Update 2/12/24 – The seller of this Javelin has relisted it here on eBay and lowered the price by $3k. Do you think it’ll sell this time around?
From 12/8/23 – While AMC never reached the success level to raise the number to a 4 in The Big 3, they did produce some fun offerings for the period even though a few of them were a bit on the quirky side. But one car with unusual body lines that worked well was the Javelin, a pony designation that saw production over two generations beginning in 1968. The 1973 AMC Javelin for sale here on eBay is from the second-gen and is a next-to-final-year model, so if you’ve been in the market for a well-kept example that’s only had two owners this one’s probably worth a look. It’s located in Conover, Wisconsin, with a buy-it-now price tag of $21,400.
The first run of Javelins had a somewhat similar appearance on the outside to the AMX, a 2-seater auto from AMC, but that model was discontinued at the end of 1970 while the Javelin soldiered on with a new body style beginning in 1971. A key difference is the Javelin came with a back seat and plenty of room inside, with the seller telling us his car only has two flaws inside, including a missing seat latch handle on the rear of the driver’s bucket plus a panel next to the emergency brake that is oddly gone, but everything else in there appears nicely preserved, especially considering the upholstery is white.
The seller says his car has been in the family since 1986 and indicates it’s rarely driven anymore, with some health issues being the deciding factor in the Javelin looking for a new home. The owner also boasts about the car’s originality, and though he doesn’t specify that’s still the factory finish outside the paint presents well and the body panels seem to be straight and in excellent shape, with no obvious signs of rust anywhere. Those white stripes on the side and that rear spoiler with the recessed keyhole definitely enhance this one, as do the bulging front fenders that appeared on the second-generation autos beginning in 1971.
This one’s got a 304 cubic inch engine under the hood, the smallest V8 you could get in ’73 but it was good for 150 horsepower, and with mileage just under the 35k mark there’s probably still some decent life left here. Although a 3-speed manual was available, a Torque-Command automatic takes care of the shifting duties, with the seller stating the car performs well and delivers a smooth ride. I’m not spotting too much on this one to find fault with and feel the asking price isn’t that far out of line for what you’re getting here. What are your thoughts on this 1973 AMC Javelin?
“Hey Javelin”,,oh, we( as if AMC was ours, and it kind of was) had some out there creations with the car maker. We shrugged it off as, this was what was offered, take it or leave it. Generally ho-hum cars, some had some clout, but as mentioned, never the zing of the Big 3. Even the 1st gen Javelins didn’t create the ruckus, until these came out. Perhaps it was the Mustang front or Donohues racing success, you can see his trademark spoiler there that I thought all spoilers were signed, apparently not, the car was a universal hit. It was the only AMC car that one saw in any numbers outside the midwest. Again, I just don’t know about value these here days, but that aside, this was our answer to pony cars from AMC, and we were mighty proud of this car. Optioned just right, except, again no power brakes, I wonder why that was? It couldn’t have been more than a few bucks extra, yet so many cars, even into the 70s, had manual brakes. I guess we should be glad it has electric wipers, eh? Nice car.
I think some buyers were still afraid power brakes might be too sensitive under panic, or slick braking conditions.
I probably has drum brakes. Since drum brakes are self-energizing, they require significantly less pressure to operate, usually negating the need for power assist.
Looks like a great deal!! Does it sit low in the back or high in the front?
Im liking that nose up stance Howie 👍
Never seen a factory radio with no push button presets, like i see here.
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/FS8AAOSwlcZlVMw7/s-l1600.jpg
That radio is an AM/8-track combo. The silver and black below the radio dial is the tape door.
Fun fact: the radio face, including the dial and the pushbuttons have a curved face to match the Javelin dash.
Mom had a ’73 with A/C , Cruise, Console Shift automatic, and that cool three spoke steeping wheel.
As mentioned, it is an AM 8 track. Back in those days most manufacturers offered an AM radio with manual tuning, and a “Deluxe” model had optional pushbuttons.
The Javelin is, at long last, is getting some love in the collector car market.
This is a nice one, and the price seems reasonable.
304 auto = dog slow. With that said AMC
Had some very cool thought going into there cars. Stick would help this car alot.
Whoever bought this car wanted looks and was ok with no go. Nice car glad it’s still around a little high in my opinion but market will bring seller and buyer together on whats fair .
All the V8 engines from this time used the same block so it’s possible with some machine work to be bored out & a crank to stroke a 304 to 401 & I would buy a set of edlebrock heads & wala 401 ! I don’t think a cleaner , no rust car ( not even under the hood) can be found . The only fly in the ointment is no a/c but anything can be fixed with a little money!
Same external dimensions, but not the same internally. The 401 block had sturdier internal webbing. Boring the 304 block @ 3.75 inches to the 401 bore of 4.165 inches or even the 360 bore of 4.08 inches is probably not feasible.
The max recommended overbore on a 304 is 3.875″, or .125″ over. They are not the same as a 360, and a normal 360 is not the same as a 401. There was a service replacement block that has shown up in a few places that is a 401 casting, but was machined to either 4.08 or 4.165 bores for 360, 390, and 401 applications. There was even a few very rare true race blocks cast.
There are many people that have overbored an AMC block beyond recommendations and had it work well.
On a normal 360 block the max recommended overbore is .045″ for a bore of 4.125″. Lot’s have bored them to 401 size of 4.165. However, a 360 block does not have as much material on the thrust sides as a 401 and they are not as strong. If you run it really hard (and I mean race use, not street) you will probably eventually crack the thrust sides of the bores.
One thing is for sure the few cubic inches you gain with an aggressive bore will not make up for the power lost due to reduced cylinder wall stiffness.
Factory service manual recommends not exceeding .020″ overbore on 390/401 blocks. However, some have bored them close to 4.25″ iirc. i have seen some of the “service blocks”. They do not have the CID cast into the block, but some do have a small “x” stamped on the dog ear at the front of the block. Recently had machine work on a 390 block that was already .030 over. The machinist was willing to go further, but not before i requested a sonic check. It was found that one of the cylinders was very thin and the others not much better. So, as you say, i had the block sleeved ($1000) and went with the standard bore. an extra 4 cubes is trivial compared to having good heat transfer and ring stability. I just wish that the Total Seal gas-ported rings had been available back then.
Some of those quirky offerings led to automotive innovations we continue to have today. The AMC Eagle was 4 wheel drive. The first cross-over. How many on here have a Subaru, or Kia,(list goes on) etc in their driveway?
I have a 73 javelin AMX with a 360 4 barrel, anybody who’s watched breaking bad will recognize it, that’s my car. Bought it in Connecticut and drove it all the way back to Albuquerque. Road hard and put away wet before I bought it I practically rebuilt it. These are good solid cars, that are increasing in value and are a good investment.
Dale – yes, fan of Breaking Bad and of the bad-ass Javelin in the show (I have a red on red 1968 AMX with a 4-speed and one of the aforementioned “replacement blocks”, aka NASCAR block?
I have always loved the second gen Javelins, the dash really gives you the feeling of being in a cockpit. Wonder why they went with a column shifter and no power brakes. The spoiler was added after dealer sale. Javelin AMX came with the spoiler not Javelin. The only spoilers that had the Donahue signature were the 1970 Donahue Javelins. This 73 is also missing the front spoiler. I don’t know why but the 68 thru 70 AMX & Javelin and the 71 thru 74 Javelin and Javelin AMX all ways had a bit of a nose up attitude, this one seems excessive. Some thing seems not right with the right lower rocker. This is a nice Javelin and seems to be priced right.
a seventy-three? Hummm – 2 cars in one…
Yeah, “Missed it by this much.” (Max holds index & thumb 1/4 apart). 2nd gen.
Till I saw that almost had the same comment “Naw, I’ll wait for the AMX.”
97 inch WB, 2,900 lbs, 6.4L, twin 4v on 390bent8, 345PS.
Cheap enough to retromod it, toss the drive train & rear end, drop in anything decent & put in a decent rear suspension.
That paint has to go – anything else.
Interior is OK.
If you can source the European dash instruments RARE thats what ya want AMC assembled these in Germany also.
As far as collector – it’s not going to go up.
Parts are hard to find.
If it were a SST or AMX then yes.
Nice, but why does every other one of these Javelins have screwed up striping. The factory stripe really harmonized with the design. These here, give it a kind of goofy, cartoonish look. And paint those wheels silver while you’re at it!
Those are not factory stripes.
Those tail pipe turndowns need to go…
While the small missing panel might seem odd, it would be odder still if the person responsible for losing it, probably a family member, has yet to been identified.
Not sure about the price, but it sure looks like a fun enough car that you can jump into and drive anywhere and get a lot of looks.
Can’t say that I have seen one in red, ever. Factory color?
This looks like Starsky and Hutch’s car if it was filmed in Kenosha
My sentiments EXACTLY Tbone! The VERY FIRST thing that came to my mind when I saw this car, “It’s a Starsky and Hutch Javelin! Maybe that was the look they were goin for? It certainly isn’t a Factory Striped Javelin as others have mentioned, but could be easily removed! Nice looker from the era tho. AMCs were not everyone’s cup of tea, but at least it’s a V-8 Basic Javelin and there are not many out there still this clean with only two-owners. GLWTS
LS3 that puppy…
These cars are so underrated. That ‘phat’ Kim K backside was killer and still looks great! Not so much for Kim K tho. Great body lines!
sure rather the AMX here (myself), altho 1/2 the size, twice the car
Hammer fell at $18,500.00
73 AMX would be the same size car. 71 thru 74 they were Javelin AMX. The side stripe is real close to the 73-74 side stripe you could order from AMC. The height of the stripe over the wheel wells looks to be exaggerated over the oem stripe. I will bet that the main thing keeping this from selling is the column shifter. To each their own, if it had a consul shifter I believe this would be gone. The cost to get a consul and swap out the column would be hefty, if you could find a good consul to install. To bad this body style didn’t come out in 68 or 69. I really miss my 72 Javelin AMX but wouldn’t give up my 70 AMX to get it back.
Agreed that the console shifter is much more desirable, especially since it is the cool looking staple type.
A buddy in HS had a ’73 with console. Looked way better than my same year Barracuda with column auto.
AMX- 97 inch, javelin- 109 inch
ford guy here, ignorant of most
other on – shore breeds, know this
model tho as never followed till recently
still fresh in my mind. Damn, but my 1st
gen bronk is a ‘jeep’ and only 5 inches shorter.
AMX – compact, jav – intermediate, no?
chrlsful, you are thinking about the earlier AMX. By ’73, the AMX was built on the same exact platform as the Javelin.
https://www.ultimatespecs.com/car-comparator/126154,126172/AMC-Javelin-1973-vs-AMC-Javelin-1973.html
1968-70 AMX is 97″ wheelbase 2 seater, Javelin is 109″ wheelbase with a back seat. 1971 saw the AMX as a separate model discontinued. The Javelin was continued thru 74 with a redesign to the front fenders and rear quarter panels. The Javelin AMX was the performance version of the 71-74 Javelin which added a cowl induction hood, front and rear spoiler, handling package and instrumentation.
71-74 javelins had wb of 110″, iirc. I have seen 4 SS/AMXs at shows: Pete’s Patriot, Drag-On Lady, Cotton Candy & The Frog. There is a list of known SS/AMXs on-line.
yup 3 yr baby, smaller version all the way. In fact ur right I think abt it ‘several times a day’ or even ‘for a long time on a day’… BUT
only recently. Back ‘in the day’ bud rolled up un-expectantly in one, not impressed, but today, different story. I wuz justa kid then (into the 50s – late 70s Italian stuff). It wuz a coupla yrs old, not brand spankin new. Now, as a mature calm thinkin MAN I wonder Y they didnt sell/keep makin them. Chid, I’d buy a kit car of this’un…
Always talking about Javelins and AMXs but never once the special built AMX 390 crossram drag cars. I know they built very few of them but there still has to be some left.. somewhere.
Yes there are. You could only get them in white. There are a couple that show up every year at the AMO ( American Motors Association) yearly car shows.
where/when’s that Ronald?
chrisful, there were 52 or 53 1969 SS/AMX’s painted Frost White made. AMO had their Convention in Detroit in 2022, Knoxville Tenn. in 2023 and they will be in Petersburg, VA in June of this year. Also there is a yearly get together for a week in Kenosha WI. where I heard 1 of them shows up. The Breedlove AMX also shows up to quite a few events.
The Kenosha get togethers are usually in July.
May be I could make a Right coast w/plenty worning, even a NoEast w/just a wk’s notice. The American Motors( O )Association is on-line & publishes these things?
Thnx Ronald~