The AMC would serve as a 2-seat GT-style companion to the Javelin when AMC joined the pony car wars for 1968. Even by AMC standards, its production numbers were low but helped the company try to shake its image as a manufacturer of old people cars. In three years of manufacture as a standalone model, they wouldn’t build 20,000 of them, including this 1970 edition equipped with Go Pack and other conveniences that could make it number less than 100 in copies made. Located in Greenfield, Indiana and mostly used for car shows, this AMX is available here on eBay where the bidding has reached $27,500.
Before being integrated into the Javelin line (due to low sales), the AMX was built between 1968-70. The latter had the lowest numbers, just 4,116 cars out of 19,134. Of that, 1,632 had the 390 cubic inch V8 with a factory 4-speed. This car was equipped with the “Go” package (aka Go Pack) which in 1970 included the 390 motor. According to AMC archives, 340 of them came with Twin Grip posi-traction, 823 with tilt steering and 98 had black leather seating. The latter could include the seller’s 1970 AMX.
With the muscle car movement in full bloom, AMC cooked up the Go Pack to help it better compete with the Big 3 and their campaigns like Dodge’s “Scat Pack” or Ford’s “Total Performance.” It was available first in 1968, but was not included with a code as part of the VIN or metal door tags. Only an original window sticker, factory order form or a build sheet can authenticate whether a car is equipped with Go Pack. The contents of the Go Pack would vary from year to year and would usually include the biggest of engines with 4-barrel carbs and dual exhaust, heavy-duty cooling system, power front disc brakes, uprated suspension, “Twin-Grip” limited-slip differential, wide-tread tires on five-spoke wheels and racing stripes. For 1970, the ram-air intake hood was only available as part of the Go Package. The Go Pack was listed on the ’70 AMX’s window sticker with the copy “PP390V,TG,DB,HDC,HP,E70/WHT LETTR” and an add-on charger of $371.41.
This ’70 AMC is said to carry its original Lime Gold paint and looks good until you get up close. There is fading, discoloration, and a little surface rust on both roof panels near the AMX logo. Probably nothing to worry about right away but something to keep an eye on. Both bumpers have been re-chromed, and the grille and taillights replaced with NOS. The weather stripping is all original, but the seller is sending along a new set should the buyer want to replace it. The interior looks extremely nice as it should given its new leather seat covers and door panels. This car came with factory air conditioning, but the compressor and condenser were removed (and coming with the car).
Mechanically, this AMC product is said to be in great shape with no mention of problems with the 390 and 4-speed. It had ram air induction which was also removed and saved. The car will come with some extra parts, including more A/C apparatus, power steering pump, extra taillights, and a few other items that you won’t immediately need. This Go Pack car has had some work done recently, including a new clutch, pressure plate and flywheel turned; hoses and belts; and a new battery. Looks like a turn-key that the seller is letting go only because he has too many cars (there is such a thing?).
Even though the car is said to have 142,000 miles on it, this AMX has been clearly well-kept over the years. The AMX had a plate on the dashboard signifying the production number of the car and this one says 17770, which means it was close to the end of the line for 1970 and the standalone model. For someone into the AMX, this is probably one of the most desirable editions to have given all its features and equipment. Which suggests that the top resale estimate of $38,000 by Hagerty might get tested by this one, even though its not in Concours condition.
The numbers on the dash plaques are meaningless on these, they are random.
FYI, I worked for the Clarkston Mi, AMC Dealer, these numbers are not random and mean exactly what they represent. These are actual production numbers.
Ive been told by factory workers that the number on dash didnt mean it was that number AMX (as in in order), that they had a bucket of them and whichever one was grabbed is what was put in.
The dash numbers ARE random.
F.Y.I. I was a mechanic at an AMC dealership. SO WHAT? Dash numbers on AMX were random and mean absolutely nothing.
No, they are not actual production numbers. They exceed production figures.
One thing not mentioned that you can see in the engine compartment photo, this AMX has the rare electric windshield wiper option! (I don’t think that was included with the Go Pack.)
Car looks pretty nice overall but would have been nice to see some photos of the underside.
Dash plaque numbers are meaningless. All AMXs had 4 barrel engines.
68-69, 290,343,390. 1970 either 360 or 390.
This is the type of car is to buy and drive it! Like they so its only original once. That green is sweet!
air conditioning with a 4 speed is a bit rare, most AC cars were autos
Lot of people do not realize that the 1970 was the only year to have a decent front suspension with ball joints.I believe the 68 and 69 had king pins.
Yes I remember that term but was told to tell my friend that need them replaced that it was a dangerous job because the springs needed to be removed to replace the little trunnions.
There used to be a Kent-Moore tool set to compress AMC coil springs and make for relatively easy removal from the car.
J-7389 works on Rebels, Classics, Ambassadors and Marlins. J-7842 is for Americans, Javelins and the AMX.
Both tools contained two “ears” with shields that would hook into the two holes in the upper spring seat. You would then raise the opposite rear corner of the car until the front corner you were working on had lowered itself to a point to where you could hook the lower ears into the lower spring seat. When all was secure you’d lower the rear corner, then come around and, MAKING SURE THE SPRING IS SECURELY HOOKED INTO THE EARS, slowly raise up the front end again. That’s when you could remove your compressed spring. It was helpful to have two sets and a very strong press so you could compress your new spring and get it onto the car, then unload the old spring and remove the tool. And be careful! Springs under pressure have a lot of force waiting to go and you don’t want to be within the line of fire.
The ’68s and ’69s had upper trunnions and lower ball joints, but no kingpins.
The ’70s and newer had ball joints, both upper and lower.
1968 and 1969 had Trunnions, not king pins. Where does this garbage information come from, dreams?
Keith, they were actually trunnions. AMC was a bit slow in using ball joints, nevertheless, the old trunnion system worked fairly well. Now considering the dash; AMC designers obviously didn’t put a lot of thought into that design, a flat piece of metal from side to side has very little style and looks cheaply made. That might be okay on kit cars, but doesn’t look good on a factory built car.
Everybody is entitled to the opinion and that’s mine.
God bless America
The woodgrain dash piece isn’t really cheaply made, but pretty typical for the time. Biggest problem is the fit, which you can see by the damage on glovebox door. On many of them the larger piece was actually bent or kinked to make it fit better and avoid the contact with the glovebox door.
trunnions work well enough, I have special clamps that i got years ago from AMC to service Trunnions, and hold springs. Several people have reproduced these too. cake walk with these spring clamps.
Looks ok, but not minty for sure, i guess reserve has been met.
My father drove semi locally for AMC, two trips to Milwaukee and back to K-town, for 33 years…..He got the nod to transport the 1st / prototype AMX to the proving grounds / test track near SW Burlington off of highway P…..
On his way back to Kenosha, he stopped to show my brothers and I.. Though My mother wouldn’t allow him to even open the trailer doors for fear he would lose his job, for a small space in time, at age 9, THE AMX; was in my driveway before it even went to production….Good Times…..much-unlike the news Kenosha has to offer these days. So Sad……
Being from Wisconsin I really enjoyed that story, very cool! Thanks!
A nearly original 390 4-Seed Go-Pack car with factory A/C? I don’t know how many were built like that, but there can’t be too many left. If I was in the market for an AMX, this is the spec I’d be looking for. Even if you don’t love the color, this is a great specimen!
Good to see these coming up here ( I make no distinction pony v muscle). Had it all over the Javilin, Road Runner, super bee, etc.
Did all 70 390 AMXs have all the extra breathers on the valve covers or was that part of the Go-Pack? It’s a nice AMX.
Those are aftermarket, there would have been none from the factory.
Leather interior? Often times vinyl is referred to as leather.
Leather was an option on the 1970 AMX. My AMX has leather rom the factory. Most were vinyl. The 70 had it all, from a better front end ball joints instead of the old trunnion set up that the 68 and 69 had. And a functional hood scoop.
The AMC would serve as a 2-seat GT-style companion to the Javelin when AMC joined the pony car wars for 1968.
That would be The AMX.
Hire a proofreader.
In high school a guy nearby bought one of these. He took a friend and me for a ride. He power-shifted each gear and got up to an indicated 100 mph real quick. First time I had ever gone that fast. Where was I sitting? On the place behind the front seats. He kept blowing up the motor and kept getting it replaced under warranty. If only they knew how he was blowing up the motors, he would have been walking
aftermarket valve covers, they didnt come with breathers on valve covers
the wood grain dash overlay is reproduced….they get old and dont fit as well as they should. get a new one and replace……
I thought they also had a 401 engine, which would probably have been in the AMX and Javelins.
I bought one NEW… in ’71 from a dealer who had only one ’70 AMC left on his lot and he made me a great deal. I jumped when I saw this one… looked like mine. That Green paint changed colors under different lights at night… from Green to Gold and back again. I loved it. Mine also had the scoop on the hood… I was told it had the limited slip dif. and a few other things… it had automatic with tilt steering wheel… it DID have Air conditioning and I remember that the control had a “Desert” position on it… what ever that meant. The inside was a very nice brown leather, looked very luxurious to me. Being a very young guy at the time I remember being a little disappointed that it would not “fly”. Yeah, it was fast but not as fast as I expected it to be.
My dad had a ‘69 Ambassador with air and the “desert only” setting. Always thought that was hilarious – you could almost see the design team around a table discussing the need for a desert setting. The irony was that the a/c never worked from the time dad drove it off the lot.
Gee, that was sad. The air worked great in my AMX, of course it was obviously a system for a larger car just air-conditioning that much smaller two passenger vehicle. My dad loved to drive it, and said it was the best driving car he had ever driven.
Dash plaque numbers are not totally random: early cars have low numbers & late cars have higher numbers. e.g. two AMXs with VIN# 20 cars apart have dash plaques that differ by a few hundred.