Presidential Ramblers

Some mighty important people have taken a ride…

Between the Primary Elections around the country on Super Tuesday, and the fact of President’s Day in February, I thought we’d see where the interested parties stand on this issue…

Let’s face it, these guys know what they like…

And top power brokers like these are a big reason why I think Rambler has its place in history…
Need proof? How about the 27th President of the United States of America, Mr. William Howard Taft, riding in a 1910 Rambler Model 55, at the top of the page.

To prove our impartiality on this subject, we offer equal opportunity to the opposition for a speedy rebuttal:

William Jennings Bryan, Taft’s opponent in the Election of 1908… Later the 41st Secretary of State. At the Milwaukee Depot in a 1907 Rambler Model 25.

So they can say they were doing it first…

The people’s car, baby.

…OR CAN THEY?…

This is the 1905 Rambler Surrey Type Two, preferred by none other than the 26th President of the United States of America, Mr. Theodore Roosevelt. At the time he was the youngest President in history…

Here we have the 31st President of the United States of America, Mr. Herbert Hoover, next to his 1917 Hudson Super Six Landaulet, photographed while serving as U. S. Food Administrator, circa 1917-1919.

The 1960 AMC Mighty Mite Airborne Vehicle parades past the 35th President of the United States, Mr. John F. Kennedy, during his inauguration ceremonies in 1960…

The irresistable power image gained by riding with the Rambler Heritage was not restricted to American heads of State alone, however.

Prince William of Sweden enjoyed his 1927 Nash Ambassador Six, and even came to the Kenosha Plant to pick it up in person. He also insisted on driving it himself, and the chauffeur had to ride…

This beautiful 1920 Hudson Phaeton Special was delivered to the Prince of Wales. Not exactly Presidential material…

There seems to be a little editorial confusion here on the part of the 1969 American Motors Family Album…

The writer mentions that the company “announced” that its “Kenosha Factory” “covered more than 101 acres” and “employs 5,000 men”. But Hudsons were built in Detroit… The author has confused his notes between Nash and Hudson.

Emperor Nashimoto of Japan was more of a 1928 Hudson Sedan type of guy…

The King and Queen of Spain rolled around Spanish Morocco in a 1927 Hudson Phaeton.

CNN is reporting that Berkely, California has just effectively outlawed the United States Marine Corps. The city council has voted to evict the Marines and label them as intruders. I find it more than a little disturbing that government at any level is attempting to shape the form which free speech will take within their sphere of influence. Is there something the council is afraid of here? Should there be an investigation into what they are hiding? Have the Marines stumbled onto something here, maybe?

The city there has decided that those viewpoints which are not in every way conforming to the city council’s views on the world, will no longer be allowed to express an opinion.

Free speech is the one primary right which can NOT be lost in this great nation, or else we are no longer American. Without speech, you have no recourse to any other rights of which you may avail yourself.

No one actually cares if an individual person is against the war, or for it. Against abortion or for it. Against development or for it. These things are matters of opinion, and therefore everyone is free to speak their minds. Unless you live on Gulag Berkely.

So, the political position of the Berkely “council” is one thing. If they are against the Marines, they may say so if they wish. But creating public policy which discourages free speech, and denies those working for the military, i.e. SOLDIERS the same rights they wish to grant to the common citizen, is basically just ludicrous on the face of it. Berkely is now an official laughing stock. The world will be holding this place up as an example of Californian and American freakiness.

And well they should. If I owned a residence, real estate, or business within the limits of this labor camp to be, I would put down that joint(look where it got you), take a shower, put on some real shoes, and start TODAY to move my private property interests outside the Berkely city influence. Nobody’s going to make you shave or anything.

They already have your speech. GET OUT NOW. Your gun, car, wife and dog are next. When they are ready for you, you might try calling the Marines for help. They won’t be able to answer you, though. Not if you’re in city limits.

-mike

My buddy Danimal, one of the Members at The AMC Heritage
Forum, posted a real nugget the other day. As part of the research on
one of his projects, he dug up this article on the Funny Car Jeeps from the 1966-1969 era.

Yes, I did say Funny Car, and Jeep, in the same sentence. These rides, along with Doug Nash’s Bronco Buster,

were genuine terrors on the AA/FC scene for a few years, so much so that the NHRA and AHRA
outlawed the little deathtraps before they even finalized their
newly-organized Funny Car classes in the rulebooks. That’s right, the
established powers in the drag racing world were intimidated by the
little Jeeps, and bent the ears of officials ’till they listened.

After all, it just ain’t fittin’ for one a them little flatfenders, to be a rippin’ up the whole ladder. Just taint fittin.

Danimal’s post on the Forum can be found here:

The AMC Heritage Forum > Forum > The American Motors Heritage > The AMC Racing Heritage > Jeep Funny Car “What??”

And that’s not all, when it comes to The AMC Funny Car Heritage.

There were a whole boatload of Javelin and AMX funnies, as well as a few Marlins and Rebels. Here’s a nice little article at Draglist.com, about the AMC Funny Car Battalion:

This is without even mentioning all the Ramblers, Henry J’s, Hudson Jets, and enormous quantities of Willys machines out there on the strips.

And don’t even get me started on Metropolitans…

-mike