Wheel Horse was a manufacturer of outdoor and garden power equipment, including lawn and garden tractors. The company's headquarters were in South Bend, Indiana , USA.
71-539: The business was started in the two-car garage of Elmer Pond in 1946. Pond began building two-wheel, self-propelled "Walk-Away" garden tractors that were sold under the Pond name. Due to a naming conflict with another company, the company's name was changed to Wheel Horse. The name not only evokes tractors generally (doing tractive work with wheels) but also the connotation of a steady, dependable worker (wheelhorse) . Pond's son Cecil Elwood Pond continued to develop and market
142-540: A bother some decline" actually began falling behind in share of sales. Moreover, a new line of redesigned cars in the full and mid-sized markets was launched in the fall of 1966. The cars won acclaim for their fluid styling, and Abernethy's ideas did work as Ambassador sales increased significantly. However, the dated designs of the Rambler Americans hurt its sales, which offset gains from Ambassador sales. There were quality control problems with introducing
213-499: A consultant and he took a seat on the board of directors . Nash's George W. Mason became president and CEO. Mason, the architect of the merger, believed that the survival of the U.S.'s remaining independent automakers depended on their joining to form one multiple-brand company capable of challenging the Big Three as an equal. The "frantic 1953–54 Ford/GM price war" devastated the remaining "independent" automakers. The reasons for
284-506: A decade before the Big Three offered them as options. Bendix disc brakes were made standard on the Marlin and optional on other models in 1965. This made the Marlin one of the first modern American cars with standard disc brakes, while the Big Three did not offer them until the early 1970s on most of their models to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards . In the early part of the decade, sales were strong, thanks in no small part to
355-471: A full-sized Ford or Chevy. There was only an absence of largest-sized cars from the American Motors lineup in 1963 and 1964 The first cars bearing his signature were the 1965 models. The 1965 models were a major makeover of the new platform that had just been introduced in 1963. These were a longer Ambassador series and new convertibles for the larger models. During mid-year, a fastback , called
426-471: A full-sized car in 1974 and was discontinued after the 1974 model year, leaving only the Matador as American Motors' full-size offering. Nash and American Motors made Ambassadors from 1927 through 1974, the longest use of the same model name for any American Motors product and, at the time, the longest continuously used nameplate in the industry. In 1974, the first-generation Matador two-door hardtop, known as
497-459: A joint research effort to consider producing an electric car that was to be powered by a "self-charging" battery. Sonotone had the technology for making sintered plate nickel–cadmium batteries that can be recharged very rapidly and are lighter than a typical automobile lead–acid battery . In 1959, American Motors hired designer Dick Teague, who had previously worked for General Motors , Packard , and Chrysler ; after Edmund E. Anderson left
568-449: A plain brown wrapper, instead of the previous year's glossy cover. A completely new design was also slated for the larger 1967 models. This strategy added $ 60 million in retooling costs, a significant stretch for the company. The latest models shared fewer parts and were more expensive to build. Abernethy continued his objective to position the new Rebel and Ambassador designs on an equal basis with competitive economy models marketed by
639-438: A refusal to participate in the Big Three's restyling race. This cost-control policy helped Rambler develop a reputation for building solid economy cars. Company officials were confident in the changing market and in 1959 announced a $ 10 million (US$ 104,520,548 in 2016 dollars ) expansion of its Kenosha complex (to increase annual straight-time capacity from 300,000 to 440,000 cars). A letter to shareholders in 1959 claimed that
710-408: A result, 1958 became AMC's first year of profitability since its formation, with $ 28 million in earnings. The Nash and Hudson brands were dropped, and Rambler became a marque in its own right and the mainstay of the company. The popular British-built Metropolitan subcompact continued as a standalone brand until it was discontinued in 1961. The prototype 1958 Nash Ambassador / Hudson Hornet , built on
781-490: A sedan and a wagon, for use in his popular television series Adam-12 , increasing the cars' public profile. Matadors saw fleet use as taxis, government, police, and fire vehicles in some states. In 1973, American Motors signed a licensing agreement with Curtiss-Wright to build Wankel engines for cars and Jeeps. Starting in 1974, the Matador sedan and station wagon were mildly refreshed, with new boxier front and rear ends, making it full-sized. This second-generation model
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#1732791152578852-438: A stretched Rambler platform, was renamed at the last minute as "Ambassador by Rambler". To round out the model line, American Motors reintroduced the previous 1955, 100 in (2,540 mm) wheelbase Nash Rambler as the new Rambler American with only a few modifications. This gave Rambler a compact lineup that included the reintroduced American, the 108 in (2,743 mm) wheelbase Rambler Six and Rebel V8 , as well as
923-660: A time, both the Hornet and Gremlin could be ordered with Levi's denim interiors. The new facelifted, mid-sized AMC Matador replaced the Rebel in 1971, using an advertising campaign that asked, "What's a Matador?" In 1972, American Motors won the tender for Los Angeles Police Department cruisers, and Matadors were used by the department from 1972 until 1975, replacing the Plymouth Satellite . American Motors supplied Mark VII Limited owner Jack Webb with two Matadors,
994-482: A two-year warranty . In April 1968, Wheel Horse entered the snowmobile market by purchasing the Sno-Flite snowmobile line of CE Erickson of Des Moines, Iowa . Six-models called "Safari" ranged from 295 to 440 cc producing 18 hp (13.4 kW) to 30 hp (22.4 kW) with an optional electric start system, and were priced from $ 845 to $ 1,195. Sno-Flite snowmobiles were made by Wheel Horse until 1972, when
1065-513: A variety of chores, and they were economical to maintain. By 1956, the business had become very successful. The company began to build a range of small to large lawn and garden tractors, in addition to a line of riding lawn mowers. A characteristic of the products was their standardization through the years. The most popular model and year was the R-J58 Wheel Horse 1958, it came without a mowing deck, but one could be added. A new model
1136-582: A week after Mason's death, Romney announced "there are no mergers under way either directly or indirectly." Romney agreed with Mason's commitment to buy S-P products. Mason and Nance had agreed that S-P would endeavor to purchase parts from American Motors in return, but S-P did not do so. As the Packard engines and transmissions were comparatively expensive, American Motors began development of its own V8 . American Motors also spent US$ 40 million developing its Double Safe Single Unit monocoque , which debuted in
1207-553: The Hornet range of compact cars. The Hornet and the later Gremlin shared platforms . The Gremlin, the first North American-built subcompact, sold more than 670,000 units from 1970 through 1978. The Hornet became American Motors' best-selling passenger car since the Rambler Classic, with more than 860,000 units sold when production ended in 1977. The Hornet platform continued to be built under various models through 1987. For
1278-535: The Marlin , was added. It competed directly with cars like the Dodge Charger , but AMC's "family-sized" fastback emphasized personal-luxury . The continuing quest "in the business world's toughest race – the grinding contest against the Big Three automobile makers" also meant annual styling changes requiring large expenditures. American Motors's management total confidence "that the new 1965 models would stem
1349-683: The Nash Rambler in 1950, Hornet , Gremlin , and Pacer ; intermediate and full-sized cars , including the Ambassador , Rambler Classic , Rebel , and Matador ; muscle cars , including the Marlin , AMX , and Javelin ; and early four-wheel drive variants of the Eagle and the Jeep Wagoneer , the first true crossovers in the U.S. market. Regarded as "a small company deft enough to exploit special market segments left untended by
1420-644: The merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company on May 1, 1954. At the time, it was the largest corporate merger in U.S. history. American Motors' most similar competitors were those automakers that held similar annual sales levels, such as Studebaker , Packard , Kaiser Motors , and Willys-Overland . Their largest competitors were the Big Three — Ford , General Motors , and Chrysler . American Motors' production line included small cars —the Rambler American , which began as
1491-406: The "Big Three" introduced ever-larger cars, American Motors followed a "dinosaur-fighter" strategy. George W. Romney 's leadership focused the company on the compact car, a fuel-efficient vehicle 20 years before there was a real need for them. This gave Romney a high profile in the media. Two core strategic factors came into play: (1) the use of shared components in American Motors products and (2)
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#17327911525781562-1083: The "flying brick" due to its poor aerodynamics in NASCAR competition, was replaced with a sleek, smoothly shaped, and radically styled two-door coupe. The model received praise for its design, including "Best Styled Car of 1974" by Car and Driver magazine, customer satisfaction, and sold almost 100,000 coupes over five years. The Matador Coupe shared few components with the Matador sedan and station wagon other than suspension, drive train, some trim, and interior parts. In 1974, American Motors's AM General subsidiary began building urban transit buses in cooperation with Flyer Industries of Winnipeg , Manitoba. A total of 5,431 Metropolitan buses, including 219 electric trolley buses , were built before production ceased in 1979. Production of diesel buses had ceased in 1978, with only trolley bus production taking place in 1979. The AMC Pacer , an innovative all-new model introduced in March 1975 and marketed as "the first wide small car",
1633-727: The ( NASCAR ) champion during the early 1950s; the Wasp now used the former engine of the Hudson Jet. The Nash Ambassador and Statesman continued with overhead- valve and L-head sixes, respectively. Hudson and Nash cars had different front suspensions. Trunk lids were interchangeable, but other body panels, rear window glass, dash panels, and braking systems differed. The Hudson Hornet, Wasp, and their Nash counterparts had improved ride, visibility, and fuel economy because of their lighter unitized Nash body. The larger Nash and Hudson range did not sell well, and AMC lost money each year. Dismayed with
1704-599: The 117 in (2,972 mm) wheelbase Ambassador. Sales of Ramblers soared in the late 1950s partly because of American Motors' focus on the compact car and its marketing efforts. These included sponsoring the hugely popular Walt Disney anthology television series and as an exhibitor at the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California. George Romney himself pitched the Rambler product in television commercials. While
1775-554: The 1956 model year. In mid-1956, the 352 cu in (5.8 L) Packard V8 and TwinUltramatic transmission were phased out and replaced by American Motors's new V8 and by GM Hydra-Matic and Borg-Warner transmissions. American Motors combined the Nash and Hudson product lines under a common manufacturing strategy in 1955, with the production of Nashes and Hudsons consolidated at the Nash plant in Kenosha. The Detroit Hudson plant
1846-499: The 1968 model year cars, which required a neutral position between reverse and drive, while General Motors still offered a shift selector that had reverse immediately next to low gear (PNDSLR) well into the 1960s. Unique in the U. S. automotive industry, American Motors offered adjustable front seat backrests from their Nash-origin, and in 1964, the Classic and Ambassador were equipped with standard dual reclining front seats nearly
1917-664: The 8 hp (6.0 kW) "economy" A Series with standard 32-inch mower and electric or recoil start, the "compact" B Series with a four-speed or automatic transmission, the C Series offering four models (the C-120 and C-160 automatic, and the C-100 and C-160 8-speed and the c161), as well as the top-of-the-line D Series featuring automatics in D-160, D-180, and the D-200 powered by a twin-cylinder, 19.9 hp (14.8 kW) engine. The business
1988-565: The A-pillar forward, the Ambassador was redesigned and stretched 7 inches (178 mm) to become the biggest ever, just as the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo sparked gasoline rationing across the nation. The additional length was due to a new front-end design and more substantial energy-absorbing bumpers required of all automobiles sold in the U.S. Sales of all large cars fell due to economic problems and rising gasoline prices. The Ambassador became
2059-611: The Bessemer–American Motors Corporation. The Nash-Kelvinator/Hudson deal was a straight stock transfer (three shares of Hudson listed at 11 + 1 ⁄ 8 , for two shares of American Motors and one share of Nash-Kelvinator listed at 17 + 3 ⁄ 8 , for one share of American Motors) and finalized in the spring of 1954, forming the fourth-biggest auto company in the U.S. with assets of US$ 355 million and more than $ 100 million in working capital . The new company retained Hudson CEO A.E. Barit as
2130-423: The Big Three. American Motors did not have their own electric car program as did the Big Three, and after some negotiation, a contract was drawn in 1967 with Gulton Industries to develop a new battery based on lithium and a speed controller designed by Victor Wouk. A nickel-cadmium battery powered 1969 Rambler station wagon demonstrated the power systems that according to the scientist was a "wonderful car". This
2201-518: The Pacer and Matador Coupe drained capital that might otherwise have been invested in updating the more popular Hornet and Gremlin lines so that toward the end of the 1970s, the company faced the growing energy crisis with aged products that were uncompetitive in hotly contested markets. However, "AMC used cars, as far back as 1967, had the advantage of good warranty coverage … so most owners were conscious of low-cost car maintenance … AMC units became some of
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2272-506: The Pacer instead. The fuel economy was better than the expected rotary engine's, but the I6's gas mileage was relatively low in light of the new focus on energy efficiency. Also, as the Pacer shared few components other than the drivetrain with other American Motors cars, it was expensive to make, and the cost increased when sales fell steeply after the first two years. The Pacer line was discontinued in mid-1980. Development and production costs for
2343-645: The United States had ended, and its Canadian operations ceased in 1966. The "Big Three", plus the smaller American Motors, Kaiser Jeep , International Harvester , Avanti , and Checker companies were the remaining North American auto manufacturers. Abernethy believed that American Motors's reputation of building reliable, economical cars could translate into a new strategy that could follow AMC buyers as they traded into larger, more expensive vehicles. American Motors, in reality, had produced large cars throughout its history. The Rambler Ambassadors were as large as
2414-496: The Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.236 via cp1112 cp1112, Varnish XID 973449425 Upstream caches: cp1112 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 10:52:32 GMT American Motors American Motors Corporation ( AMC ; commonly referred to as American Motors ) was an American automobile manufacturing company formed by
2485-434: The brake system. Only Cadillac also included this safety feature six years before U.S. safety regulations required it on all cars. Rambler also was an early pioneer in offering an automatic shift indicator sequence (P R N D2 D1 L, where if one selected "D2", the car started in second gear, while "1" began in first gear) on its "Flash-O-Matic" transmission which is similar to today's "PRNDSL" shift pattern, made mandatory for
2556-467: The company in 1961, Teague was named principal designer and in 1964, vice president. To stay competitive, American Motors produced a wide range of products during the 1960s and added innovations long before the "Big Three" introduced them. For example, the Rambler Classic was equipped with a standard tandem master cylinder in 1962 that provided stopping ability even if there was a failure in
2627-404: The company saw a $ 11.8 million loss. In response, Romney launched a massive public relations campaign, traveling 70,000 miles (112,654 kilometres) nationwide in 12 months. Romney spoke at union halls, dinners, churches, fairgrounds, and radio and TV stations. He was anywhere where he could get the word out about Rambler. Rambler sales took off in 1958, up 58.7%, and 425 new dealers were signed up. As
2698-534: The company to reach an agreement on August 26, 1961, with the United Auto Workers for a profit sharing plan that was new in the automobile industry. Its new three-year labor contract included generous annual improvement pay increases, and automatic cost-of-living raises. However, in 1962, Romney resigned to run for Governor of Michigan . His replacement was Roy Abernethy , American Motors' successful sales executive. By 1964, Studebaker production in
2769-438: The company's history of building small cars, which came into vogue in 1961. In both 1960 and 1961, Ramblers ranked in third place among U. S. automobile sales, up from third on the strength of small-car sales, even in the face of a lot of new competition. Romney's strategic focus was very successful, as reflected in the firm's healthy profits year after year. The company became completely debt-free. The financial success allowed
2840-450: The company's products. The framework was typically simple angle or channel iron and various surplus motorcycle and automotive parts were used. In 1947, a four-wheel tractor, the "Ride-Away" model was introduced for garden use. It was also made from crude parts and without a hood for easy service access. The demand for garden tractors was rapidly increasing as households with small gardens found them rather inexpensive, practical to use for
2911-423: The de-emphasis of the Rambler brand because he believed the public associated it too strongly with economy cars and that it was hindering the sale of American Motors' other models at a time when mid and luxury car sales were robust. As a result, he ordered that for 1966, the Ambassador and Marlin were to be badged purely as a product of American Motors. The strategy shift at first seemed to be working because sales of
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2982-701: The decade's muscle car boom, most notably the AMX . At the same time, the Javelin served as the company's entrant into the sporty pony car market created by the Plymouth Barracuda and the Ford Mustang . Additional operating cash was derived in 1968 through the sale of Kelvinator Appliance, once one of the firm's core operating units. The Kelvinator divestiture left American Motors a downsized company solely manufacturing automobiles. The Rambler marque
3053-400: The giants", American Motors was widely known for the design work of chief stylist Dick Teague , who "had to make do with a much tighter budget than his counterparts at Detroit's Big Three", but "had a knack for making the most of his employer's investment". After periods of intermittent independent success, Renault acquired a significant interest in American Motors in 1979, and the company
3124-585: The iconic Jeep brand of light trucks and SUVs, as well as Kaiser-Jeep's government contracts – notably the M151 line of military Jeeps and the DJ-Series postal Jeeps. American Motors also expanded its international network. The military and special products business was reconstituted as "American Motors General Products Division", later reorganized as AM General . In 1970, American Motors consolidated all passenger cars under one distinct brand identity and debuted
3195-422: The introduction of new compact cars by American Motors' large domestic competitors (for the 1960 model year) "signals the end of big-car domination in the U.S." and that American Motors predicts small-car sales in the U.S. may reach three million units by 1963. American Motors was also beginning to experiment with non-gasoline-powered automobiles. On April 1, 1959, American Motors and Sonotone Corporation announced
3266-483: The line was sold to Parts Unlimited, who continued support for the products until replacement parts ran out in the late-1970s or early-1980s. In the spring of 1969, Wheel Horse opened a production plant in Oevel, Belgium . The factory was called Amnor N.V. Production ended on this site in 1991. The building is now the headquarters for Toro Europe. There were eleven models in four lines of lawn and garden tractors by 1974:
3337-444: The merger between Nash and Hudson included helping cut costs and strengthen their sales organizations to meet the intense competition expected from autos' Big Three. One quick result from the merger was the doubling up with Nash on purchasing and production, allowing Hudson to cut prices an average of $ 155 on the Wasp line, and up to $ 204 on the more expensive Hornet models. After the merger, AMC had its first profitable quarter during
3408-413: The model 875 and 1075 "Wheel-a-Matics". To expand snow removal options beyond the dozer blade attachment for its tractors, the company also added snow blowers to its power products with the "Reo" snow thrower line. The company's products earned a good reputation in the marketplace. The 1968 Ranger was a high-end 6 hp (4.5 kW) rider with big rear wheels, "husky front suspension", and featured
3479-486: The model of the tractor became RJ-25. The attachments remained the same for the RJ series. From 1956-1957, wheel horse changed the color of the wheels from black into an almond color. The demand for these little tractors grew so much by the end of 1959 that they could not keep up with production. Sales were over US$ 4.5 million. In 1960, there were significant style changes. However, the engine location immediately in front of
3550-409: The new 320 cu in (5.2 L) Packard V8 engine and Packard's Ultramatic automatic transmission available to American Motors for its 1955 Nash Ambassador and Hudson Hornet models. When Mason died in 1954, George W. Romney succeeded him. Ironically, Romney had once been offered Nance's job. In 1948, Romney received offers from Packard for the post of chief operating officer and from Nash for
3621-582: The new corporate logo. However, "American Motors" and "AMC" were used interchangeably in corporate literature well into the 1980s. The branding issue was further complicated when the company's Eagle all-wheel drive passenger cars were marketed as the American Eagle in the 1980s. In the late 1960s, Kaiser Industries Corporation decided to leave the automotive industry and sought a buyer for its money-losing Kaiser Jeep division. American Motors' vice president for manufacturing, Gerald C. Meyers , headed
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#17327911525783692-588: The new full-sized cars and persistent rumors of the company's demise because of its precarious cash flow. Consumer Reports ' negative ratings for American Motors' safety did not help. During this time, AMC's international sales were expanding. From only 18,000 cars five years ago, the 1965 model year AMC sold 74,420 vehicles in Canada, Europe, and Latin America. AMC remained the most significant U.S. seller of autos in both France and Germany. Abernethy also called for
3763-460: The number two position in the company. Although the Packard offer would have paid more, Romney decided to work under Mason because he thought Nash had a brighter future. Studebaker-Packard president James Nance refused to consider merging with American Motors unless he could take the top position (Mason and Nance were former competitors as heads of the Kelvinator and Hotpoint , respectively), and
3834-410: The operator and the 12-inch (305 mm) wheels stayed the same. Two models of tractors were introduced this year: the model 400, with a 4 hp (3.0 kW) Kohler engine and the model 550, with a 5.5 hp (4.1 kW) Tecumseh-Lauson engine. These two models were known as the "Suburban" tractors. In 1965, Wheel Horse was among the first to introduce tractors with a hydrostatic drive system,
3905-409: The redesigned 1965 and 1966 Ambassadors improved, even as AMC's overall production decreased from the record level achieved in 1963. However, corporate earnings per share were a meager 27 cents per share, the lowest since AMC made its famous compact car comeback in 1958. Investors received a message of the changing fortune of the automaker when the company's 1966 annual financial report was delivered in
3976-504: The results, Romney decided in 1956 that the company's future lay with the compact Rambler line. Romney halted production on the new large cars and focused entirely on the new Rambler Six and V8 introducing them in 1956, despite being scheduled for a 1957 release. Sales of the new Ramblers were poor, and sales of the Hudson and Nash models were almost non-existent, resulting in a $ 31.7 million operating loss for 1956. Sales improved in 1957, but
4047-505: The second three months of 1955, earning $ 1,592,307, compared to a loss of $ 3,848,667 during the same period in the previous year. Mason also entered into informal discussions with James J. Nance of Packard to outline his strategic vision . Interim plans were made for American Motors to buy Packard Ultramatic automatic transmissions and Packard V8 engines for certain American Motors products. In July 1954, Packard acquired Studebaker . The new Studebaker-Packard Corporation (S-P) made
4118-492: The team sent to evaluate Kaiser's Jeep factories. Although opposed by AMC's top management, Chapin made a significant decision in February 1970 to purchase Kaiser Jeep for $ 70 million. Although it was a gamble, Chapin believed Jeep vehicles would complement American Motors' passenger car business. The Jeep market was also a market in which the Big Three had no presence, and therefore there was no competition. American Motors gained
4189-736: The year before Tax Credits and deferred Tax Assets. By this time the board had lost confidence in Abernethy due to his vast spending which had unstabilized the company and each year under his leadership the company had suffered substantial financial losses. As a result, Abernethy was forced into taking an "early retirement" from American Motors on January 9, 1967. Abernethy was replaced by Roy D. Chapin Jr. (son of Hudson Motors founder Roy D. Chapin ). Chapin quickly instituted changes to American Motors's offerings and tried to regain market share by focusing on younger demographic markets. Chapin's first decision
4260-781: Was a subcompact designed to provide the comfort of a full-sized car. Its pre-production development coincided with tightened U.S. federal passenger emissions and auto safety regulations. The Pacer sold well its first two years with 262,772 combined units sold in the US. With the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973, General Motors aborted the Wankel rotary engine around which the Pacer had been designed, as its fuel consumption exceeded that of conventional engines with similar power. Therefore, American Motors's existing 258 and 232 cu in (4.2 and 3.8 L) AMC Straight-6 engines were used in
4331-400: Was acquired by American Motors (AMC) on May 24, 1974. The company paid $ 30 million as it expanded into non-automotive markets. In 1982, a group of AMC officers, led by director of corporate development John S. Munn acquired Wheel Horse in a management buyout . During this time, some cosmetic changes were made, but frame and attachment design remained the same. In mid-August 1986, Wheel Horse
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#17327911525784402-474: Was also the start of other "plug-in"-type experimental American Motors vehicles developed with Gulton – the Amitron city concept car and later the similar Electron . Although the new models were well received by the motor industry media, the last quarter sales for AMC ended September 30, 1966 (AMC was not on a calendar fiscal year) were disappointing. The company recorded a balance sheet loss of $ 12,648,000 for
4473-668: Was continued with the Nash Statesman restyled as the "new" Hudson Wasp and the Nash Ambassador restyled as the Hudson Hornet . Although the cars shared the same body shell, they were at least as different from one another as Chevrolet and Pontiac. Hudsons and Nashes each used their engines as they had previously: the Hudson Hornet continued to offer the 308 cu in (5.0 L) I6 that had powered
4544-476: Was converted to military contract production and eventually sold. The separate Nash and Hudson dealer networks were retained. The Hudsons were redesigned to harmonize with Nash's body styles. The fast-selling Nash Rambler model was sold as a Nash and a Hudson in 1955 and 1956. These badge-engineered Ramblers, and similarly the small Metropolitans, were identical except for the hubcaps, nameplates, and other minor trim. The pre-existing full-size Nash product line
4615-415: Was discontinued for the larger 1968 domestic models, leaving only the small Rambler American as the last product to bear the name through 1969. The Rambler brand continued to be used only for export markets, with Mexico being the last market to use it in 1983. From 1970, American Motors was the brand used for all American Motors passenger cars, and all vehicles from that date bore the American Motors name and
4686-606: Was eliminated from production after 2007. The brand has enjoyed a resurgence of interest in recent years, such that in 1999 the "Wheel Horse Collectors Club" was formed and has gathered annually in June at the South Mountain Fairgrounds in Arendtsville, Pennsylvania . Owners exhibit their machines and participate in "Horse" trading. Two-wheel tractor Too Many Requests If you report this error to
4757-460: Was produced in 1958, which included a three-speed transmission. This transmission is called the Uni-Drive transmission that Elmer Pond designed in 60 days. One tractor model was named Rj-58 and included a Clinton B-1290 or a Kohler k-90 engine. The Rj-35 used a Clinton B-1200 engine with a belt driven transmission . When equipped with a Briggs & Stratton 2.5 horsepower (1.9 kW) engine,
4828-509: Was produced virtually unchanged until 1978. Sagging sales and tight finances resulted in the discontinuation of the Matador line after the 1978 model leaving American Motors to focus almost exclusively on its Hornet platform -based cars and the Jeep line. From 1970, the Rebel and Ambassador were identical from the A-pillar back. The Ambassador continued as AMC's upmarket model with higher trim, more equipment, and air conditioning as standard. From
4899-511: Was purchased for $ 8 million by Toro . Tractors were built under the Toro banner for the next two decades. Under their new owner, economically priced Wheel Horse tractors shared the same pressed-steel frames, attachments, and other parts used in bargain-built Toro family equipment. In fact, even larger garden and compact tractors were "cookie cutter" units identical in construction to New Holland models built under contract by Toro. The Wheel Horse name
4970-452: Was to cut the price of the Rambler to within $ 200 of the basic Volkswagen Beetle . Innovative marketing ideas included making air conditioning standard on all 1968 Ambassador models (available as a delete option). This made American Motors the first U.S. automaker to make air conditioning standard equipment on a line of cars, preceding even luxury makes such as Lincoln , Imperial , and Cadillac . The company introduced exciting entries for
5041-624: Was ultimately acquired by Chrysler in 1987. In January 1954, Nash-Kelvinator Corporation began the acquisition of the Hudson Motor Car Company (in what was called a merger ). The new corporation would be called the American Motors Corporation. An earlier corporation with the same name, co-founded by Louis Chevrolet , had existed in Plainfield, New Jersey, from 1916 through 1922 before merging into
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