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1 of 902: 1968 AMC AMX

American Motors would introduce two new cars in 1968, quite a feat for an independent automaker. One was the Javelin, a pony car to do battle with the Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro, and a host of others. The second was the AMX, an enclosed sports car that would compete with the Corvette. The AMC looked like the Javelin from the front, but a full foot (12 inches) was cut out of the wheelbase to create a 2-seater. This first-year AMX has been in the same family since new and looks like a sharp, well-cared-for survivor that’s located near Los Angeles, California. As a tip brought to us by T.J., it’s available here on craigslist for $23,500.

The AMX could go from mild to wild, with three engines to choose from (290, 343, and 390 cubic inch V8s). Customer demand for the car never got off the ground as fewer than 20,000 were built in its three years on the market as a standalone car (1968-70). In 1971, AMC demoted the AMX as the performance version of the Javelin, gaining a backseat in the process. Both Javelin and AMX were retired in 1974.

In 1968, 6,725 AMXs would be built, with just 902 having both the 343 V8 and automatic transmission, a less popular choice than the 390. But much rarer to find these days and certainly not in the splendid condition of this automobile. Somehow it has managed to stay in the same family for 54 years and has also avoided the rust blight. The paint is said to be original except for some touch up in a few spots. The sheet metal is nice and straight and this car should turn some heads wherever you go.

The interior presents as well as the exterior, and the seller says the only issue is in the hardware holding up the driver’s side seat back. We’re told it will fall all the way back sometimes while driving. A good upholstery shop should know how to fix a problem like this which could be very unnerving happening at the wrong time.

This was a well-equipped AMX that runs and drives great. It has goodies like power steering and power disc brakes, tilt steering, a center console, and air conditioning. The indicated mileage is 29,000 and most naysayers would peg it at 129,000, but if so, this is one of the nicest original cars with that kind of use. The buyer will be treated to a folder of paperwork which includes the original sales receipt and service records. If this were a Mustang or a Camaro, the car would fetch more dollars than the seller’s asking price. AMC made some good cars, just not enough of them to keep the company around past 1987.

Comments

  1. Avatar alphasud Member

    Interesting facts Russ. I guess the owner of the 68 I take care of is another 1 of 902 it’s virtually the same options. The is the second AMX to show in the last couple weeks with the same exterior color.

    Like 5
    • Avatar Emel

      Perhaps the owner is just testing the market. Posting is down already on Craigslist. Which is a very sketchy site anymore for purchases.

      Like 0
  2. Avatar Greg B Member

    Can you imagine driving down the interstate and your drivers side front seat decides to go all the way back?!

    Cool AMC AMX.

    Like 3
    • Avatar douglas hunt

      I traded for an Isuzu Amigo that had been owned by a real big guy, and while it didn’t just collapse I found that the drivers seat had a one sided real bad lean, and upon disassembly, ,the back frame at the hinge point on one side had broken at it’s weld. we re welded it and some new hog rings and good as new.

      Like 0
      • Avatar Gary

        A co-owner of a Chevy dealership I worked at weighed approx 400lbs. He also had a custom home building business and used his demo pick up for that business. We ordered a new seat for his truck and when it got turned in we swapped the seat as it was broken down so bad after just a few months. Welded it up and pulled the seat out of every new one he drove and put the repaired one in. That seat must have went through ten trucks before it was total junk and we would order a new one and repeat the process.

        Like 0
  3. Avatar Claudio

    Ahaha
    I had the same inclining seat option on my amc spirit , i put a 2 by 4 to hold it up
    I guess it was a common issue with these

    Like 0
  4. Avatar JEV

    I had the same seat mechanism problem. Take off the housing on the side. A bolt got shaved off or is loose holding the back movable straight up. It was an easy fix and yes it would collapse during drives.
    69 AMX Blue Max 390 Go Pak
    San Jose

    Like 0
  5. Avatar Will Fox

    Beautiful, and showroom stock right down to the full wheelcovers! You never see AMX’s of this vintage looking so straight!
    But fix that seat recliner mechanism! I wouldn’t even test-drive a car with such a problem! A good way to wreck the car and possibly get killed!

    Like 8
    • Avatar Psychofish2

      The seats have been reupholstered in velour.

      Like 4
  6. Avatar Joe Samascott

    Gone…..no surprise.

    Like 10
  7. Avatar Al

    I never cared for these but for a ’68, certainly has later year styling IMO, like of what a ’71 should look like. A friend back in the day, had MANY of these, as well as the rare special editions ones, as his dad owned an AMC dealership back in Bridgeport CT. in ’70s. I heard he still has a few of them still, a Donahue edition is one I recall as well as some that were rarer.

    Like 2
  8. Avatar Psychofish2

    ‘The indicated mileage is 29,000 and most naysayers would peg it at 129,000’

    The seats have been reupholstered. 29,000 miles and as well cared for as this is? That wouldn’t have been necessary at 29,000 miles.

    See the base seat pattern here along with more detailed pictures. Same seats as the Javelin.

    http://smclassiccars.com/amc/102105-1968-american-motors-amx-base-hardtop-2-door-56l.html

    Call me a naysayer. That paint is nicer than ever came out of the factory as well.

    BTW, what is the production number in the dash? No one ever points these out. A very unique detail that always fascinated me when these were introduced.

    Like 2
  9. Avatar Randy L Welch

    I owned a 1968 SAMX and yes while the seats were not meant to go down while driving, they were meant to go horizontal while sitting. I was 16 and I didn’t mind this option.

    Like 3
  10. Avatar wuzjeepnowsaab

    That was a good price. No wonder it’s soldsoldsold. AMC muscle is so cheap compared to others. Imagine a 351 Mach 1 or 340 Cuda in this condition selling for $24K

    Decent build quality too compared to the others of these years

    Like 0
  11. Avatar JLHudson

    nice car, but WTF on the side pin stripes?

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Mike

    Looking for a 68 same color, 390,Hurst 4 speed. Originally, sold in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. Dottie, if your your out there let me know?
    M

    Like 0

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