glass was removed and massive roll cages were installed. Enormous 44-gallon fuel cells were added, and the undercarriages were reinforced with heavy-duty skid plates.

Eight of the Ramblers were entered in the passenger-car category. The other two were fitted with four-wheel drive and entered in the Experimental class. Wearing AMC's tri-tone red, white, and blue racing colors, the prepared SC/Ramblers reportedly weighed 3,140 pounds, the same as stock, as the removal of trim and glass offset the added weight of roll cages and skid plates.

The 1969 Baja 500

The race began on June 11, 1969. Garner was unable to drive due to a film commitment in Spain, but top drivers were on the AIR team, including Bob Bondurant, Hunter Floyd, and Davey Jordan. The 558-mile course ran through hills, stones, sand, shale, and worse. A 30-hour race meant driving part of the way at night with headlamps and roof-mounted rally lights. Nearly 100 miles was on pavement, though Mexican roads could be treacherous. The race ended back in Ensenada on June 12.

Of the 134 assorted vehicles that started on June 11, only 73 finished within the required 30 hours. Among the finishers were seven of Garner's 10 Ramblers. The car driven by Bob Bondurant and Tony Murphy took first place. The Ramblers took three of the top five places in the sedan class, including 1st, 3rd, and 5th. AIR drivers Ed Orr and J.W. Wright finished third, while Don Simpson and Walker Evans came in fifth. In the Experimental class, the four-wheel-drive Rambler driven by Carl Jackson and Jim Fricker finished fourth.

Source: Reprinted courtesy of Hemmings Muscle Machines magazine, a publication from Hemmings Motor News. Archived from the Rambler Rogue Registry site.