When they were new, and now as much as then, American Motors products may be seen as underdogs. The underdog sometimes wins, even when going up against some pretty big dogs. The fellows who put in the long hours over in the AMC R & D department never had the same budget to work with than their brethren over at GM, Ford and Chrysler. This forced them to do more with less. To innovate. To compete harder.

American Motors always offered a very competitive product in the “economy” field, but this third-generation of the “Classic” line was a little bit of a stretch for them, to create a slightly more upscale product in order to compete with Big Three cars that always outsold them in huge numbers. This 770 model had a lower and longer look than the typical offering from AMC.

It was still an AMC, but along with the expanded look came cleaner lines, somewhat more luxurious interiors, (in this case, a two-tone scheme) and features that other cars, particularly those in it’s lower price class, just didn’t have. Dual system brakes for one, which at this time in American automotive history, could only be found on one Big Three car; the Cadillac.

While many of AMC’s styling choices will always be open for debate, their reputation for reliability and owner loyalty are not; they offered a decent car for the price. The sedan models in this body style had front seats that could fold all the way back, so the back of the seat laid flat and level with the cushion of the rear seat. This created a large, in-car bed, a great way to find a quiet back road, and with a few blankets stashed in the trunk, keep the cash that would have been otherwise been paid out for a room in a hotel. (I don’t know if these convertible models offered this same type of fold-flat seat backs as the sedans, and I look forward to our knowledgeable readers enlightening the rest of us on that).

One source says just 4,953 of these convertibles were produced in either six cylinder or V8 in 1965. I found that number to be higher than I expected. A number that is comparable with many Chrysler convertibles of the era (although the sedans and coupes were produced in far lower numbers than anything from the Big Three).

I won’t dwell on my standard complaints that this is no way to sell a nice car like this, needs more and better photos, more description, the seller could and should have dropped a C-note on some new carpet and on and on, so I’ll just leave you with the facts. This car is located in Benton, Illinois. It can be found here on craigslist. The asking price is $8,000. Do you think that’s a good deal for a nice, serviceable AMC convertible? Share your thoughts below.