One of the rarest of the mid-size muscle cars of the 1960s and 1970s was the AMC Rebel Machine. It was only produced for one year (1970), and estimates are that the number of assemblies was in the low 2,000-copy neighborhood. The seller has what may be the rarest of rare – a Machine finished in original Big Bad Orange paint (thought to be 1 of 5). Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this cool time capsule survivor is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $55,000. Hats off to Barn Finder T.J. for a unique tip!
When it came to muscle cars, you might say that American Motors was more of a dabbler. There was the 2-seat AMX from 1968-70, followed by the American-based SC/Rambler of 1969. And finally, the Rebel Machine, which competed with the likes of the Chevelle SS 396 and Pontiac GTO. Whether AMC ever intended for the car to just be a “one-year-wonder” is unknown. The seller says 2,326 were built, and at least half were painted in white with red and blue accents. That’s the version you see most often when one of these cars does pop up at shows or for sale.
You could get any engine you wanted in a Machine as long as it was the 340 hp, 390 cubic inch V8. We’re told the one in the seller’s car is numbers-matching, and it’s paired with a Borg-Warner automatic transmission. A two-owner vehicle, this hot rod has only 63,000 miles on the odometer and sports its original paint. The seller believes this vehicle is one of only five to leave the assembly line in one of AMC’s “Big Bad” colors, orange.
According to the listing, this Machine is show-worthy, from the solid body and finish, black vinyl interior, and the beefy drivetrain. The Ram Air hood is functional, and this Machine comes with the requisite hood-mounted tachometer. We’re told this car “will get down,” and we believe it. Although I prefer the ones painted to look like a U.S. flag, this AMC product should turn heads wherever it goes.
Wow! This this looks nasty, and flawless. I’m sure it will bring big dollars, and should.
#Howard
Thanks Stan, you sure got my # figured out. Am I that predictable? ( as predictable as 6:00 @ 5:30) The “Ma-cheene” will go down in the annals of AMC history, as the coolest sedan type of car to come out of MilwauKenosha. The plain colored ones went practically unnoticed, until they blew your doors off, that is, as the RWB ones got all the thunder. In fact, at the AMC reunion several years back, there were more color type ones than RWB. Many were clones, but still nice to see. While the TV show Adam-12 was probably the biggest shot in the arm for AMC, to many it was still a Rambler, and it did little for sales. All the big car names knew full well, the( performance) handwriting was on the wall, and practically every one gave it their “last shot”, and this was ours.
$55k seems like a reasonable price for a clean and rare car. I was never an AMC fan growing up, but in my older years, I’m digging on it. If I had the garage space, I would consider it.
In the upper 70’s now…
Looks incredible, it’s worth the investment to have something so unique. One question for my Amc education, isn’t the Borg Warner tranny that has an inner component that is so discontinued that if it goes its kerplooey
The vacuum modulator for the Borg-Warner M11 is unobtainium.
With any luck an aftermarket manufacturer will begin producing them again.
It’s still good to type in the part # on e-bay and see what may pop up.
Price is now $72,500? Still one clean machine.
He might have raised the price.
Looks too perfect, can’t attest to the exterior paint, but I’ve never seen a 50 year old car with 60,000+ miles with an engine that looks that nice.
Steve R
If I bought the car I’d remove and disassemble the distributor, then put the distributor body in a non-caustic ultrasonic cleaner and clear off all the paint overspray. Then I’d most likely install a Mallory Unilite breakerless conversion kit and a Crane adjustable vacuum advance unit.
Points and condensers are for the purists, and that’s not a bad thing, but I like reliability way more.
Better hurry before the price goes up again!!
A friend had one of these in white, 390 and a four speed, durn thing would fly…..
I just looked at the Ad and it is listed at $72,500.
AMC fans don’t use expressions like ‘numbers matching’. There is little to go by. I think this explains why there are more Mark Donohue Javelins today, than were produced by AMC!! That said, the VIN, and door tag are where you should look first. The door tag should indicate P3 for the paint code. The 390 in the Rebel Machine is indicated by a ‘Y’ in the VIN, and on the valve cover tag. The ‘Y’ code 390 was only found in the Rebel Machine in 1970, and is one of the most desirable, and rare, engines. Survivor, or not, a true Rebel Machine in this condition should bring close to the asking price. The lack of a RWB paint scheme is made up for by the Big Bad Orange paint.
AMX/3 might also of had the Y code engine. The AMX/3 had a nominal rating of 340 hp.
Very cool car ! Mopar guy myself. To bad it’s not a 4 spd. One thing I can’t get past is the dashboard let’s face it , it’s right there and amc definitely dropped the ball there. Only a mother could love it! Peace!
You just said all I wanted to say myself.
Everytime I look at a AMC Machine finaly I stop at the picture of the dashboard and tell myself: Really?
Dang, that dash IS the worst!
I am a big orange guy loving Hugger orange and carousel red in the GM cars of that time. This one works for me but something about a Rebel Machine means it should be white to me.
This car is very impressive to me and would be a much bigger hit at a show than the much more common Camaros, GTOs, Mustangs etc.
My eldest sister had a 1966 Chevrolet Impala convertible while she was married. Got divorced and her new BF got her a 1968 Plymouth Road Runner. She totalled that Christmas eve 1969. Then he got her a 1970 AMC Rebel Machine. It was one of the white ones with the red and blue stripes.
Never being an AMC fan in my youth I never appreciated the Machine, but it was definitely a very cool car.
never seen 1 in this color. these are you like em or you don’t. price is a bit high that # is auction house price. neat but for that money you could find something else
45 years ago, a “friend” blew the 390 in my Mark Donohue Javelin by hitting a curb on a joy ride and losing oil. I found a dark green Rebel Machine for $450 and put that engine in my Javelin. I sold the Rebel Machine and seized 390 for $150.
Because, that’s what we did!
Is it…..the orange one I chased here in Dallas…..only reason it was down was because of the gas tank the orginal owner said. Didn’t keep up with it as he moved and had boys…..did see it years later at a mech shop….the mech wouldn’t give me a contact # so I left mine….it was a 4 speed car I remember.
A friend of mine had a Rebel, same color, I think it had a small block, but it did run well.
Very clean AMC hare and with original paint. 390 engine. to bad it doesnt have a manual.