American Motors joined the “pony car” wars in 1968 with the Javelin and it would be produced over two generations and seven years. During its early days, the car could be ordered in one of three wild colors, similar to what Chrysler did with its Hi-Impact series. This ’69 Javelin in SST is finished in Big Bad Blue and only has 72,000 miles. In storage for three decades, it doesn’t look bad but does have a few issues. Located in Spencerport, New York, this AMC product is available here on eBay where the current bid is $11,389.
As was the case with most American Motors products, the Javelin was a third-string competitor to the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro. To help stir up sales, AMC offered three standout colors at one time or another in 1969 and 1970. They were called Big Bad Blue, Green, and Orange, with the blue being the slowest seller of the bunch. That’s how the seller’s car left the factory, and the bumpers were painted to match the rest of the automobile. There were no particular performance enhancements when you ordered one of these colors except for the Hurst shifter, just the cars looked like they went faster.
According to the seller, this car was purchased new in New York State and remains there today. The youthful buyer drove the vehicle for 10-12 years before putting it into hibernation for more than 30 years. When it was finally rescued, some work was done to get the car back on the road. That includes the brakes, hoses, carburetor, distributor, and a few other things. We’re told it runs great now although it has been used very little since all this was done.
This SST has a 290 cubic inch V8 with a 4-barrel carburetor and a 4-speed manual transmission. The interior seems to have been specially ordered (“GlenGarry” pattern) and it may be in good shape (only one solid photo). The car has some rust issues to be dealt with, principally in the rear quarter panels, but the blue paint looks good otherwise. The Magnum 500 wheels shown in some of the photos do not go with the car. The rare vehicle shill has its original build sheet and other AMC/Javelin information and promotional stuff. The seller has too many of these cars and this one has to go.
Well, if it has AMC or Rambler in the headline, you’ll probably hear from me. 1st and foremost, got to love the vacuum wipers, the one hold out from the past. No P/B or P/S either. Plenty has been said about the Javelin, but it was the “Big Bad” series that caught our attention. Painted bumpers, has the world gone mad? Bumpers were always these chrome I beams that were for shining. Where’s the chrome,,,we wondered. I don’t recall many of these in Wisconsin, of all the Javelins, and there were a lot, very few were Big Bad type. I read they were part of the “Mod Group”, that had simulated sidepipes( shown here) and several other gee-gaws I don’t see like a roof spoiler and simulated hood scoops. A ’69 Javelin SST sold for around $2700 bucks new. I can’t find what the Mod group cost, some sites say almost $400 bucks, which may explain why not many were sold. According to Planet HoustonAMX, THE foremost authority on AMCs, after Jan. 1969, you could get Big Bad colors on everything except Ambassador. It’s not known how many Big Bad colors were sold as no breakdown, but for many in 1969, we still wanted chrome bumpers. Nice car, but a handful to drive.
Very pretty in blue.A nice rare AMC.
Spoke with the owner previous to the seller.I tried to buy it, but the current owner was ahead of me. This car is the most original 1st gen Javelin I have seen in a LONG time. It would be a shame if anything is changed on it. I would leave the quarters as is. unfortunately, the original owner didn’t order some of the more exciting options for the Mod Javelins, as they were called. What its missing unoriginal options, it makes up for in survivor status.The Mod package cost $34, but did not sell well. 465 Javelins were sold in Big Bad Blue. The package was also only offered in 1969 on AMX’s (195 units) and Javelins. In 1970, the package was not offered, but you could still get the colors. The hood springs came painted that way.
This is one of the reasons I visit BF daily. Such a variety of cars that bring different perspectives and knowledge. I seem to learn something every day.
Neat and fairly original car! Despite much ado about a ’69 Javelin “Mod Package”, there was no such thing as a ‘package’ of options-and this car shows that. The Big Bad Colors-were available for the $34 charge you mentioned (which was credited back in the first months). There were several separate trim items that are often seen together on Big Bad Javelins-Roof Spoiler, Simulated Exhaust Rocker Trim, fake Hood Scoops, C-Stripe. But they were never a package, and AMC never used the term “Mod Package”. This car was ordered with Quick Ratio Manual Steering and an AM radio. It is missing its smog pump.
Cars with BigBad paint had standard rear bumper guards. Things like hood scoops and side rocker trim were part of the SST package. The roof spoiler was referred to as the Breedlove spoiler and was only on Javelins.
Yes, it seems that the Mod package was not an official moniker. However, the term was used to describe Javelins that had the Breedlove spoiler, fake side exhaust rocker moldings, the black hood scoops and a few other trim items. SST cars had extra exterior trim & wood-grain interior trim compared to base Javelins. The fake hood scoops were also part of the Javelin Go-Pac.
Very very ugly car atrocious paint looks like the bottom of a pool.
Base 290v8 no guts that front over hang just NO
Good thing you don’t have to buy it. Plenty of Respray Red Camaros and Mustangs for discerning car guys like yourself.
Forgive 🙏 them Tim S. For they do not realize what they write lol 😂!!!!
I don’t mean to single you out, but as a Rambler/Amc fan, it’s attitudes like yours that kept AMC from being really great. We were the constant underdogs, and like your comment, for no real reason, just because Pa loved Fords or Chevys. Coming from Milwaukee, I saw a lot of Javelins, and I don’t recall any of the owners ever regretting buying one. The 290, like all the AMC V8s was a sweet motor. One could say the same for a 289 Mustang, it wasn’t about sheer guts.
The world is full of people that are experts on AMC because their granny had an Eagle.
The only thing that would make this cooler is if it had the Trendsetter side pipes! Talk about uber-rare! The factory “simulated” exhaust rocker trim option does give the appearance however. As far as the little 290 engine, I worked with a guy that had a 1969 Javelin 290 2 barrel 4 speed car. We put a Holley 500 CFM 2 barrel on it, had the distributor curved at the speed shop next door and it was surprisingly quick with those simple modifications. He later added dual exhausts. Fun car, fun times. Growing up in the northern Chicago suburbs, we saw lots of AMC cars, I still remember the dealership in town when it had a SC/Rambler on the showroom floor.
If someone had parents with an Eagle it would make believers in AMC’s. Good point. Experts no. For others like myself I have had many in the last 40 years before a Wikipedia article made many of the so called experts on here. Have nine AMC’s currently.
Most Big Bad cars were sent to dealers with minimal options to keep a low price point. Many have 290 engines. Simply a cool entry level car in an odd color. They could have been had with any option. I owned a BBO Javelin with a 390 4 speed.
As for the 290 those that question the power doesn’t seem to know their Gen II AMC family of engines. The 1968 Trans AM Javelin was based on a modified 290 doing the job with a single 4bbl where most everyone else were using multiple carbs. Hit up to 150 MPH on the track. Plenty fast. Still for a street engine the 290 is fine. The demographics thinking about this are between 55-70 years old and won’t take it past the speed limit. Not sure what the issue is. You still won’t beat the kid in his modified Civic even if you had the 390. Just enjoy it for what it is and be done.
Lastly in my experience in buying cars I consider it a red flag when a seller stages a vehicle in an ad then says wheels are not part of the sale. Simply means I am putting my pretty wheels on my next flip. In this case has other AMC’s so I am thinking what other elements have possibly been removed from the car. In any case. Know what you are buying.
Modified with 20 PSI, or more, of boost, a bunch of fibre-glass bits and gears lower than a cockroaches butt!
AMCFAN–generally agree with most of your comments…..however…..the factory did not spec cars and just send them to us. They spec’d the factory guys demos, but not dealer stock. We ordered our inventory the way we wanted them. I had 2 AMC dealerships over an hour apart. One was a 70,000 population city with lots of big companies and the other was my original home town with a population of 300. 2 completely different markets. We had to be able to order our inventory for our own markets. Thanks for your love of AMC.
JL, I think you meant to say “hood trim, and rocker panel mouldings” were part of the SST trim. Hood scoops (fake) were not. And the Simulated Exhaust Rocker moulding, like on this car, was not.
To others, the 290 4-barrel was a great little engine. Everybody out there seems to respect 390s and 401s, but the 290 and 343 and 360 4 barrels were all very capable for their size.
You are correct: the big scoops are part of the Go-Pac for Javelins. There were two rocker panel moldings available. The ribbed type that came on AMXs & Javelin SSTs & the simulated exhaust molding that came with the so-called “Mod” package Javelins that had the Breedlove spoiler.
Compared to the specially built Boss 302 and Chevy 302, the AMC 290 was not competitive. All cast reciprocating components and small bore of 3.75 restricted power potential. Kaplan’s Trans Am Javelins had some sort of forged internals but could not make as much power as the very over-square Boss 302 & Chevy 302. In 1970, rules were changed and AMC de-stroked a “360” motor. This allowed much better breathing and higher RPMs; Chrysler did the same with their 340 motor.
A local expert has stated that the 390 was not available in a base Javelin. One had to order an SST to get the big engine.
1969 sst came with a 390.
232 6 cylinder was the base engine on a SST. 390 was optional.
232 6 cylinder was the base engine on a SST. 390 was optional.