American Motors got into the “pony car” game in 1968 with the Javelin (and AMX, which is more of a sports car with muscle). It was reasonably popular (by AMC standards) and lasted across two generations through 1974 (AMC got out of that market at the same time Chrysler did). This edition from 1969 was sent out to have its engine rebuilt but the owner didn’t have the money to pay for the work, so the shop kept the car. Now it’s available from Tacoma, Washington. and here on eBay where just one bidder has come forward at $6,000.
I’m not sure which came first, AMC’s “Big Bad” range of hot car colors or Chrysler with their “Hi-Impact” paint schemes. The goal for both was to help attract younger buyers. Both Dodge and Plymouth introduced automobiles wearing wild colors like Plum Crazy and Top Banana in the summer of 1969. But I don’t remember if Javelins and AMXs were wearing Big Bad Blue, Big Bad Green, or Big Bad Orange until late into the model year. While Chrysler would offer theirs through 1973, AMC only did it for two years (1969 and 1970). The seller’s car sports Big Bad Orange, which was the most popular choice at 40% of those applications. This Javelin would have been one of 941 produced that year with “BBO” so the seller’s data is correct.
As the story goes, the previous owner took this Javelin to a machine shop some time ago to have the engine rebuilt. When it came time to give them some money, he/she had none to give. As a result, work stopped mid-way so the motor is disassembled and some of its parts may have walked away over time. To get reimbursed, the shop filed a lien against the car and the seller bought this project from them. Presumably, there are no issues with the title that still need addressing.
This should have been the hottest Javelin set up in 1969, a 390 cubic inch V8 with a 4-speed manual. Whether any of this is numbers-matching is subject to verification. The body looks pretty fair with some rust in the rear quarter panels, trunk, and the bottom of the rear window. Considering this was a vinyl-top car, things could probably be worse. We’re also told there is a crack in the leading on the driver’s front pillar where the pillar and roof were joined together.
The seller says the interior is mostly complete except for the door panels. But it’s hard to tell as part of the car is being stored inside the car. The photos provided are supposed to tell the whole story, so if you don’t see something pictured, it’s probably not there and you will have to add things to your to-do list. The accommodating seller will provide delivery if the distance is “reasonable,” for an extra charge. If you have the time and money, this could be a cool finished car in a sea populated with a lot of Mustangs and Camaros.
So the machine shop pulled the the engine and made a mess of the wiring harness. Oh yeah needed to take off the master cylinder to get the engine out. Myself have used a number of machine shops over the years from ND, Oh, Ms and Fl and they didn’t pull engines for rebuilds. Called machine shop because they do machining, this smells of quick flip and kit car missing a boat load of parts. FYI, I always liked the early Javelins and this would have been a pretty nice car at one time.
The first couple years of the AMX were pretty neat, and the price on this one isn’t maybe too crazy, yet anyway. The bottom line is parts and pieces, where ya gonna find’em? Any reproduction stuff out there?
My favourite years for the Javelin and AMX are the 1968 through 1970 model years. I love the grille of the 1968-70 Javelin.
Since I am a ‘child of the ’60s’, I enjoy seeing all these cars from my era starting to appear. The older 30s, 40s, and early 50s don’t really interest me.
They are a cool car but even in mint restored condition they don’t go for particularly big money, usually around 35K at auction. Depending on just how much is missing and messed up it could be a challenge to get it done for less than it’s max value. Could make for an interesting pro touring resto mod build with a newer hemi. The purists wouldn’t be happy but there’s something to be said for a modern drivetrain.
You are way off in value. I just saw one go for 55k in good condition. Now if you put a hemi in it it will drop the value considerably. No one in the AMC community will want it. The 390 four spd is very desirable.
What? A hemi? No LS? Well I’ll be dawged. Lol
First off there is no such thing as numbers matching with AMC. Don’t know how many times we have to state this over and over. You can still get engine and transmission parts new. The rest looks to be all there so this isn’t that hard of a project.
Well I’m no purist but an LS in an AMX would make me cringe. If you’re going to restomod anything stick with a matching brand motor. Hemi, LS or Coyote are all great motors, no need to LS everything out there.
I was being sarcastic, and a hemi wouldn’t be a matching brand motor, as you mentioned earlier. You contradicted yourself in your last comment.
My good friend had one with ; 390 & the GO. Package in the ’80’s;. Always wanted to build one,. Very Quick car
I agree with Rob (although YBlocker makes the point as well, with the engine contradiction). Whomever has a bid in for $6K can have this one. By the time you did all this work, you’ve got way more invested than you could buy already done.
Russ Dixon. There is no such thing as a “numbers matching” AMC!!! Jeeez.
Well technically it’s not a matching brand motor but AMC has been part of the Mopar family since the 70’s so it’s as close as you’re going to get.
Well if Chrysler bought out AMC in ’86 then I would say its a within the family motor. Better option than anything from GM or Ford to keep it close. I have seen an AMX with LS before, he ran the Optima Challenge races. Not sure if there are more out there but I have to say I was a little put off at this choice of engine. I may have an AMC in my small collection but im an everything car guy. Im not loyal to one brand. Still bugged me a bit.
Lovely car. Assuming there’s a technician who knows how wiring is to be set up, this car would make an awesome project for resto.
Dude, it’s a 69. Nothing complicated
Let me be perfectly clear: AMC is not “part of the MoPar family since the 70s”. Chrysler bought out AMC in the late 80s to get the Jeep brand and a new factory. Everything else went into Lake Michigan. It was punted around that the AMC clubs should “join” with the MoPar clubs. This was not wanted by either group. This was attempted when the local MoPar club invited the local AMC/ AMX owners to their drag race. This did not last very long because the few AMCs that showed up, often beat the MoPars.
Sorry, my bad, thought it was the 70’s but it was a long time ago. If you go to any Mopar only show you will find numerous AMC’s so it’s been considered as part of the family for a long time.
This car is going to need a complete strip, and repaint, for sure, and why in the world do people think it looks cool to paint the engine compartment on these cars all black, when they were only black if that was the car color – if BBO, it would BBO – and before anyone says a shadow mask would be black, that would be an AMX, never offered on a Javelin, so this car is all kinds of messed up.
Because an engine compartment looks better in black. And except for maybe the firewall, most engine compartments have always been black.
AMC was just as the name implies. They acquired parts from the big 3 and assembled them into a car .
Had 74 gremlin x . 304/ stick. Gm steering, ford brakes, dodge drive train.
Forgive me if I’m wrong, but weren’t certain AMC cars powered by Chrysler engines in the 1970s?
No, never. AMC manufacturerd it’s own
Okay. Everything used on AMC vehicles were of American Motors (AMC) origins?
AMC used the Torqueflite transmission in the 70s and various parts from Ford and GM, but it’s engines were it’s own.
Go to any AMC show & you will not find any MoPars. AMC collectors do not consider themselves part of the “MoPar family”. They find that notion to be paternalistic & condescending. As for this Javelin, there is a lot of work to be done, but there are two good things here: grill seems to be decent & the bumper trim is in place.
I guess it depends on the territory, I’ve been to a number of car shows where the AMCs and Mopars were grouped together. One big happy family. Kinda like the Brady Bunch.
None of the AMC people i know consider themselves part of the MoPar family. I thoroughly doubt that the AMC people specifically requested being grouped with the MoPar crowd. So, here is the Mopar family: Chrysler, Dodge, Imperial, Plymouth, DeSoto, Fargo and 56-58 Dual Ghia. By the reasoning of those who would include AMC, companies such as Mercedes, Fiat, Maserati & Mitsubishi are MoPar family. Then, we might as well include Jensen, Bristol & Monteverdi too.
Not in the 70s, and on the contrary, the 4litre AMC inline 6 was used in Jeeps long after Chrysler took over.
AMC used either Bendix or Kelsey-Hayes brakes, which is what many other companies used. Manual transmissions were sourced from Borg-Warner. Automatic transmissions were Borg-Warner followed by Torqueflite except in Jeeps which used Turbo-Hydramatic. Steering gear was likely to be Saginaw which supplied parts for many other manufacturers. Torqueflite and TH transmissions can be considered subsidiaries of other companies. Companies like Carter, Saginaw, Motorola, Dana-Spicer are often associated with certain manufacturers even though they were supplying many automotive entities….. it is very easy to identify a colossal moron because they will say that the 390 motor is a Ford motor, the 401 is a Buick motor and the Rambler 327 is a Chevy motor. I am down to two brain cells…which makes me twice as smart as all the “car experts” who repeat the nonsense that their daddy regurgitated.
How ɓout the 304, was that an International? Lol.
International Harvester had a series of light duty V8 motors: 266, 304.5, 345 & 392. The AMC 304 was introduced in 1970. The AMC 304 was used in passenger cars, CJ Jeeps & the Commando. It was also in a very limited number of J-series pick-up trucks. IH did use AMC engines. Some IHs had the straight six 232 motor in the 1960s. In the early 1970s, some IHs had the “V-400” motor. This was the AMC 401 motor; it was painted red.