American Motors got into the “pony car” game in 1968 with the Javelin. And even went one step further with the AMX, a GT-style 2-seater based on the Javelin. The first generation concluded in 1970 with a mild restyle, which includes this barn find example that hasn’t seen rain since the Ronald Reagan days. Apparently located in a garage in East St. Louis, Illinois, this red-on-red giant paperweight awaits restoration and is available here on craigslist for $27,500. Thumbs to Zappenduster for the tip!
Sales of the 1970 Javelin approached 30,000 units, and the car sometimes outsold the Dodge Challenger or Plymouth Barracuda (depending on the model year through 1974). The SST was the “luxury” edition, and the 360 cubic inch V8 was a mid-range choice between the “secretary” 304 and the “muscle” 390. This car has a 360 and came with Ram Air and an automatic transmission, and its owner from 1978 forward was a non-smoking housewife from Missouri.
We don’t know why the “largely” virgin Javelin was parked with 49,000 miles in 1980. The dirty red paint is almost all original, and rust is said not to be a problem. The choice of a red interior when new is said to have been rare, as most would have likely had black upholstery. The last time an attempt was made to start the AMC was about 35 years ago. It’s a well-equipped car that had aftermarket air conditioning added in the 1970s (to keep the housewife comfy?).
The original manuals and winder sticker have survived over the years and will come with the sale. A set of Kelstar 15X7 wheels appears in the photos and will be offered as a separate negotiable choice, so that means that regular steel wheels and wheel covers must be part of the primary package. If you’re looking for a pony car to restore and want something less common than a Mustang or Camaro, how about this Javelin?
Now this is a true barn find. You may be surprised at what a couple weekends of cleaning, scrubbing and polishing could do for this. Then go through the brakes, wiring, gaskets….etc and someone could be sportin this to cars n coffee pretty soon!
This is the type of barn find you want, forgotten in an enclosed garage, with lots of dust, not chicken chit and feathers… Nice find, price is a tad high tho…
Asking almost $30k, you’d think they could ar least apply a hose and a vacuum to the thing.
Aw, but then it wouldn’t have the just found “Barn Find” appeal.
Waaay to high on price. $7500.00 or so would be more in line
No, it’s not 49,000 miles,, clearly, to me, a car with much higher mileage. We take those indicated 5 numbers on the speedo as gospel, wifey drove the heck out of this car, and I don’t believe it’s from E. St. Louis either,, MO. makes more sense,,but I’m the skeptical kind. Some say, “well, how can you tell by just the photos”?, and a good question, but like I said before, if you dealt with these cars 50 years ago, you’d know what indicates high mileage. The engine of course, P/S leaking, radiator boiled over a time or 2, brake master leaking, inside trashed, Lord knows what the underside looks like, it’s just not a 50K mile car. Luckily, it was stored inside, and certainly savable, if any interest, that is. I’m not sure how long it will take for these sellers to realize, this isn’t B-J auctions, and a nice one won’t bring this kind of money. It really is disappointing, these folks think of these cars with no investment as a “get rich quick” scheme. It’s a little late for that. Cool car, just no interest. Now, if it had the plastic on the seats,( indicating pristine condition) folks would line up for this, but as is, I just don’t see it.
Price is WAY too high. In addition, the AMX was designed, and displayed in 1966! The Javelin was derived from the AMX! The Javelin was sold first. While I am at it, AMCrs dont use terms like ‘numbers matching’. There aren’t numbers to match. We also dont say Big Block or small block. AMC had one block for all their V8s.
Javelin was the pony car I preferred. Teague did a wonderful job designing it. The vehicle appears to be complete that needs restored. It’s got a great color on the body and the interior looks decent. The price is too high in my book, but for some reason all AMC products seem to be over priced. Their collector club obviously will pay more than value. For $27,000, they would be a Packard sitting in my garage, and not a rambler!
looks solid if you’re looking for 1 of these. like the red gut.
Its priced at a #2 level already, and the buyer has no clue how much work it needs.
Rotten, dry, rubber, dry seals (inside of all the accessories), rotten hoses, an engine full of tar and a gas line full of glue.
All of which is repairable, at considerable cost.
Body surface flaws, even if you buff it out. Yeah, sure, that’s “patina”, from sitting around. Who cares about that?
There there are the seats, which imply a lot more use than the odometer reading indicates.
But hey, it’s a first cast into the catfish pond for the family.
Way over priced. Being a AMC owner since 1968 I know how much 💰💰 it will take to get it passable for hwy use. For price asking you can purchase a really clean running example.
Russ, you mention the 3 V8 options, but the SST could also be had with a 225 C.I. straight 6. I was surprised about that until I saw one, with a column shift.
A 232 straight six, not a 225.
I had a Javelin with a six and automatic when I was a kid ( I’ve owned over 200 cars and trucks over the years) it was fun, but
under powered. Sold it to a buddies dad and he dropped a 350 Chevy in it. It ran pretty good then. We also had a guy put a 440 Chrysler in a one, he had to put the radiator in front of the core support and used hood pins to keep it shut. It ran really good then. We also had a dozen or so AMX around, the neighbors down the street had twin dark green ones with white stripes, a four speed and a auto- his and hers.
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Trust me, I had a 1970 AMX with the same driveline. 360 with an auto trans. The engine was fine, but the auto trans in 1970 sucked hard. It was the same auto used in Checker Cabs and had zero performance shifting. All joy from my rebuilt and warmed-over 360 was obstructed by a totally pedestrian transmission. AMC remedied that problem in 1971 when they used the Mopar Torqueflite auto. How I wish my AMX had that behind its mill.
I had the borg warner automatic in my 1970 390 AMX. Granted, its no torqueflite, but it layed down rubber on the 2nd gear shift and would bark 3rd at will. I would not say it sucked hard. That car was rarely ever beat.
As to this Javelin, his price is optimistic to say say the least, but do believe it to be a solid, 49k mile car. I am curious to the ram air, with no tach. The ram air is part of the go-pack that would have a tach?
Tach was standard in the AMX. In a Javelin, it had to be ordered separately. tach was not part of Go-Pac in 68-70.
It appears to have Magnum 500 wheels on it, it also has the Rim Blow Steering Wheel. I have never seen an a/c system installed with the screw type hose clamps, no wonder it quit working. It also looks like it has all the hood mounted and under hood ram air parts. If it is as solid and rot free as it appears and has the original P code 360 in it, I would not be surprised if it sells for $17000.
For 27,5 you would think they could have cleaned it up a bit.