When American Motors introduced the AMX in 1968, the only thing close to it being built by a U.S. manufacturer at the time was the Chevy Corvette. It was a GT-style performance car with seating only for two. They were fast and somewhat nimble machines, but not big sellers even by AMC standards. Located in Staten Island, New York, this beautiful two-owner muscle car is available here on eBay where the reserve is north of the current bid of $32,211.
As AMC would later do with the Hornet/Gremlin, the AMX could be thought of as a Javelin with 12 inches cut out of the wheelbase. The smallest engine you could get would be a 290 cubic inch V8, but most were sold with much more power including the 390 4-barrel like the one in the seller’s Regatta Blue edition. In three model years, just over 19,000 AMXs left the factory, so when the Javelin was redesigned for 1971, the decision was made not to have a separate set-up for the AMX. It then became the performance version of the Javelin with the same body and 4-passenger configuration.
In 1969, AMX built 3,620 copies of the AMX with the engine/transmission pair that’s in this car. We’re told this auto has the Go Package option, also known as Go Pack in AMC circles. It included performance upgrades that differed by model and year and were not factored into the VIN or fender tag so you’d need the build sheet or window sticker to verify. The make-up of the Go Pack was constantly changing, and we don’t know exactly what that means for the seller’s auto. This is a two-owner car that looks stellar from head to toe.
This AMX has 3.54 gears, Twin Grip, and aluminum rear louvers, the latter added by the seller. It also has a new side exhaust by Trendsetter and a clutch with less than 200 miles. No mention is made whether the paint has been redone but the carpeting has, perhaps the only update to the interior. We’re told this fairly rare AMC product runs and drives just like new. Here’s a video to help with your assessment.
If this were a Camaro, Mustang or Challenger of this vintage in this condition it’d probably be 3 times the current bid amount. Provided the bidding continues in this vein someone is in for a treat at a great price.
A most uncommon car at a commoners price hopefully.(Well, a better paid commoner anyway.)
Okay, let’s just say for gits and shiggles, who was the guy that slept 100 years, Rip Van Winkle? Lets say old Rip nodded off again, in say, 1953, woke up in 1969, saw this, there is no way he would associate this with a Nash. I may be a bit partial, but isn’t this the coolest car? 390, 4 speed, rear louvers, side twice pipes, SHAZAM, we were very proud of this car. And rare indeed. As cool as we thought, and a vigorous ad campaign, should have whupped them all, if it wasn’t for one teensy little draw’rback, it was a Rambler. As cool a car as it was, the best to come out of MilwauKenosha, we just could never shake the Rambler image, right to the bitter end. Any other car maker, we’d be seeing EV Javelins by now. It’s okay, we showed them what #4 could do.
I was young enough in the ’60’s that I could wander the various marshaling yards and pretend I was driving all of these cars. In 1964, Kenosha was awash with cars being stored everywhere. Then a few years later, I got a blue one like this with a back seat and a 290. The late ’60’s gave us hope that American Motors would be able to join the cool kids at the big table.
With you 100% Howard coolest car wish I had the money and not already over my head with projects
This looks really great!! But not crazy over those side pipes.
The list of upgrades that i did to each car i have owned is very long , was never into stock/original as all the cars were a bean counter compromise , i would do the same to any amx to improve it , too bad that they never were able to make a convertible , as i dont drive anything else during the summer , helps me forget our never ending canadian winters …
YOLO
The list of upgrades that i did to each car i have owned is very long , was never into stock/original as all the cars were a bean counter compromise , i would do the same to any amx to improve it , too bad that they never were able to make a convertible , as i dont drive anything else during the summer , helps me forget our never ending canadian winters …
YOLO
Love AMXs, this one Looks nice !
…maybe FIX the tailshaft leak throwing trans lube on either side of the yoke.
Glass packs ?? Really??
On the lift do not stand under the trans!
More details and history including GO Pack details.
Good luck.
X code M code 390 =X 4 Manual = M
In vin also twin grip 354 gears is the go PAC
The guages are rarer than the car 😂
The guys from York, PA KNOW THIS CAR FROM the original owner. YORK US30 . Old time racers.
Enjoy
The mufflers were what was on it when I purchased from estate.
Not glass packs they were actually quiet. Sides are real pictures before installed. Go pack details
X code M code in Vin equals….
X=390 M=manual twin grip 354 is what’s inside. Center guages rarer than the car. Changed the rear seal leaking through yoke no one has tool to change tailshaft bushing. Looks worse than is.
Checking again on the slip yoke,
Found there is no plug- or end cap on the inside end of yoke…..
causing leakage.
I’m with you Howard, Indeed I prefer the second Gen. Javelin but the original AMX is still the best. I also believe that the real side pipes are better than the cool fake pipe rocker trim. More of this AMX was restored than “meets the eye” Still a 40K car. Gotta like the stir stick on the transmission hump.
There real side pipes, pictures of undercarriage are from prior to the install of side pipes. Thank you it was repainted in 1996 have the pictures dated. From original owner.
They are real side pipes. Pictures were before install. Thank you
In high school a friend had a red 68 AMC 290 4 speed. Bone stock. Beautiful. And it stood out in the parking lot full of Road Runners, my 70 was one of them, Chevelles, GTOs and yes even a 64 Corvette owned by my friend Rick, who paid $1,800 for it in 1972. AMC people are very loyal to the Marque. This beauty is worth $40,000 just because so few exist.
How precise is that manual shifter?
Odd there seems 2b more ’68-’70 AMXs around today than same yr Javelins.
It’s a Hurst shifter, no problems there.
Door tag shows build date when researching first week of production
August of 1968 so 69 got left over parts.
In Jan 1969 the AMX received the hurst shifter and the gauges received a visor over the view.
Door tag research indicates
First week of production last week of August 1968 so early 1969s received
68 left overs. In Jan 1969 hurst shifter was the norm also the gauges received a cluster with a visor later on.
We prefer the looks of the “uncut” Javelin, but this one appears to be pretty good, if that’s what you’re looking for.
It IS a Go Pack car. 343 or 390 w power disc brakes, stripes and 3:54 posi rear end. The VIN does indicate the engine it was born with.The trendsetters were a dealer-installed option, as were the rally-pac gauges in the center dash. Other than the trans seal, a beautiful finely optioned AMX. Easily a 50,000 car. The AMX’s have been taking off in value over the last two years. Check out the auction results. Hagerty was only going to insure my Big Bad Blue ’69 for 46,000 which they deem to be the value, but I showed them auction results for BB AMXs from the last 24 months, and they raised the coverage to 64,000. AMC’rs have waited a long time for this.
In the Vin X = 390 M= Manual
Thank you Joe,
Regards owner Bill
The Rodney Dangerfield of muscle cars is finally starting to get some.
Glad to see my car is here for review.
Lose the side pipes and this car is amazing! I would change nothing but the pipes!
the Go Pack on the 1968 AMX included either the 343 cu in (5.6 L) or 390 cu in (6.4 L) high-output four-barrel V8 engine with a dual exhaust system and chromed exhaust tips, heavy-duty cooling system, power front disc brakes, uprated suspension for improved handling, “Twin-Grip” limited-slip differential, wide-tread red striped tires mounted on five-spoke “Magnum 500” wheels, and over-the-top racing stripes.[8] Except for the racing stripes, the performance options could also be ordered individually on the 1968 and 1969 AMXs.
This looks boss!! clean restoration… Back in the 80s my friends brother had two of these, he was an Amc guy. back then i was not to aware of these but later grew on me. nice car. My dad was an Amc guy also but not there muscle cars at that time. he needed a family car for us kids so out with the muscle cars in with the wagons…
I could’ve purchased the same car maroon with white really stripes blk interior for 16 hundred dollars but l thought it was ugly because it had the folding back seats.It also had the 390 go pack. So l brought a SST Javelin instead. I was pretty green and l didn’t know what I was looking at. This AMX is nice. The one I could’ve purchased was a show room condition dealer’s car. It’s hard to comment on these when I see one knowing the opportunity l miss but I hope the seller meets the reserve on this beautiful AMX and it finds someone that knows what I didn’t know in 1980.
.
If the car you were looking at was Maroon and had what you call “the folding back seats”, then it clearly wasn’t a 1968-’70 AMX. Neither were available on the AMX.
When I was a young pup of 19, I loved the AMX. I went to the local Rambler dealer to check out the ’70s, and the salesman insisted I take one for a test drive. He was probably startled that a guy my age would be interested in anything on his lot. I have never forgotten the thrill of tooling down the boulevard in this hottie!
The car l had a chance to buy was definitely an AMX l also didn’t like that it looked like it had been chopped in half and it was a 69. I Know that much and it had the same 390 go pack as the SST Javelin l did buy. Trust me I’ve had many years to remember.
You might want to do some research l know the story because I was there and I know what I looked at saw. A little research and you might be surprised at what AMC offered.
The 1969 AMX had no back seat, let alone a folding back seat. You also said it was a “show room condition dealer’s car”. If original as you say, the Maroon color was not available on the AMX in 1969.
Okay Dex it was over 40yrs since this took place and the car that I had a chance to buy was probably a deep red but it did have the white rally strips but when I looked in the back there was no seat so l just thought they were folded down but there were actually no rear seats.So so you are correct sir. I didn’t like the car so showed little interest at that point. But it was a 69 AMX like I said and over the years l’ve come to know this car well with much regret. Over the years you lose a little memory details but not the whole truth. Thanks for making me really remember what happened that day in 1980.
Actually, there was an AMX with fold down rear seats: It was the Vignale prototype. It also had a “Ramble” seat. Anyone who has seen that car knows that the AMX is not a “cut in half” Javelin. The Javelin got its styling from later show cars that used styling derived from the Vignale AMX. The AMX was supposed to be a fibre-glass car on a special chassis. That project turned out to be un-feasible, so the AMX was engineered with a modified Rambler American chassis, similar to the Javelin chassis. Some of the comments on the Rally-pac need correction: Rally Pac came with clock and oil/amp in 1968. In 1969 & 1970, the clock was replaced with a vacuum gauge. 1968 & 1969 Rally Pac had a hooded overlay. 1968 & 1969 A/C overlay did not have a “eyebrow”; similar to the A/C, the 1969 Command Air had a flat overlay. It should also be noted that AMX Go-Pac DID NOT include dual exhaust as that was standard on all AMXs. Go-Pacs did not change. They were different depending on whether the car is an AMX or a Javelin. Now, as many have said, this looks like a great car. Regatta Blue is a great color…..the only thing missing is the leather interior….and side pipes look cool, but they are restrictive.
A prototype isn’t the same as the actual production model. If you think that was the “show room condition dealer’s car” that Greg looked at, sorry to inform you that it’s just not possible. And as far as the Trendsetter side exhaust being restrictive, not the case on my trendsetter equipped Commodore Blue ’70 AMX.
OK, just pointing out a factoid. I have had an AMX since 1983 and like to tease people once in a while. As for the Trendsetters, they are restrictive. One of the reasons the AMC engine had a low HP rating is the log style exhaust manifolds were restrictive.The exhaust manifolds on the Dog-Leg head motors were not much better. The Trendsetters have two right angles that did not help much. I know of no test that directly compared the Trendsetter pipes to a regular exhaust system, perhaps some one has some info. Either way, replacing the early style manifolds with tubular headers led to a major power increase…..This AMX is a very desirable example with or without the attractive side-pipes. Commodore Blue, another great color that is not often seen.
Not to beat this to death, but guessing your AMX doesn’t have the Trendsetter side exhaust like SteveTheD’s ’70 AMX? Of course you’re entitled to your opinion, but you state “I know of no test that directly compared the Trendsetter pipes to a regular exhaust system”. Facts to back up your opinion would make a big difference.
So, i never said that an AMX with Trendsetters was slow. They look & sound good and maybe had little, 5-10 HP, or no effect on an already bottled up motor. Perhaps the extra bends are mitigated by the lack of an actual muffler. Over the past 40 years, the people i learned from recommend tubular headers and straight exhaust ( minimal muffler) for maximum engine out put. i ask for actual numbers, either better or worse, rather than seat-of-the-pants assessment. Yes, neither of my AMXs have Trendsetters, but it does not mean i do not like them. I was just suggesting they are not used when all out performance is the goal. Again, if anyone has some definitive numbers, inquiring minds want to know.
I had both, and absolutely no noted difference. Car still rips Azzz
Boy if one ever needed pictures it would be now. This AMC dealer not only had showroom condition AMX and Javelin. He had a back yard full of 68-70 AMC cars including a Machine that was really ugly to me.l didn’t even bother to ask him about it. I found out later what it was. He also had a mint Pacer and Rambler. This guy was an AMC dealer l don’t know how he got these vehicles or why but l’d venture to say he maybe had 200K to 300K worth of AMC cars in his back yard in today’s money and that’s not only true it’s a fact Dex and you can know what ever you want to know thank you very much. Oh and I purchased one of the best he had. A 1970 Javelin SST .
I’m just being clear on this car it is mine.
I’m the seller I know this car both ways. And I used the factory manifolds and the factory pipes cut and made the bend for the side exhaust.
This was 1980 and some of these cars were later models like the Pacer and Matador l don’t know what year the Machine was but it was mint also. This isn’t the first time I’ve mentioned my Javelin on Barn Find and I don’t have to lie or exaggerated about anything.
Gone until spring.
No sale.
Stay tuned.