1967 AMC Marlin

The Rambler Marlin, and later the AMC Marlin, was a mid-sized personal luxury two-door fastback produced from 1965 to 1967. It was based on the 1964 Rambler Tarpon concept car and conceived by the design studio headed by the famed Richard Teague. The styling was distinctive in its pillar-less, fastback roofline and the standard features focused on luxurious appointments and driver/passenger comfort. While the popular formula for the intermediate line throughout the industry, especially with the 'Big Three', focused heavily on performance components and potent engines, American Motors favored luxury, comfort, and spaciousness.

The Marlin rested on AMC's intermediate-sized Rambler Classic platform with a wheelbase size of 112-inches, an overall length of 195 inches, and a height of 53 inches. Its roofline was inspired by the Tarpon show and gracefully traveled from the windshield to the rear of the vehicle in an unbroken sweep, yet offered adequate rear passenger headroom for tall individuals. Even CEO Roy Abernethy, who was six-foot-four, was able to sit comfortably in the rear passenger area.

The Rambler Marlin was one of the first American automobiles equipped with front disc brakes as standard equipment. The discs had a four-piston design by Bendix, while the rear brakes were drums without servo assistance. The standard inline-6 cylinder engine produced 145 horsepower and a total of 2,005 Marlins were so equipped in 1965. Over forty percent of buyers selected the 327 cubic-inch V8 with four-barrel carburetion and 270 horsepower paired with an automatic transmission.

The interiors featured individual reclining front seats or optional reclining front bucket seats which could be ordered with headrests. There were front and rear center armrests when bucket seats were selected, and retractable front seatbelts were optional. The interiors from the two-door AMC Ambassador were used for the Marlin, including the instrument panel and the dashboard, albeit with modifications. The dashboard on the Marlin was accented with engine-turned aluminum, and the door panels received carpeting and stainless steel trim.

AMC built 10,327 examples of the Marlin during its abbreviated first year of production, followed by a sharp decline in sales the following year to just 4,547 units. It was priced at $3,100 in its first year and lowered by approximately $500 the second year as AMC worked aggressively to broaden its appeal. The list of options grew, but the introduction of new fastback models from Dodge (the Charger) and the vast landscape of performance options, including the Ford Mustang and products from GM, especially those from Pontiac and Chevrolet, affected Marlin's sales.

The 1967 AMC Marlin
AMC decided to move the Marlin further upmarket for 1967, making it larger, more luxurious, and more expensive. It was given a complete redesign and now rested on a 118-inch wheelbase sourced from the AMC Ambassador. The two-door fastback, priced at $2,670 with six-cylinder power and $2,770 with the base V8, retained its semi-elliptical side window openings and sporty roof styling with seating for six occupants. New design features included a rectangular gas filler door and Rally lights incorporated into the grille. The front and rear had wraparound bumpers with the back incorporating side marker lights on the trailing edge of the rear fenders. The taillights were new and had a similar design to those of the first-generation (1965) Marlins. The round medallion previously seen on the rear deck area was removed, and Marlin's equipped with V-8 power wore V-shaped emblems at the forward edge of the front fenders.

AMC had moved the Marlin 'upmarket' in hopes of increasing its popularity but also to make room for the introduction of the new compact-platform-based Javelin in 1968. The 1967 Marlin was 6.5-inches longer than the previous year, with most of that space used for rear occupant comfort, particularly in increased legroom. It was wider by over 2 inches, but with the more luxurious and comfortable interior the 1967 Marlin paid an approximately 350-pound weight penalty compared to the previous year. Due to the larger size, the rear window was larger which helped improve rear visibility.

The list of standard features was the same as the Ambassadors, with premium materials and fittings, wood-grain trim, and many were optioned with reclining bucket seats with center armrests. The new interior featured a safety-oriented dashboard with the instruments and controls grouped in front of the driver, while the remainder of the dash was moved forward, away from the passengers. The knobs and controls were designed with safety in mind, with smoother surfaces and devoid of protrusions that could be detrimental during accidents. Additionally, the steering wheel was designed to collapse upon impact.

The standard six-cylinder engine throughout the Marlin's existence was the 232 cubic-inch, overhead-valve unit with hydraulic valve lifters, seven main bearings, 8.5:1 compression, and 145 horsepower at 4,400 RPM. In 1967, just 355 Marlins were equipped with six-cylinder power. The standard V8 was initially 287 cubic inches in 1965, but grew to 290 CID by 1967, with just over ten more horsepower than its predecessor and rated at 200 bhp. With a four-barrel carburetor, engine output rose to 225 bhp. The 343 CID V8 option with a two-barrel carb produced 23 hp or 280 hp with the four-barrel carburetor. A three-speed manual transmission was standard, while an automatic and four-speed manual were optional. The four-speed was only available with V8 engines. A Shift-Command automatic transmission with thumb-button operated floor-shift was a $217 option in the Marlin.

The rear suspension system gained a new four-link, trailing-arm setup which did away with the previous torque tube design.

The Marlin's lack of popularity, similar to the Dodge Charger, was perhaps due to its inability to 'identify' as a luxury or sport model. It successfully combined both of these attributes, but most buyers were seeking one or the other. Buyers seeking this level of luxury and prestige often purchased a Cadillac, Lincoln or Buick (or similarly prestigious model). For the buyer seeking a two-door sports car, the list of options was extensive, from Ford, Chevy, Pontiac, and many others. Marlin's inability to fully connect with either of these buyer segments ultimately resulted in its demise after just three years, with overall production failing to eclipse 18,000 units. The total three-year production was 17,419 units including 2,545 built in its final year.

The Marlin's popularity was also affected by the customer's lack of confidence in the financial stability of AMC, particularly due to its dramatic reshuffling within the marketplace, moving away from its loyal 'economy' customers as it embraced the more popular markets dominated by the domestic 'Big Three' (Chrysler, Ford, and GM).

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2022