UPDATE 12/17/21 – This Matador garage find has popped up here on eBay with no reserve!
FROM 12/13/21 – Those taillights are unmistakable. Once the garage door was opened, you knew that this 1975 AMC Matador Coupe had been sitting there for quite a while – since 1998, in fact. That doesn’t seem like a long time in the grand scheme of barn finds, but it’s a long time to leave a vehicle parked. The seller has this formerly-hidden project coupe posted here on craigslist in Latrobe, Pennsylvania and they’re asking $3,495 or best offer.
I didn’t notice the rusty rear bumper at first and I got excited that this may be a perfect hidden jewel of a Matador Coupe, a car that would draw stares and at least a small crowd of car guys and gals around it at every gas station or grocery store parking lot. Then I looked closer and saw the incredibly rusted rear bumper and my dreams were dashed, as I’ve never said before because it sounds too dramatic for me. As you can see, the front bumper looks like new, so there’s that.
But then again, there appears to be a lot of rust on this car, sadly. Dashed dreams part II. The Matador Coupe was one of the most unusual cars designed and built by one of the most unusual car companies (American Motors Corp), a company that was famous for designing and building more than a few unusual cars. That’s a lot of unusual wrapped up in one car. Both side view mirrors appear to be broken off and I don’t know if the lighter areas on the body are from former bodywork or what’s going on there.
AMC made the Matador Coupe starting for the 1974 model year and they were made until the end of the 1978 model year with almost 100,000 of them being produced. The interior is another story compared to the rugged exterior of this example. It looks good inside other than a noticeable rip on the driver’s seat back and lots of dirty fabric.
The engine is AMC’s 304 V8 which had 150 horsepower and this one isn’t currently in running condition. The seller hasn’t tried to start it, preferring to let the car sell as it is now without them doing any work on it. Given Hagerty’s #4 fair condition value of $2,400, what is this 1975 Matador Coupe worth in its present condition?
A friend in high school had a black on black 74 Matador version. Big, heavy, wallowed like the boat it was, but sure was comfy. I would hate to try to park it in a typical space today with those huge doors.
I’ve always considered Matadors to be the ugliest car made at any angle. The undersized tires and the oversized wheel wells are the worst. But AMC did build ugly right into their product line.
Hardly.
Agreed! Ugliest ever!
Agreed! Ugliest ever!
Ouch! Sorry for peeing in your swimming pool. Besides my mother always said I was handsome
Uglier than a Pontiac Aztec? Uglier than a Pacer? Pretty sure that there are uglier cars than a Matador, but hey – there’s no accounting for taste.
Nope! Those two aren’t even close.
Hate the Matador Coupe if you will. AMC was on a mission starting in 1960’s playing catch up. They built the Hurst AMX for Drag Racing. The Javelin was entered in Trans Am racing. In their first season almost knocked Ford out of second place. Enter Penske and Donohue in 1970. For 1971 the two had a heavy hand in the restyle in the Javelin. It was a passenger car that was designed for winning Trans Am racing.
After Dominating Trans Am AMC and Penske decided to enter a Matador in Nascar. The result was the flying brick. The 72/73 needed work. The same formula to make the Javelin a winning car was done for an all new Matador and is the body style before you.
So it may seem ugly now but on the Nascar track it was a beautiful thing. Donny Allison loved it and still raced it even after AMC pulled the plug.
Pretty sure he would punch anyone in the mouth who disrespected it. Rightfully so.
You seem to be suggesting if sourpwr pulled up in this car, it would be pure woman repellant. I can definitely believe it. This is one of the ugliest cars ever built. It’s awkward, bloated, and just weird.
Lock the garage door for another 23 years and see if the reception’s any better…
“So THAT’s a Matador… “
Since I see a VHS cassette… perhaps a Betamax cassette would have been more fitting for this car..?
What’s up with the rope on the brake pedal?
Something disassembled on the brakes? My dad used to do that when he had the brakes apart, so no one stepped on the pedal and blew out the wheel cylinders.
Almost 100% of the time.
When an ad says “The seller hasn’t tried to start it”
Means they tried to start it, and couldn’t get it to go.
That was always my thought, but earlier this year, I bought an AMX of of a car lot that deals in classic projects. They said they hadn’t attempted to start it, so I was expecting the worse. After dragging it home 5 hours, I had it running in less than a 30 minutes.
It would have been worth double what Ii paid for it, had it been running. I never understand, why anyone wouldn’t attempt to start one. I can’t wait to see if I can get them to run.
A few years ago I dragged home a 70 Mustang Mach 1 that had been parked for 30 years. My friend, connected a 5 litre fuel can directly to the carb, then poured fuel down the carb and it fired up in 3 seconds.
I got the fright of my life ! and immediately shut it down, visualizing the oil being solid tar and the fuel being varnish.
Now 3 years later, I still detect no harm done.
However, it is probably best to prepare the engine and try to start it, before purchasing.
I think it should go back in the garage for a few more years, lotsa more years, AMC made so many ugly cars, the Rambler,this, just close the door
I don’t know, this Rambler doesn’t look particularly ugly to me…
https://a4.pbase.com/g10/77/677577/2/167684605.awWaybrl.jpg
Let’s all show our appreciation for the vinyl roof as well!
I hate myself for loving these cars.
Uglier than a Pontiac Aztec? Uglier than a Pacer? Pretty sure that there are uglier cars than a Matador, but hey – there’s no accounting for taste.
I’ve been looking for the very rare version of this car with a 3 on the tree. I’ve only seen one for sale and the guy didn’t message me back for 2 weeks then told me it was gone.
Eĺ matadòre
Hmm I had a 1960 Dodge Matador I wonder if that is where they got the name it sure was a lot nicer looking
They actually were fairly successful in Nascar… Penske and Donahue were instrumental in the design.
http://www.stockcarracinghistory.com/scrh-vault/nascar-garage/nascar-garage-memory-lane-1974-matador
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=penske+amc+matador+racing&qpvt=penske+amc+matador+racing&FORM=IGRE
I remember it well, those glory years of stock car racing, when AMC shook up the big three!
I just checked out those links. Much larger wheels and lowered suspension do a lot for the Matador. Thanks for the history lesson!
It’s amazing how much better they look without the park-bench bumpers…
Unmistakable tail lights…hell, I thought it was a Vette! We had a 76 Coupe Bro-ham with plaid fabric, 304, air, crank windows AND a AM radio. I drove it during college…another guy had a 75 Oleg Cassini white/gold coupe. Driving is better than walking…in most cases.
Chick magnet!!?
Some things most certainly DON’T get better with age!!
Only place I remember seeing one of these is in the Bond movie “Man with the golden gun”
Didn’t they make a Matador X version?
The ugliest American made car was the ’58 Buick. AMC cars just had character.
Penna. road salt and slush doesn’t collect on the FRONT bumper.
Auction update: this Matador Coupe sold for $2,325