American Motors Corporation had no time for mediocre cars. Mediocrity doesn’t do the job when you’re fighting heavyweights the likes of Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler with a lightweight budget. AMC’s nimble, creative team created something special by shortening their sporty Javelin to make the AMX (American Motors eXperimental), an exclusive two-seat pony car. This 1969 American Motors AMX in Boise, Idaho could be yours for $7950; simply click Buy It Now at the listing here on eBay.
This specimen apparently left the factory in Bittersweet Orange, a hue featured prominently in AMC’s original sales literature which called the ’69 AMX “A winner every time!” Not only is this AMX relatively solid, it also comes with a host of original and replacement parts, a veritable Do-It-Yourself restoration kit. That sounds like a win to me.
After inhabiting a barn for “over ten years,” this powerful two-seater appears highly complete, and narrowly avoided a restoration. Silver paint suggests the passenger door was replaced, though it could be primer. Imagine how sharp this ride would have been in Bittersweet Orange with white interior!
The top-dog 390 V8 alone earned the name “AMX,” the same as the special car it powered (thanks to lov2xlr8.no for some details). This 390 received “a complete engine reseal,” and the listing details numbers-matching stampings. The seller reports that the car “runs good… shifts fine.” Do you think a Buy It Now listing for $8000 for a running, solid 1969 Mustang or Camaro with the 390 or 396 (respectively) would last more than four minutes? What do you think of this alternative muscle coupe?
“American Motors Corporation had no time for mediocre cars.”
You evidently aren’t familiar with American Motors Corporation.
Yeah, I agree. I love the AMX, but the Classic, Rebel, Matador, Ambassador and some others were pretty darn mediocre. The AMX and (first Gen) Javelin were good looking and characterful, but the interiors only aspired to mediocrity.
Did you forget the mediocre Gremlin? 😂
And you apparently aren’t familiar with virtually all the cars of the 1970’s…
And who wouldn’t want to forget the Pacer?
When I got Married in 1970 my US Marine had a 1969 Javlin.
I bought a 1969 AMX These were the best cars of muscle cars by far .
Talk pd a fastcar here they are
I’d take an AMX over a Camaro of Mustang any day of the week. I mean, how many variations of both can one see?
The AMX was sharp looking, a nice performer and the dare to be different factor is a big bonus. I’ve seen these in worse shape sold at higher prices.
AMC stands for All Mediocre Cars… in terms of quality, AMC was mediocre. However, they did have some great styling (Javelin, AMX) and they had performance (Machine). I’ve always loved the AMX and this would be a labor of love, but I don’t have that much love for the car.
While AMC wasn’t exactly renowned for high quality construction (considering they were half bankrupt most of the time), I don’t see these as being much better or worse than Camaros or Mustangs. Price might be a bit high considering it’s an automatic, but at least it has power steering and brakes. And a potential price upside once restored, considering what better known muscle cars command these days…
Love the color, what’s visible, anyway.The $8K seems just a bit high in it’s current state, assuming the eBay BIN reflects the actual reserve.
I would have to have a 4 speed in one of these.
Hey , got a Fx 71 Superglide myself!
I wouldn’t mind hearing something about the (mediocre) MG sitting next to the AMX too!
I considered buying a black AMX back in 69, but no back seat for my daughters I decided on the Nova 396 4 speed manual in dark green with black vinyl top and ralley sport wheels. Now that I’m an lold retired fart, children all grown I would definitely love to have an AMX but I don’t want to rebuild one, mine must be already restored. Price not prohibitive.
Correction: The Javelin was a stretched AMX, not the other way around. The AMX concept car is almost identical to the production AMX, and designed long before the decision to make a 4-seater out of it.
I’ve stood in front of the AMX prototype, in a private collection here, and it was almost a religious experience…
I wouldn’t mind adding this one to my stable, but distance, price & parts are a bit too much for what the car is worth when finished.
Looks to be a ’65-68 Midget with a factory hardtop and minilite wheels. My favorite year and accessories.
MG is no earlier than a 68 based on side markers on fenders.
A fair price, seems not bad and while S A Muscle ar needs a r spd, today’s entry level buyers of steerable drivers do not seem overly concern ed if an auto.
How many of US actually drive where one can unleash power while rowing through gears? Cruise nights bumper to bumper one drive in to another, shopping and to work and back stoplight traffic.c wears manual clutches faster than an autos.
Lots of parts, easy lines to clean up, not large auto and streight no b’s electronics or smog bs.
As a buy flip and profit, small but dedicated A M C cult will pay for what they want.
If a driver is skilled at shifting a manual transmission, there’s no more wear and tear than an equivalent automatic. It’s missed shifts and grinding gears that damages them. Three of my four vehicles have been sticks, and they’ve collectively logged roughly 400,000 km (a mix of highway and city driving) without a hitch.
I bought a brand new 1969 AMX (290 / 4 speed) when I was 19. It was only $2995. I had to sell it when I got drafted in 1972. I bought another 1969 (343 / 4 speed) in the mid 1980’s. It was completely restored. I sold it several years later for more than I paid for it (somewhere around $8,000). I would like to buy another one (guess it would have to be a 390 this time. I would only consider one that has been completely restored. The price and availability of parts is mind boggling. I have seen several seemingly excellent restorations in the mid $20’s. That is certainly less than it would be to purchase and restore an example like this one.
Bruce
no such thing as a numbers matching AMX.
Why not? My understanding is that the federal government mandated that the engine and transmission be VIN stamped starting with the 1968 models. Are you saying that AMC did not VIN stamp engines and transmissions?
On most, if not all AMC V8’s, (thru the 70s) there will be a small thin metal tag
attached with a Phillips screw on the passenger side of the valve cover facing towards the
radiator. The engine code and engine build date will be here. THERE IS NO ID
NUMBER THAT CORRESPONDS TO THE BODY, SO IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO
DETERMINE WHETHER A PARTICULAR ENGINE WAS ORIGINALLY INSTALLED IN A
PARTICULAR VEHICLE. Tags can be moved from engine to engine, like valve
covers can be moved from engine to engine. However, the “date” listed should
precede the car’s build date by a few weeks. About in mid 1967, the CID
(cubic inch displacement) was was cast into the side of the block under the
motor mount bracket.