I’m not sure if this AMC Matador coupe qualifies as a survivor or not. The car has been well-taken care of, for sure, but there are enough cosmetic modifications that might rule out the survivor label for some. It has been repainted, and I question the aesthetic quality of the add-on rear spoiler, but at least someone loved it. The current seller bought it from an older mechanic, who obviously was proud of the car. The 360 V-8 should give it some suitable oomph, and the working factory air conditioning would be nice for those of us in warmer climates. Robert R sent this one in, which is located in Alto, Texas and can be found for sale here on craigslist. Yes, the previous owner may have gone a little overboard by labeling the air cleaner with mailbox lettering, but I like the fact that they cared enough to do so. I can’t look at one of these without remembering the Penske/Donohue NASCAR Matadors with their distinctive paint scheme echoed on the vanity plate on the front of this car. Interested?
Me thinks you may have mixed up the craigslist link with yesterdays ebay link.
Will, thanks for catching that; it was my fault. Fixed now. :-)
Look at that old York AC
Sure is a neat car, but like the early 60’s Chrysler products, may have limited appeal. Pete Malloy drove a Matador X, ( although, later episodes showed just a regular Matador) in Adam-12. ( possibly as an advertising ploy when they drove AMC cruisers) I don’t think these did very well in NASCAR, and their racing was short lived. Still, a great classic for someone who wants something different.
Link is still not fixed. Nice car, I always had a liking for the AMC cars!
I thought these to be ungainly and oddly proportioned for the very short time they actually existed in the wild. Not unlike much, if not all of the AMC offerings of the period. I still find it odd and quirky with just enough nostalgia to make it, dare I say, desirable…
funny story..an old friend bought one new the first year offered..forget which year but…..never knew why though..didn’t have it long before it broke down.the dealership sent a tow truck..the period type with the sling and bar..towed it back and then the major problem.the car actually bent at the firewall area and shattered the windscreen..looked like a banana…they just gave him all his money back and off he went…think it was sent back to the factory.
I’ll guarantee you the reason he lettered the air cleaner is that although he’s still social enough to show it at the Saturday night cruise-in, he’s not social enough to continually have to tell the askin’ good ol boys what engine is in there.
He -is- a 70 year old Ford mechanic in Texas after all. There’s probably a fair bit of grump goin’ on.
Wife had to drive one for work, going to customer shops to repair their electronics….We had it home every night for over a year…I refused to drive it or be seen it it….It had the ultimate baby diahria interior and almost same pumpkin squash color outside. I was driving 62 Bel Air Bubbletop and 58 Impala at the time. Just couldn’t lower my standard…
When I was a kid, an older unmarried guy drove one of these. He would often ask someone in my group of friends to ‘visit’ him. No one did.
Was at a car show years ago , and a guy had a fawn beige version of the matador ( ugly color combo) , with the 360 but his claim to fame was that it was the only year you could get plastic composite factory mags ( light weight said it saved 40lb + pounds on the weight of the car) , yes plastic! I think the year was 77, he told me it was a very rare option,( his had pristine examples) as it only came out 1 year and there was not many left on the road, as the plastic mags had a unique habit of cracking, in cold -minus degree weather when you accidentally grazed or hit a curb or went over a speed bump too fast. And AMC deemed them dangerous, and were promptly discontinued that year. Does any body know any thing further about this option??, The last I saw this car was at least 12 years ago and I have not seen that car at shows since, ( maybe he hit a curb????) Oh I have to admit, it was one clean car, but at the time I remember him wanting a crazy amount of money for it, and thought I would not be caught dead in that car ( considering the Color and of course the Mags) LOL :)
I would love to own another 74 amc matador bourgham, in 1989 a co worker had one the she was selling it was orange, black vinyl roof, split bench, black interior which was in beautiful condition with the 304 automatic it sat for 3yrs, I bought a battery and 5 gallons of gas, after about a minute of cranking it fired off and purred like it was brand new, when i pulled it out of the weeds I asked how much they wanted for it I was in shock at the price $150.00 . I wish I had pics of it to show everyone, I had polished aluminum slots 15×10 on the rear 14×8 on the front and took 1 1/2 coils out of the front and when on the freeway at 65mph it would feel like you where floating on air, awesome car and would love to own another, I’m from Spokane Wa, now living in the Bremerton WA area, I’ll see if I can find pics of it from some family members. Thank you for allowing me to share