Largely forgotten in the muscle car world is the 1977 AMC Hornet AMX. It was a one-year effort to resurrect the AMX name three years after it was last used on the Javelin pony car. Though a lot of effort went into making the cars look fast, they were standard Hornet fare under the hood with either an inline-6 or small-block V8. Production numbers vary and could be as low as 300 (or as high as 5,300). This Lime Green project looks to have been sitting for a long time and will need loads of cosmetic and mechanical work. Located in the mountains of Blue Ridge, Georgia, this last-gasp AMX is available here on craigslist for $5,000 (thanks for the tip, Roger!).
The AMX began as a complement to the new Javelin “pony” in 1968, but with a shortened wheelbase than only supported two passengers. It may have been targeted at competing with the Chevy Corvette as a powerful GT. Sales were soft, even by AMX standards, and the car was discontinued as a standalone model after 1970. But AMC decided to carry the name forward as the performance version of the 4-passenger Javelin which was restyled in 1971. A continuing decline in demand caused AMC to discontinue the Javelin (and thus the AMX) in 1974.
Hoping to revive interest in the muscle car segment in the late 1970s, AMC partnered with Jim Wangers and his company, Motortown, to create a new product. Motortown received production Hornets painted in one of four wild colors (including Lime Green), and made cosmetic adjustments in terms of spoilers, decals, and even did some suspension work. But everything under the hood was left stock. AMC didn’t officially put anything bigger than a 304 cubic inch V8 in the Hornet in 1977, so the seller’s indication of a 360 being in this car could mean it was replaced and is not numbers matching. No photo of the motor is offered.
If you were to strike a deal with the seller on this Hornet, you’ll have a lot of work to do. But you could be restoring a car that saw just a few hundred copies made (but experts say that far more than that were built). This hatchback has a 4-speed manual transmission that we’re told was rebuilt at some point. But the body is riddled with rust and the interior is far from complete. With a $5,000 starting point and extensive restoration costs looming, would you be better off finding an original 2-seat AMX or one of the later Javelin AMXs?
Keep shopping, tin worm has got this one.
Paint should be called Moss green….sad AMX
Maybe 💲5️⃣.0️⃣0️⃣❗
It would be nice to see this one saved and restored, but the ask price is going to make it sit until the seller come downs to earth. Certainly some fun can be had making this one faster than factory specifications.
1977 wasn’t the last time the AMX nameplate saw the light of day. There was a Concord based version in 1978, plus another based on the Spirit in 1979 and 1980.
Billy Bob Joe Royal wants $5,000 for this thing thats been sitting in a holler since Reagan was in office? Go for it bud!
I’ve never seen green patina.
Last Gasp accurately describes this one. Time to send it on it’s way to final RIP.
“Interior is complete but needs restoration.” Best laugh I’ve ever gotten from Craigslist!
If you drove one of these in high school and were extremely handy, I can see paying a few hundred for this. Outside of that, it’s just someone trying a Hail Mary to turn a few bucks off of something that will be on the way to the crusher. Run fast. Run far.
I see these ‘Hornets’ race at the local track, though most are Plymouths. I’d rather have a Vega like my ’74 in ’79 when dropped a ’70 350 LT1 in it. Narrowed 12 bolt posi & M21, was an insane rocket! Had a ’70 Vette LT1 cpl years after, Vega would smoke it if ran sxs! This car to ‘restore’ would be 3-4x the money it’d be worth.
I love these..but not in this condition..i do admire the Mercury Cougar hoodscoop though..thats a classy touch :P
Not sure about the Cougar scoop…looks more like a Capri…
I saw one of these at the school where my Wife works.
Driven by a teacher who’s husband has a whole fleet of AMC’s.
Saved? Save your money. Junk.
I have a soft-spot for these. I’ve seen them in yellow, orange, and red, but never this terrific lime green! Not sure the color will merit a save – Doubt it, but one can always hope. Even factoring for 2022, the ask is ludicrous.
Spoilers and decals do not a muscle car make.
If it had the tent, I would be all in!