American Motors got into the highly competitive pony car space with the Javelin in 1968. To a lesser extent, the new AMX was a player, too, but it was more of a GT-style car, a Javelin with 2-seats and 12 inches removed from the wheelbase. The car was in production for seven years, with a redesign coming in 1971. This ’73 Javelin has been sitting out in a field for the last five, slowing retreating into the ground under it. Yet, we’re told it has minimal rust, so perhaps there’s hope. Located in Crooks, South Dakota, this Javelin is available here on craigslist for $5,000 OBO. Our thanks to Gransedan for the tip!
With the restyle for 1971-74, the Javelin was nicknamed the ”Humpster” because of its very prominent bulging front fenders. Some think the styling tones were extravagant and extraneous, while others feel it helped separate the car from the rest of the pony car field. The second-generation cars were little changed through 1974 when AMC gave up on that segment of the market (Plymouth and Dodge bailed out at that time, too). 25,195 Javelins were built in ’73, plus another 5,707 AMX’s which were now just a performance option on the Javelin body. The 304 cubic inch V8 was the most popular choice, going into 15,219 Javelins that year.
Little is known about the seller’s Javelin other than it needs to get it gone as soon as possible. It’s another of those autos that was running when parked (why?), but five years have passed and Mother Nature is slowly eating away at the chassis. We’re told the Javelin has minimal rust, but the paint has given up the ghost as has what appears to have once been a vinyl top.
No mention is made if the engine shows any signs of life, so you’d have to assume the motor and automatic transmission are going to need some work. The latter has an “airplane-style” shifter integrated into the console, but the condition of the interior is unknown except we see a lot of splits in the upholstery due to exposure from the Sun. Given that the nicest surviving ’73 Javelin left on the planet is a $20,000 car, according to Hagerty, the cost of buying and restoring this AMC product is going to only be for those who want to keep it.
From everything I have read, the AMX was in the works 2 years before the Javelin was introduced. One concept of the AMX had a forward facing “ramble seat” in 1966.
This was from an article in Special interest autos magazine produced by Hemming’s in 1997.
So no the AMX was not a shortened Javelin
I’d never heard of the rumble seat AMX before, so I had to look it up.
https://www.amazon.com/1965-AMC-AMX-Concept-Car/dp/B079LZY51L
That’s pretty wild.
Another. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=AMX+rumble+seat&t=chromentp&atb=v242-1&iax=images&ia=images&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.hemmings.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F03%2Frumbleseat_AMXR_02.jpg
68 Javelin came out with the beginning of the model year. 68 AMX came out just past half of the model year run.
So yes, the AMX was a shortened Javelin.
Just because the Javelin was released before the. AMX has nothing to do with nothing. As previously mentioned the AMX Was being designed in 1965. Read articles by Chuck Mashigan(spelling may be off) and Dick Teague.
Not a personal attack
I would tend to disagree, SC/Rambler (by the way I had a SC/Rambler new for myself in 1969, added a lot of Group 19 goodies to it). Just because there was a prototype in 1965 that never made it to the streets, doesn’t mean the AMX was before the Javelin. I was an AMC dealer from 1968 til 1978 and recall quite clearly the factory and press buildup of the AMX. The word passed down that Teague had pulled off a great job by simply shortening the Javelin and it would be a mid year announcement. I don’t mean a personal attack–just my memory of the facts.
As much of an AMC fan I am, I’d pass on this bad boy and let the badlands have it.
Might be a stretch to restore.
Crooks is just north of Sioux Falls so it’s nowhere near the Badlands. This car is about 60 miles from me. If it’s still buried in the dirt, it’s tires are very frozen into the ground and won’t be easy to unstick. For some unknown reason the map in the ad shows the location as Hospers, Iowa. LOL, I drove past Hospers 2 days ago, it’s nowhere near Crooks, SD.
Was going to say the same thing. There’s too many trees to be the Badlands. ;)
Not sure but i think these had the nicest dashes , not a flat panel like the mopars of the time
“Motor airplane shifter” – my favorite feature of the Javelin!
Mr. Lehman. Thanks for the insight. I read the article inn the magazine that I mentioned a LONG time ago and memory at 64 I guess can play tricks on us. I had an SC/RAMBLER in 1977-1980. Loved that car. Built the 390 with 12 or 13:1 compression pistons ported 70 heads and a Crane Fireball cam. It was scary fast.
Very cool. Thanks for sharing that. Mine had Hookers, H/R Edelbrock dual quads, group 19 Cam kit, 3.91 gears 90/10 front shocks, Cragar S/S, and most importantly…..wheelie bars. I kind of cobbled mine up a bit stupidly with radiused rear wheel openings and under car/wheel area clearance type lights with toggle switches on the dash. But it looked good with the slicks (recap) sticking out of the 1/4’s. I sold mine for $3000 in 1973 to buy my first house. I had a R/W/B Rebel Machine that I kept for myself that I couldn’t give away in 1974. Sold it to a guy who ground off the decals, painted it blue and gave it to his son who totaled it out about a year later. I know where the machine went, but often wondered what happened to my SC/Rambler……
If it ran when it was parked 5 years ago, this could be a fun little project for somebody. Judging by the condition of the body panels, I doubt the floors are rotted beyond a simple repair if needed. All the little bits and pieces look to be there and intact plus all the glass looks ok. If someone could get it for $3k (after seeing it in person, of course), it shouldn’t be a bad deal.
A Javelin is a Javelin is a Javelin. You throw it as hard as you can and it sticks in the mud.
Even in South Dakota.
AMX design came first. This was followed by a four door car that used some of the style from the AMX Vignale prototype. The four door car led to the Javelin. The AMX was supposed to have a special chassis and be made from fibre-glass. When this was deemed way over budget, the AMX was about to be cancelled. That is when the new CEO, Evans, ordered the engineers to build the AMX on a modified Rambler American chassis, similar to the Javelin. To make this be cost effective, it was necessary to use the same front bodywork as the Javelin. Keeping in mind that the Javelin style emanated from the AMX prototype. If anything, the Javelin is a stretched AMX. It is also known that AMX production began in the summer of 1967 along side the Javelin. Since the Javelin was to be the “sales leader”, it was produced in larger numbers & made available on the normal schedule for 1968 cars. It might be speculated that the AMX was delayed in order to make sure that the 390 engine was sorted out and available for mass production.