American Motors joined the “pony car” movement in 1968 and fielded Javelins through 1974. Based initially on the Rambler American platform, the Javelin saw production of 55,000 units in the first year, with the SST model being the fancier edition. The seller’s first-year SST came out of an estate sale where it had been stored in a barn for years. No attempts have been made to get it going, but the body looks decent overall. Located in Fredonia, Wisconsin, this AMC is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $7,500 (but the listing is several months old). Hats off to “Lothar… of the Hill People” for the tip!
The Javelin wasn’t AMC’s only new car in 1968, with the AMX being the other (a 2-seat GT hardtop based on the Javelin). First-generation Javelins ran through 1970 with a rework in 1971. American Motors vacated the pony car market in 1974 at the same time as Chrysler, all due to declining sales. You could get a ’68 Javelin with all sorts of engines ranging from an inline-6 to a 390 cubic inch V8. The seller’s car may have the minimum V8 producing 304 CI. We don’t know when it last ran or what it will take to respond to life again.
We’re not privy to any rust this Javelin may have, and the seller indicates that a new fender could be in order. The gold paint is at least okay and the black vinyl top looks to have held up well over the years. We’re not quite sure about the interior as the seller provides two dashboard photos showing a different pad and steering wheel. The odometer says this machine has only accumulated 54,000 miles.
Getting this car back on the road might not be too ambitious, though we don’t know why or when it went into the barn. But if you’re looking for a nice example of a 1960a pony car and don’t want to do a Mustang or Camaro, this Javelin should be a lesser-seen automobile to resurrect. That is If it’s still on the market (FB ads tend to never get taken down once they sell).
a 1968 should have a 290 or a 343 V8 . Its a little rough, but complete , Id say the seller isnt too far off on the price considering how scarce these are
The 390 was a late addition to the engine choice in 1968. I owned a 68 390 4 speed that I bought new.
a 1968 should have a 290 or a 343 V8 . Its a little rough, but complete , I’d say the seller isnt too far off on the price considering how scarce these are
All Javelins from 68-74 could have a 6 cylinder as the base engine. 68-70 AMX always had a 4 barrel V8. 71-74 Javelin AMX had a V8 standard although it might be a 2 barrel 304 or 360. After the 68 AMX was released, the 390 became optional in Ambassador, Rebel & Javelin. In 1969, the SC/Rambler also had a 390.
THE AMX WAS NOT BASED ON THE JAVELIN!!!!! It was sold to the public first. The AMX was designed, and shown first.
Check out them mud and snow tires
I would suggest that the person who has the job of clearing out the engine compartment wear a good respirator and gloves. It looks pretty nasty in there. I have had to do this job before and it was disgusting. I wonder if all of that nesting material came from the seats in this car. And what’s on top of the air cleaner?
m_i_c_k_e_y…….!
I don’t know what is going on with the FBM pics but it isn’t just two different steering wheels in the pictures. It’s two different dashboards as well. Please include the factory steering wheel!
Overpriced. Good deals don’t take 17 weeks to sell if they are in a metropolitan are with over 1,500,000 people. You are not going to get $7,500 any longer for a non-running rusty Javelin with a rodent nest on the intake manifold that needs an indeterminate amount of work. He bought it at an estate sale, that was probably the cars real money.
Steve R
Well stated. Fairly priced goods do not last on facebook marketplace.
Exactly
I am still rather “wowed” at AMC’s attempt to go head-to-head with the Big 3. AMC didn’t have the deep pockets of the others and their efforts to compete were quite amazing considering. The Javelin and chopped version AMX as well as the Hornet and chopped version, Gremlin, the later two being rather desperate attempts, but showed real moxie for the underdog company. I was always rooting for the underdogs and was very sadden when the company came to an end in the late 80’s.
Let’s not forget the Pacer- “The first wide small car”.
the AMX is not a chopped version of the Javelin. The Javelin is a derivative from the Vignale AMX that was shown in early 1966. The production AMX was very similar to the Vignale car and was supposed to be a fibre-glass car on a new chassis. That was too risky, so the CEO instructed the engineers to make the AMX body from steel and attach it to a modified Rambler American chassis. The Javelin was sold first, in late 1967, and the AMX came out in February 1968 with a bunch of racing in Texas and associated hoopla. Javelin & AMX shared some body parts because they came from the same original design and it saved MONEY.
I would love to have this car but at half the price. Way to over priced to mess with tho.
Parts if can be found are expensive and fewer garages can work on old carburetor vehicles and forget the labor rates.I know with my 66′ first hand.Paint jobs…Macco is 5k now.If you can’t do the work yourself, deep pockets needed.
According to the Interweb ‘68 Javelins were available with a 232/6, or 290, 343, or 390 V8. V8 engine choice was arbitrary, because 290, 304, 343, 360, 390, and 401 are all the same block.
For cryin’ out loud! Grab a leftover face mask and fire up the shop vac! Dead rodents, and their nests are not a selling point-much to the contrary.
Not quite. External size was the same except that 1970 & up had a taller deck height of about 1/10 of an inch,IIRC. The other difference is that 390 & 401 blocks had a much sturdier internal structure, as did ‘service’ blocks. Supposedly, the Mark Donohue Javelins with a 360 also had a reinforced block.
the only problem i see is corrosion. Most likely everything under this car needs to be replaced including the chassis..
The car looks cleaner underneath than the rust on the body to me.
What would you guys do with the unsigned title? Forge the owner’s name or …?